Ahead of the Threat: The FBI Cyber Podcast

Official FBI

Ahead of the Threat confronts some of the biggest questions in cyber: How will emerging technology impact corporate America? How can corporate boards be structured for cyber resilience? What does the FBI think about generative artificial intelligence? Listen to new episodes biweekly and stay ahead of the threat. Listen to the episodes, read transcripts, and find related material at fbi.gov/aheadofthethreat. The FBI Cyber Division is on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/fbicyber.

  1. 2D AGO

    Ahead of the Threat Podcast: Season 2, Episode 6: Deneen DeFiore

    Ahead of the Threat takes off to the skies! United Airlines Chief Information Security Officer and Vice President Deneen DeFiore joins host FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Brett Leatherman to learn how the aviation industry protects passengers and airline systems from cyberattacks. Deneen shares that airlines are already built around how to handle imperfect days and conditions, so a cybersecurity posture is baked in by ensuring resiliency (no delays) and safety (for passenger data and transport). This leads to greater cooperation—collective protection, as Deneen puts it—among the airlines despite competition and a strong FBI partnership to obtain the latest threat intelligence because flying safely from Point A to Point B requires the work of thousands of people with as many processes. Joining Brett to discuss the news is Todd Hemmen, the deputy assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Capabilities Branch, which surges technical teams and engages with industry. Current event topics include the extradition by the Italian government of a Chinese national accused of compromising nearly 13,000 U.S. organizations, including medical workers developing the COVID-19 vaccine; Operation Masquerade, an FBI effort to disrupt Russian military cyber operations; and a U.K. joint advisory warning the industry of Chinese government attempts to compromise consumer edge devices and use those devices to covertly find and attack new victims.

  2. APR 9

    Ahead of the Threat Podcast: Season 2, Episode 5 — Joe Levy

    Joining the show is a security practitioner who also happens to be a CEO. Joe Levy of Sophos and host Brett Leatherman, head of the FBI’s Cyber Division, discuss the application of Operation Winter SHIELD, with Levy calling it one of the most effective and approachable lists of cybersecurity tips available. Adopting just one of the plan’s 10 steps will make any company “infinitely better off,” Levy said. Their conversation also highlights the “cybersecurity poverty line” that details the lack of CISOs in the workforce, the inherent risk and recommended research of third-party vendors, and a detailed examination of how a Sophos compromise was tracked to a device that displayed a greeting message on an office monitor. To start the show, Brett is joined by Adam Maddock, the FBI’s section chief of the Cyber Technical Analysis and Operations Section. They discuss the highly technical Cyber Action Team and current news items that discuss software supply chain attacks, a “compromise” of Signal and Telegram, and the growing trend of hackers infiltrating everyday home devices.

  3. MAR 25

    Ahead of the Threat Podcast: Season 2, Episode 4 — Sherrod DeGrippo

    Microsoft joins the conversation on all things Operation Winter SHIELD, the FBI’s list of the 10 most impactful cybersecurity actions for organizations big and small. Sherrod DeGrippo, general manager of Microsoft's Global Threat Intelligence, shares why she wrote a blog post about the Bureau’s effort with host Brett Leatherman, head of FBI Cyber. The two highlight the increasing role AI plays in initiating—and stopping—cyberattacks, how experts have observed that fundamental cybersecurity steps are enough to discourage a would-be hacker, and how security teams can be even more effective when they develop a partnership with software developers. To start the show, Ahead of the Threat goes international! Brett discusses the critical role international cyber investigators play for the FBI with program manager Maeve Healy of the Global Partnership Program. They also explore recent news topics, including Operation Lightning, an alleged ransomware negotiator who secretly worked against his company, and industry’s growing calls to include AI in its cybersecurity toolbox.

  4. MAR 11

    Ahead of the Threat Podcast: Season 2, Episode 3 — Amy Herzog

    Is a breach a security problem or a business problem? For guest Amy Herzog, CISO and vice president of Amazon Web Services, "security is what you bring to customers." Amy joins the show for a wide-ranging discussion with host Brett Leatherman on Operation Winter SHIELD. The two touch on how, in reality, AI makes bad hackers mediocre hackers; the importance of log retention (first mention this season!); that the most effective way to protect your business is by doing the basics (because most hackers succeed by exploiting the basics); and finally, learn how imagining yourself as a pilot puts you on the path for cybersecurity success.  In the show's opening, Brett is joined by the head of the FBI's Cyber Operations, Deputy Assistant Director Jason Bilnoski. They discuss the takedowns of LeakBase and Tycoon 2FAs while also wondering...if hackers use AI to infiltrate a system, should owners use AI to protect those systems?

