Cyber News Group Podcast

Sarah Armstrong Smith & Lisa Forte

Your front-row seat to the future of security. Unfiltered insights from the experts, leaders, and innovators driving change across the global security landscape. Hosted by two of the field’s most respected experts, Sarah Armstrong-Smith and Lisa Forte, the podcast explores today’s biggest challenges and emerging trends. From resilience to innovation, the show brings clarity and inspiration to the rapidly evolving security landscape. Episodes are available to stream on YouTube, Spotify & Apple.

Episodes

  1. Detecting Attacks: Why SOCs Fail

    28/10/2025

    Detecting Attacks: Why SOCs Fail

    Most cyber-attacks are not sophisticated. They are simple, often clumsy, and should be stopped in their tracks. Yet SOCs around the world continue to miss them. The result is attackers roaming inside networks for months, stealing data, sabotaging backups and setting the stage for maximum damage. Why are we still getting this wrong? In this episode of the Cyber News Group Podcast, Robert Wortmann, Principal Security Strategist at Trend Micro, joins us to expose the uncomfortable truths about SOC performance. With years of frontline experience, Robert explains why the average dwell time of five to seven months persists, how teams are paralysed by the sheer volume of data they collect, and whether large language models are solving problems or simply creating more noise. He pushes us to consider if the real issue lies in technology, in people, or in the culture of how security is managed. This conversation is not about offering easy fixes. It is about provoking thought and forcing a new perspective on what effective detection and response should look like. If you think your SOC is working as it should, this episode will make you think again. Learn more about TrendMicro: https://www.trendmicro.com

    29 min
  2. Cyber Inequality: Who is Ultimately Accountable?

    24/09/2025

    Cyber Inequality: Who is Ultimately Accountable?

    Cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure and supply chains do not just disrupt organisations. They affect our daily lives. From healthcare and utilities to farming and food distribution, are we protecting what truly matters? In this episode of the Cyber News Group Podcast, Felicity Oswald brings her wealth of experience from leading one of the UK’s most important cyber institutions. As former Chief Operating Officer of the National Cyber Security Centre, Felicity has overseen national-level strategy, resilience planning, and engagement with both government and private sector leaders. She joins our hosts to explore overlooked vulnerabilities, board accountability, and whether regulation should incentivise resilience instead of punishing failure.

    28 min
  3. Disinformation: Are Your Choices Still Your Own?

    30/06/2025

    Disinformation: Are Your Choices Still Your Own?

    Why does disinformation spread so easily online, and how are digital platforms incentivised to fuel it? In this episode Ian Johnson joins Sarah Armstrong-Smith and Lisa Forte to unpack the evolving landscape of computational propaganda and the weaponisation of disinformation. Ian is Associate Director for Cyber Security at UWE and Co-Director of an NCSC recognised Academic Centre of Excellence. With decades of experience in cyber security education and research, he shares insights into how fake accounts, social media algorithms, and online echo chambers distort truth, manipulate public opinion, and erode trust. From the long history of propaganda to today’s AI-driven influence campaigns, this episode explores why misinformation spreads so fast, how social media benefits from it, and what this means for our personal freedom and decision-making.

    29 min
  4. Behaviour: It Cannot Be Changed Without Changing Our Thinking

    23/06/2025

    Behaviour: It Cannot Be Changed Without Changing Our Thinking

    Why do people still click suspicious links, ignore MFA, or fall for phishing, even when they know better? In this episode Tim Ward joins Sarah Armstrong-Smith and Lisa Forte to explore the psychology behind cybersecurity behaviour and why traditional awareness training often misses the mark. Tim is CEO and Co-Founder of ThinkCyber, creators of the award-winning Redflags® platform. With over 25 years in IT and cybersecurity, including leadership roles at BAE Systems and PA Consulting, Tim shares what really drives behaviour and how real-time, context-aware support can make a difference. From analysing the BlackBasta leaks to behavioural science models like Protection Motivation Theory, we dive into what works, what doesn’t and what the future of human risk management could look like.

    29 min
  5. Hacktivism: Who Decides Right from Wrong?

    03/06/2025

    Hacktivism: Who Decides Right from Wrong?

    Hacktivist or criminal? Hero or threat? In this explosive episode, ethical hacker Glenn Wilkinson joins Sarah Armstrong-Smith and Lisa Forte to unpack one of the most controversial topics in cyber today: hacktivism. Glenn shares his journey from teenage hacker in Zimbabwe to Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and founder of cutting-edge cybersecurity ventures like Kapenta and Agar. With real-life stories from the front lines of ethical hacking, he brings sharp insight into how motives, morals and methods collide in the digital world. Can hacking ever be truly ethical? What happens when good intentions spiral into illegal actions? And who gets to decide what’s right and what’s wrong in the world of cyber protest? This episode pulls no punches. It’s bold, thought-provoking, and made to challenge everything you think you know about hacking.

