Razorwire Cyber Security & InfoSec Insights

Cybersecurity is evolving — and so should you. Razorwire brings the open conversations that give you the edge.Welcome to the Razorwire podcast — your resource for practical advice, expert insights, and real-world conversations on cybersecurity, information security (InfoSec), risk management, governance, security leadership, human factors, and industry trends.Our mission is to help you build a stronger cybersecurity career while supporting a dynamic, agile community of professionals committed to continuous improvement.Each episode brings you actionable advice and real experiences from your host, James Rees — an information security specialist with over 25 years of experience — and from a range of respected guests across the cybersecurity industry. Together, we explore everything from technical strategies and compliance challenges to security culture, communication skills, and leadership development.James Rees is the founder of Razorthorn Security, providing expert consultancy and t

Razorwire Cyber Security & InfoSec Insights is a technology podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 107 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 82.

Unknown Host hosts Razorwire Cyber Security & InfoSec Insights, a technology show with 107 episodes published.

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  Episode #106

  When Cybersecurity Becomes Pay to Play

  Sep 22, 202650 minS1

  Awards you have to pay to win, events you have to pay to attend and conferences that expect speakers to work for free. When did recognition and expertise in cybersecurity become something you have to buy? Welcome to Razorwire, the podcast where we share our take on the world of cybersecurity with direct, practical advice for professionals and business owners alike. I'm Jim and in this episode I'm joined by security consultant and regular community speaker James Bore and Gary Hibberd, co-founder of Consultants Like Us and the Real Cyber Awards and Conference. Pay to play takes many forms in cybersecurity, from awards that come with entry fees and expensive tickets to events charging vendors thousands for access to decision makers. At the same time, large commercial conferences can expect experienced speakers to give up days of preparation, travel at their own expense and appear on stage in return for little more than exposure. Jim, James and Gary look at where legitimate commercial arrangements end and questionable practices begin. They discuss what gives an award credibility, when paying for access to an event can be worthwhile and why the way cybersecurity treats its speakers could ultimately affect the quality of the events themselves. Three key talking points When recognition comes with a price tag Not every paid award works the same way. From outright offers to buy recognition to free entries followed by expensive ceremony tickets, we look at the different forms pay to play can take and why credibility depends on what happens behind the award. Should cybersecurity speakers be paid? Community events and large commercial conferences operate very differently. We discuss when speaking for free makes sense and why expectations should change when an event is making significant money from exhibitors and attendees. Good speaking takes work A short conference talk can take days of preparation. James and Gary get into the work behind becoming a strong speaker, why experience and preparation matter and what happens when events prioritise sponsored slots over good content. If you're deciding which awards and events deserve your time, or building a reputation as a cybersecurity