Absolutely Critical

Fortress Information Security

Absolutely Critical, a podcast by Fortress, goes inside how today’s leaders defend the systems, partners, and infrastructure their missions depend on from relentless cyber threats. Spanning government and commercial industries, the show explores what it takes to protect operations where disruption, compromise, or failure is not an option. Each episode delivers hard lessons, real strategies, and the technologies that stop cyber threats before they become mission failures. Hosted by Lee Mangold, a cybersecurity leader with over 20 years of experience securing mission-critical systems for the U.S. Department of War, intelligence organizations, and some of the world’s largest enterprises.

Episodes

  1. EPISODE 1

    The Hidden Cost of Deepfakes: How AI Impersonation Disrupts Organizations

    The AI revolution has arrived, and the primary target isn't your software, it’s your human instincts. In this episode of Absolutely Critical, host Lee Mangold sits down with 25-year cybersecurity veteran James McQuiggan to explore the high-stakes world of AI-driven social engineering. They break down the "wake-up call" story of a global organization that lost $25 million to a deepfake video call and discuss how attackers clone a voice with just 10 seconds of audio. James also provides a framework for defense, from implementing family "code words" to leveraging AI in GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) without losing human oversight. You’ll learn more about: The Human Vulnerability: Why attackers prioritize "soft targets" over zero-day exploits.The $25M Deepfake: Anatomy of a multi-layered impersonation attack.AI in Governance: Using generative AI to baseline policies and automate audit prep.Polite Paranoia: Practical strategies to verify identity in a synthetic world. This podcast is for: CISOs, GRC professionals, and security leaders responsible for protecting critical infrastructure and human capital against evolving AI-driven threats. Learn More About Fortress: https://www.fortressinfosec.com/ Connect With Lee: ​​https://www.linkedin.com/in/leemangold/ Connect With James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmcquiggan/

    30 min

  2. 2 DAYS AGO

    Absolutely Critical by Fortress

    Absolutely Critical, a podcast by Fortress, goes inside how today’s leaders defend the systems, partners, and infrastructure their missions depend on from relentless cyber threats. Spanning government and commercial industries, the show explores what it takes to protect operations where disruption, compromise, or failure is not an option. Each episode delivers hard lessons, real strategies, and the technologies that stop cyber threats before they become mission failures. Hosted by Lee Mangold, a cybersecurity leader with over 20 years of experience securing mission-critical systems for the U.S. Department of War, intelligence organizations, and some of the world’s largest enterprises.

    1 min

Trailer

About

Absolutely Critical, a podcast by Fortress, goes inside how today’s leaders defend the systems, partners, and infrastructure their missions depend on from relentless cyber threats. Spanning government and commercial industries, the show explores what it takes to protect operations where disruption, compromise, or failure is not an option. Each episode delivers hard lessons, real strategies, and the technologies that stop cyber threats before they become mission failures. Hosted by Lee Mangold, a cybersecurity leader with over 20 years of experience securing mission-critical systems for the U.S. Department of War, intelligence organizations, and some of the world’s largest enterprises.

Information

  • Creator
    Fortress Information Security
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Fortress Information Security
  • Show Website
    Absolutely Critical