    29 min
  6. Zero Days: A Bidding War on Digital Weapons

    20/05/2025

    Zero Days: A Bidding War on Digital Weapons

    What happens when cyber weapons are sold to the highest bidder? In this eye-opening episode, Seamus Lennon, Vice President of Operations for EMEA at Threatlocker, joins Sarah Armstrong-Smith and Lisa Forte for a deep dive into the high-stakes world of zero-day vulnerabilities. With over two decades of experience in the IT industry, Seamus brings a wealth of knowledge on how digital threats evolve and how businesses can build real resilience. Together, they explore the secretive trade in government-grade zero-days, the role of cyber mercenaries and private firms like NSO Group, and the alarming consequences when these exploits are used in the wild. From EternalBlue to Hafnium, this episode breaks down how these digital weapons are developed, monetised, and too often mishandled. Who’s really buying these vulnerabilities? Why is patching still such a problem? And is the cyber arms race already out of control? This episode is proudly sponsored by Threatlocker.

    29 min
  7. Money Laundering: Getting Away with a Billion Dollar Heist

    06/05/2025

    Money Laundering: Getting Away with a Billion Dollar Heist

    They stole over a billion dollars, and nobody stopped them... In this gripping episode, investigative journalist, keynote speaker and author of The Lazarus Heist, Geoff White, uncovers how cyber criminals and state-backed groups like North Korea are exploiting cryptocurrency to commit some of the biggest financial crimes in history. We explore how billions are laundered through blockchain blind spots, why enforcement is falling short, and whether we are targeting the wrong people. Is cryptocurrency the perfect tool for modern crime, and are we already too late to stop it?

    31 min
  8. Intelligence: Is It Costing Your Privacy?

    22/04/2025

    Intelligence: Is It Costing Your Privacy?

    What if the very systems designed to protect you… were also the ones eroding your privacy? In this powerful episode, David Atkinson former UK specialist military operator and now CEO of SenseOn, takes us inside the shadowy world of digital surveillance, threat intelligence, and the fine line between national security and personal freedom. Having worked across all three major UK intelligence agencies and joint Five Eyes task forces, David knows firsthand how data can be weaponised or used to save lives. But as enterprises adopt the same techniques once used on the battlefield, we must ask: Where do we draw the line? From Afghanistan to the boardroom, David shares what it means to “make sense of what we sense” and how organisations can use AI, data fusion, and automation to defend without crossing ethical boundaries.

    35 min
  9. Human Trafficking: So, You Think Your Neightbourhood Is Safe?

    07/04/2025

    Human Trafficking: So, You Think Your Neightbourhood Is Safe?

    In this powerful episode hosts Sarah Armstrong-Smith and Lisa Forte are joined by Elaine Jones, COO of Hope for Justice, to discuss the dark and alarming truth behind human trafficking. Human trafficking is a $240 billion industry, and technology is playing a major role in how traffickers exploit victims, often using social media, messaging apps, and gaming platforms to prey on vulnerable individuals. Elaine reveals the shocking tactics used by traffickers, the impact on UK nationals, and how organisations like Hope for Justice are working tirelessly to combat this crisis. Hope for Justice is dedicated to ending human trafficking and modern slavery by providing support to survivors, raising awareness, and advocating for stronger laws and policies. Their work across multiple countries is vital in the global fight against trafficking, and they help restore the dignity and lives of survivors through rehabilitation, legal support, and reintegration programs. This is a conversation you can’t afford to miss.

    38 min
  10. Identity: Is Your Life Still Your Own?

    17/03/2025

    Identity: Is Your Life Still Your Own?

    North Korean operatives are infiltrating tech companies, bypassing security measures, stealing intellectual property, and leveraging their roles to fund the regime. But how do they do it, and what can we do to stop them? Join Sarah Armstrong-Smith, Lisa Forte, and Javvad Malik, Lead Security Awareness Advocate at KnowBe4, as they uncover the truth behind this growing cyber threat.

    30 min
  • 10 Episodes

About

Your front-row seat to the future of security. Unfiltered insights from the experts, leaders, and innovators driving change across the global security landscape. Hosted by two of the field’s most respected experts, Sarah Armstrong-Smith and Lisa Forte, the podcast explores today’s biggest challenges and emerging trends. From resilience to innovation, the show brings clarity and inspiration to the rapidly evolving security landscape. Episodes are available to stream on YouTube, Spotify & Apple.

Information

  • Creator
    Sarah Armstrong Smith & Lisa Forte
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © https://www.cybernewsgroup.co.uk/cyber-news-group-podcast/