speaker, this conversation is for you. On what makes an award mean something: "It's lovely to win an award, but you win it based on merit. You don't win it because you paid for it." James Rees Listen to this episode on your favourite podcasting platform: https://razorwire.captivate.fm/listen In this episode, we covered the following topics: The Pay to Play Awards Industry Find out how paid recognition can range from blatant offers to buy an award to less obvious costs that only appear once you've been shortlisted. What Makes an Award Credible? An impressive trophy does not necessarily mean much. We discuss judging, verification and why the process behind an award determines whether the recognition carries any weight. Paying for Access to Decision Makers Vendors can spend significant sums for a seat in the room with CISOs and other senior buyers. Discover why some of these events deliver useful conversations while others fall far short of what was promised. The Real Cost of Speaking for Free Speaking is rarely just the time spent on stage. We get into preparation, travel and accommodation and why the economics look very different for community events and commercial conferences. Community Events vs Commercial Conferences James regularly speaks at community events without charging. Explore why contributing to an event built around the community is different from providing free content to a profitable conference. The Problem With 'Exposure' Exposure can be valuable early in a speaking career, but it has limits. We discuss why established speakers are increasingly willing to turn down events that expect expertise for nothing. Why Conference Content Suffers When experienced speakers walk away and sponsored slots fill the gaps, audiences notice. Find out how decisions about speaker budgets can affect the quality and value of an event. Learning to Become a Better Speaker Public speaking is a skill rather than something that simply happens when someone walks onto a stage. James and Gary discuss preparation, practice and learning the craft. Knowing When to Say No Not every award, event or speaking opportunity deserves your time. We explore why knowing what you want from an opportunity matters before agreeing to take part. Resources Mentioned The Real Cyber Awards and Conference Security BSides Cyber OSPAs Connect with your host James Rees Hello, I am James Rees, the host of the Razorwire podcast. This podcast brings you insights from leading cyber security professionals who dedicate their careers to making a hacker’s life that much more difficult. Our guests bring you experience and expertise from a range of disciplines and from different career stages. We give you various viewpoints for improving your cyber security – from seasoned professionals with years of experience, triumphs and lessons learned under their belt, to those in relatively early stages of their careers offering fresh eyes and new insights. With new episodes every other Wednesday, Razorwire is a podcast for cyber security enthusiasts and professionals providing insights, news and fresh ideas on protecting your organisation from hackers. For more information about us or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss email podcast@razorthorn.com. If you need consultation, visit www.razorthorn.com , We give our clients a personalised, integrated approach to information security, driven by our belief in quality and discretion. LinkedIn: Razorthorn Security YouTube: Razorthorn Security TikTok: Razorwire Podcast Instagram: Razorwire Podcast Twitter: @RazorThornLTD Website: www.razorthorn.com All rights reserved. © Razorthorn Security LTD 2025