  5. FEB 24

    Ahead of the Threat Podcast: Season 2, Episode 2: John Hammond

    Search no further for an engaging, practical conversation from two cybersecurity experts! Diving into the FBI’s Operation Winter SHIELD initiative, John Hammond, the principal security researcher at Huntress, (who also has a YouTube channel with 2.1+ million subscribers) joins host Brett Leatherman for a wide-ranging discussion on hacking trends, how not every user in your organization needs full rights access, and that a basic inventory of IT equipment can be the most important cybersecurity step you take! Starting the show, Brett is joined by Michael Machtinger, the FBI’s deputy assistant director for the Cyber Intelligence Branch. After learning how the branch supports the Bureau’s cyber mission, the two discuss “slave” hackers from North Korea, CISA’s latest recommendation for end-of-life devices, and how hackers use remote proxy servers to attack within the U.S.

  6. FEB 4

    Ahead of the Threat Podcast: Season 2, Episode 1: John Hultquist

    In the first full episode for Season 2, host Brett Leatherman, assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, welcomes the self-described cyberthreat hunter John Hultquist, the chief analyst of the Google Threat Intelligence Group. In their conversation, John highlights that not being hacked is unrealistic. Creating resilience, especially in how fast you can get back online following an attack, is the best mitigation approach. AI is also discussed, with John citing how since hackers use it to infiltrate systems, organizations must use AI in any countermeasure. Brett also announces Operation Winter SHIELD, the FBI’s first-of-its-kind campaign to highlight the 10 most common ways the FBI sees companies get victimized by cyberattacks. Learn more at fbi.gov/wintershield. The news segment also returns in Season 2, with Brett joined by special guest Kristin Grimes, an FBI unit chief in the Cyber Law Unit, discussing the effects of CISA 2015’s (maybe) reauthorization, edge device exploitation, and the White House’s executive order on AI. Joint Advisories: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/cisa-uk-ncsc-fbi-unveil-principles-combat-cyber-risks-ot

  7. JAN 28

    Ahead of the Threat Podcast: Season 2, Episode 0: Brett Leatherman

    Ahead of the Threat returns for Season Two! Join our new host, Brett Leatherman, the assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, as he discusses the current landscape of cyberthreats targeting businesses and critical infrastructure with the goal to inspire listeners to step back from the day-to-day to see the cyber threat more clearly, connect the dots and drive change. With guests ranging from the private sector to government officials, Brett will highlight the administration’s cyber strategy and the FBI’s launch of Operation Winter SHIELD, a campaign to defend the homeland against cyber threats with real economic and national security implications. If you’re on a cybersecurity team, a CISO, risk manager, CEO, on a board of directors, or just interested in stopping cyberattacks, join the FBI as we all get ahead of the threat.

  8. 05/21/2025

    Ahead of the Threat Podcast - Episode Ten - Hugh Thompson

    The show is on the road! Filming on location at the annual RSAC Conference in San Francisco, hosts Bryan Vorndran and Jamil Farshchi welcome Dr. Hugh Thompson, the executive chairman of RSAC and the program coordinator of the RSAC Conference. The annual conference gathers thousands of cybersecurity officials from the private and public sector to discuss ways to thwart attacks and institute best practices. In this episode, Dr. Thompson highlights the importance of government participation, how to keep the relationships and knowledge-sharing going throughout the year, and the importance of being community-oriented to ensure effective cybersecurity postures against criminal adversaries.

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Ahead of the Threat confronts some of the biggest questions in cyber: How will emerging technology impact corporate America? How can corporate boards be structured for cyber resilience? What does the FBI think about generative artificial intelligence? Listen to new episodes biweekly and stay ahead of the threat. Listen to the episodes, read transcripts, and find related material at fbi.gov/aheadofthethreat. The FBI Cyber Division is on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/fbicyber.

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