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  Episode #105

  Rethinking the Endpoint – IGEL Spotlight on Technology

  Sep 8, 202645 minS1

  If most of your applications no longer run on the endpoint, why are you still managing and securing it as though they do? Welcome to Razorwire, the podcast where we share our take on the world of cybersecurity with direct, practical advice for professionals and business owners alike. I'm Jim and in this Spotlight on Technology episode I'm joined by James Millington, Healthcare Field CTO for EMEA at IGEL, with more than 25 years' experience across virtual desktops, endpoint security and healthcare technology. The way we use endpoints has changed repeatedly. Computing moved from centralised mainframes to PCs, back towards virtual desktops and then into SaaS and cloud services. Hybrid working accelerated that shift again, while rising hardware costs, Windows upgrades and increasingly distributed workforces are forcing organisations to reconsider what they actually need sitting on a user's device. Jim and James look at why the endpoint may be due another rethink. They discuss the security and cost implications of maintaining traditional operating systems, how immutable endpoints change the approach to endpoint protection and what happens as AI creates another generation of applications and risks for security teams to control. Three key talking points: Do we still need Windows at the endpoint? As applications move into SaaS, VDI and the cloud, the role of the endpoint is changing. We look at whether organisations still need a full traditional operating system on every device and what alternatives become possible when workloads run somewhere else. Moving from detection to prevention Endpoint security has traditionally relied heavily on detecting problems and responding to them. Discover how reducing what can run or change on an endpoint alters that model and removes attack surfaces before they need to be monitored. The endpoint problem AI could make worse Shadow AI gives employees another way to introduce software and move information beyond organisational controls. We discuss how controlling what can execute locally could become increasingly important as AI workloads start moving from centralised services onto endpoints. If you're reviewing your endpoint strategy, facing another expensive hardware refresh or considering how AI changes what employees should be allowed to run locally, this conversation is for you. On rethinking the endpoint: “Really, what are my users accessing and where are they accessing it? And is it time to rethink that endpoint?” James Millington Listen to this episode on your favourite podcasting platform: https://razorwire.captivate.fm/listen In this episode, we covered the following topics: The Cycle of Centralised Computing From mainframes and PCs to VDI, SaaS and cloud services, computing keeps moving between the endpoint and the data centre. Explore why that cycle matters to today's endpoint strategy. Why VDI Never Really Went Away VDI has moved in and out of fashion for decades. Find out why healthcare remained a strong use case and how remote and hybrid working changed the conversation again. Rethinking the Windows Endpoint If applications and data increasingly live elsewhere, does every employee still need a conventional Windows environment? We discuss what organisations should consider. The Cost of Hardware Refreshes Rising hardware costs and Windows upgrade requirements are putting endpoint budgets under pressure. Discover why extending device life is becoming more attractive. Security by Design Explore how an immutable operating system changes endpoint security by restricting what can be altered or installed rather than relying solely on detecting problems afterwards. Protecting Data in Distributed Healthcare Healthcare is moving closer to patients, creating more distributed endpoints. We discuss why keeping sensitive information off those devices can reduce the consequences of loss or theft. Moving Beyond BYOD Some organisations are reconsidering bring your own device programmes. Find out why greater control and standardisation are coming back into the conversation. Controlling Shadow AI As employees experiment with AI applications, organisations need to decide what can run locally. We explore how endpoint controls can limit unauthorised workloads. AI Comes Back to the Endpoint AI started heavily centralised but cost and performance are driving some workloads towards local devices. Discover what this latest shift could mean for endpoint security. Resources Mentioned IGEL Citrix VMware Microsoft Windows 365 Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Zscaler Gartner: Use Immutable Endpoints to Defeat Ransomware, Stop Configuration Drift, and Guarantee Rapid Recovery PCI DSS HIPAA and Cloud Computing Guidance Ollama Connect with your host James Rees Hello, I am James Rees, the host of the Razorwire podcast. This podcast brings you insights from leading cyber security professionals who dedicate their careers to making a hacker’s life that much more difficult. Our guests bring you experience and expertise from a range of disciplines and from different career stages. We give you various viewpoints for improving your cyber security – from seasoned professionals with years of experience, triumphs and lessons learned under their belt, to those in relatively early stages of their careers offering fresh eyes and new insights. With new episodes every other Wednesday, Razorwire is a podcast for cyber security enthusiasts and professionals providing insights, news and fresh ideas on protecting your organisation from hackers. For more information about us or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss email podcast@razorthorn.com. If you need consultation, visit www.razorthorn.com , We give our clients a personalised, integrated approach to information security, driven by our belief in quality and discretion. LinkedIn: Razorthorn Security YouTube: Razorthorn Security TikTok: Razorwire Podcast Instagram: Razorwire Podcast Twitter: @RazorThornLTD Website: www.razorthorn.com All rights reserved. © Razorthorn Security LTD 2025

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  Episode #104

  Cybersecurity Events Have a Problem

  Aug 25, 202649 minS1

  Are cybersecurity events still giving people a reason to turn up, or have too many become expensive sales floors with the same conversations on repeat? Welcome to Razorwire, the podcast where we share our take on the world of cybersecurity with direct, practical advice for professionals and business owners alike. I'm Jim and in this episode I'm joined by James Bore, Chartered Security Professional, Gary Hibberd, co-founder of Consultants Like Us and Lisa Ventura, founder of the AI and Cybersecurity Association and Unity Group Solutions. Cybersecurity events have changed. What were once places to discover new technology, catch up with people across the industry and exchange ideas have become a packed calendar of conferences, roundtables, dinners and vendor events competing for people's time. With InfoSec Europe introducing a £50 ticket charge, it raises a bigger question about whether the traditional conference model is still delivering enough value. We look at why experienced security professionals are increasingly choosing community and fringe events, why the same conference conversations keep coming back and what actually makes an event worth attending. From vendor pitches and expensive exhibition stands to better speakers, smaller audiences and conversations in the pub next door, we discuss where cybersecurity events have gone wrong and what could make them useful again. Three key talking points: When a conference stops being worth it A ticket might be free or cost £50, but the bigger investment is your time. We look at why established cybersecurity events are struggling to give experienced professionals a compelling reason to walk through the doors. Why smaller events feel different Community and fringe events come up repeatedly throughout the conversation. Discover why smaller audiences, more focused subjects and speakers who genuinely know their field can create something the biggest conferences struggle to replicate. People don't go to events to be sold to Expensive stands and polished sales pitches do not necessarily build relationships. We discuss why attendees increasingly value access to practitioners, useful conversations and genuine connections over another lap of an exhibition hall. If you're choosing which cybersecurity events deserve a place in your calendar, or organising one and wondering what will actually make people turn up, this conversation is for you. On why smaller events work: " You actually make it small and targeted and tailored. And that's how you engage." James Bore Listen to this episode on your favourite podcasting platform: https://razorwire.captivate.fm/listen In this episode, we covered the following topics: How Cybersecurity Events Have Changed Explore how major industry events have moved from places to discover technology and meet the community towards a much more commercial model. Is InfoSec Europe Still Worth Attending? A new £50 ticket charge sparks a wider discussion about what attendees actually get from one of cybersecurity's biggest events. The Rise of Community Events Discover why BSides and other smaller events are becoming the preferred choice for security professionals looking for different conversations and ideas. Too Many Cybersecurity Events The calendar is packed with conferences, dinners and roundtables. We discuss why more choice is making people increasingly selective about where they spend their time. Escaping the Vendor Pitch Learn why exhibition floors dominated by sales conversations can struggle to engage the CISOs and security professionals vendors most want to meet. Why Relationships Matter People still buy from people. We explore why informal conversations and genuine relationships can offer more value than another product demonstration. What Makes a Good Conference Speaker Interesting events need people with something meaningful to contribute. Find out why practitioners, specialists and different perspectives matter. Having a Reason to Attend Going to an event simply because it is there is not enough. We discuss why attendees need a clear idea of what they want from their day. Can Big Conferences Be Fixed? Bigger does not necessarily mean better. Explore whether smaller, targeted events built around particular audiences could offer a better model for cybersecurity. Resources Mentioned James Bore on LinkedIn Infosecurity Europe Black Hat Security BSides Hack Glasgow SteelCon The Real Cyber Awards and Conference Connect with your host James Rees Hello, I am James Rees, the host of the Razorwire podcast. This podcast brings you insights from leading cyber security professionals who dedicate their careers to making a hacker’s life that much more difficult. Our guests bring you experience and expertise from a range of disciplines and from different career stages. We give you various viewpoints for improving your cyber security – from seasoned professionals with years of experience, triumphs and lessons learned under their belt, to those in relatively early stages of their careers offering fresh eyes and new insights. With new episodes every other Wednesday, Razorwire is a podcast for cyber security enthusiasts and professionals providing insights, news and fresh ideas on protecting your organisation from hackers. For more information about us or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss email podcast@razorthorn.com. If you need consultation, visit www.razorthorn.com , We give our clients a personalised, integrated approach to information security, driven by our belief in quality and discretion. LinkedIn: Razorthorn Security YouTube: Razorthorn Security TikTok: Razorwire Podcast Instagram: Razorwire Podcast Twitter: @RazorThornLTD Website: www.razorthorn.com All rights reserved. © Razorthorn Security LTD 2025

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  Episode #101

  Who Gets to Control AI? The Governance Crisis Nobody's Solving

  Jul 14, 202650 minS1

  The EU just pushed back its AI Act enforcement by 16 months. The US is deregulating. China is governing through infrastructure. And the UK is doing nothing and hoping for the best. Welcome to Razorwire, the podcast where we share our take on the world of cybersecurity with direct, practical advice for professionals and business owners alike. I'm Jim and in this episode, I'm joined by Richard Cassidy, Field CISO at Rubrik, and Jonathan Care, Head of the AI Practice at KuppingerCole. We're not in an AI revolution. We're in an AI accountability crisis with the most incredible marketing budget the technology industry has ever seen. That's how Richard Cassidy frames it, and it sets the tone for a conversation that goes well beyond the usual AI hype into the governance, sovereignty and regulation questions that nobody has convincingly answered. The US, EU, China and the UK have each taken fundamentally different approaches to AI governance and they're diverging, not converging. Meanwhile, the companies building the most powerful models are increasingly the ones defining how they should be used, because governments simply can't keep pace. The conversation also gets into why AI's ability to solve complex mathematical problems is starting to worry the people responsible for the cryptography that underpins modern banking, payments and secure communications. Three key talking points: Four governance models, zero compatibility The US over-innovates, the EU over-regulates, China governs through infrastructure and the UK has principles without law. None of these models is compatible with the others, and the largest organisations in the world operate at the intersection of all of them. When companies define the rules because governments can't Anthropic publicly refused to provide certain capabilities over concerns about surveillance and military use. That exposed the governance vacuum that exists when legislation can't keep pace with innovation. The companies building the most powerful models are now the ones deciding how they should be used. Cryptography is on borrowed time AI is solving mathematical problems that have never been solved before. The cryptography that underpins banking, payments and the digital economy is based on the assumption that certain problems are too hard to solve. If AI and quantum computing change that assumption, those foundations look fragile. This isn't about what AI can do. It's about who gets to decide what it should do. On what's really driving the AI narrative: "We're not in an AI revolution, we're in an AI accountability crisis that appears to have the most incredible marketing budgets we've ever seen in the history of investment in companies." Richard Cassidy Listen to this episode on your favourite podcasting platform: https://razorwire.captivate.fm/listen In this episode, we covered the following topics: The EU AI Act and Why It's Already Behind The deadline got pushed back 16 months. We discuss what that tells us about the gap between regulatory intent and enforcement. US Deregulation and Innovation at Speed The US is betting that innovation matters more than regulation. We get into what that means for everyone else. China's Infrastructure-First Approach China isn't writing big laws. It's governing through 50-plus technical standards and sector-specific measures. We discuss why that model is fundamentally different. The UK's Principles Without Law Five non-statutory principles, enforcement delegated to existing regulators. We explore why that creates the lowest compliance burden but the highest uncertainty. AI Sovereignty Everyone says they want it. Almost nobody can explain what it means. We get into why the conversation matters. When the Model Builders Make the Rules Anthropic drew a public line on what it would and wouldn't provide. We discuss what happens when companies, not governments, define how AI is used. AI and the Threat to Cryptography AI is solving problems that have never been solved before. Find out why that has implications for the mathematics that underpins modern encryption. Post-Quantum Cryptography Discover why the convergence of AI and quantum computing could undermine the foundations the entire digital economy is built on. The AI Jobs Debate Industries predicted to be at high risk haven't seen the job losses forecast. We discuss why the "AI will take all the jobs" argument is too blunt. Europe's Innovation Problem Investment in Europe is so hard to get that you need a working company before anyone will fund you. We discuss what that means for competitiveness. Resources Mentioned EU AI Act Anthropic Fable (guardrailed Mythos) KuppingerCole Rubrik BSA NIST post-quantum cryptography DeepMind AlphaGeometry World Economic Forum Oliver Rochford Connect with your host James Rees Hello, I am James Rees, the host of the Razorwire podcast. This podcast brings you insights from leading cyber security professionals who dedicate their careers to making a hacker’s life that much more difficult. Our guests bring you experience and expertise from a range of disciplines and from different career stages. We give you various viewpoints for improving your cyber security – from seasoned professionals with years of experience, triumphs and lessons learned under their belt, to those in relatively early stages of their careers offering fresh eyes and new insights. With new episodes every other Wednesday, Razorwire is a podcast for cyber security enthusiasts and professionals providing insights, news and fresh ideas on protecting your organisation from hackers. For more information about us or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss email podcast@razorthorn.com. If you need consultation, visit www.razorthorn.com , We give our clients a personalised, integrated approach to information security, driven by our belief in quality and discretion. LinkedIn: Razorthorn Security YouTube: Razorthorn Security TikTok: Razorwire Podcast Instagram: Razorwire Podcast Twitter: @RazorThornLTD Website: www.razorthorn.com All rights reserved. © Razorthorn Security LTD 2025

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  Episode #100

  From ISDN to AI - Two Veterans on How Defence in Depth Has Changed

  Jun 30, 202652 minS1

  Defence in depth has evolved every time the technology landscape has shifted. The internet, virtualisation, cloud, SaaS. AI is the next shift, and the old model isn't keeping up. Welcome to Razorwire, the podcast where we share our take on the world of cybersecurity with direct, practical advice for professionals and business owners alike. I'm Jim and in this episode, I'm joined once again by Martin Voelk, co-founder of SpartanX and an ethical hacker with nearly 26 years in cybersecurity. Every major technology shift has forced security teams to rethink how they protect their organisations. The internet moved data outside the building. Virtualisation and cloud meant infrastructure was no longer yours to control. Each time, defence in depth had to evolve. AI is the latest shift, and it may be the one that breaks the model entirely. We trace the journey from on-prem data centres and ISDN routers through to a world where AI agents act autonomously, supply chains are built on unverified code and the offensive side of AI is outpacing the defensive side at a rate security teams can't match. They get into why every AI agent needs its own identity, why shadow AI is a problem most organisations haven't begun to address and why the only realistic answer to AI-powered attacks is AI-powered defence. Three key talking points: Defence in depth has always evolved, but this time it's different: Every previous technology shift gave security teams time to catch up. AI isn't offering that. The pace of change is faster than most organisations can respond to, and the defensive tooling hasn't kept pace with what the offensive side can already do. AI agents need to be treated like people: Every AI agent needs its own identity, authentication and authorisation policies. Without that, a compromised agent can act under a human user's name with no way to tell the difference. The legal and forensic implications are enormous and largely unsolved. The offensive side is winning: AI is finding vulnerabilities faster than teams can fix them. Alert volumes are overwhelming SOCs, attackers are using AI-generated noise to mask real attacks and human in the loop is becoming unworkable at scale. The only realistic counter is defensive AI, but it isn't mature yet. Defence in depth has survived every technology shift so far. AI is testing it in ways we haven't seen before. If you're responsible for securing an organisation that's adopting AI, this is the conversation to listen to. On why security teams are always one step behind: "We don't have the ability to figure out what's going on until it's already happened. We don't have that technology yet." James Rees Listen to this episode on your favourite podcasting platform: https://razorwire.captivate.fm/listen In this episode, we covered the following topics: The Evolution of Defence in Depth From ISDN and on-prem data centres to cloud and SaaS, we trace how defence in depth has evolved with every major technology shift. Why AI Is Different Previous shifts gave security teams time to adapt. We discuss why AI isn't offering that luxury. Supply Chain Risk and Unverified Code Open source code from GitHub, AI skills downloaded from the web, integrations nobody has reviewed. Discover why the modern supply chain is built on foundations most organisations haven't verified. Third Party Risk Management Is Broken AI fills in vendor questionnaires and AI reviews the answers. We get into why the current TPRM process is fundamentally flawed. Shadow AI Learn why unapproved AI usage is one of the hardest risks to detect and why most organisations have no way of monitoring it. Continuous Authentication Single sign-on isn't enough anymore. We discuss why continuous authentication is becoming essential in environments where AI agents operate alongside human users. AI Agent Identity and Accountability Find out why every AI agent needs its own identity and access controls, and what happens when a compromised agent acts under a human user's name. Alert Fatigue as an Attack Vector Flooding a SOC with noise to mask a real attack isn't new, but AI makes it possible at a scale that's almost impossible to manage. Prompt Injection via Log Files Find out how a prompt injection hidden in a standard HTTP header was used to trick a summarisation agent into exfiltrating data. The Case for Defensive AI Offensive AI is outpacing the defensive side. We discuss why AI-powered defence is the only realistic answer and why it isn't mature yet. Resources Mentioned SpartanX Martin Voelk - LinkedIn Kali Linux Docker Ollama Hugging Face DeepSeek CrowdStrike GitHub Connect with your host James Rees Hello, I am James Rees, the host of the Razorwire podcast. This podcast brings you insights from leading cyber security professionals who dedicate their careers to making a hacker’s life that much more difficult. Our guests bring you experience and expertise from a range of disciplines and from different career stages. We give you various viewpoints for improving your cyber security – from seasoned professionals with years of experience, triumphs and lessons learned under their belt, to those in relatively early stages of their careers offering fresh eyes and new insights. With new episodes every other Wednesday, Razorwire is a podcast for cyber security enthusiasts and professionals providing insights, news and fresh ideas on protecting your organisation from hackers. For more information about us or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss email podcast@razorthorn.com. If you need consultation, visit www.razorthorn.com , We give our clients a personalised, integrated approach to information security, driven by our belief in quality and discretion. LinkedIn: Razorthorn Security YouTube: Razorthorn Security TikTok: Razorwire Podcast Instagram: Razorwire Podcast Twitter: @RazorThornLTD Website: www.razorthorn.com All rights reserved. © Razorthorn Security LTD 2025

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