Crucial Tech
Unraveling the technology that affects us all but that few of us understand, in a format to give you a basic understanding in the time it takes to drive to and from the grocery store.
- Update frequency
- every 8 days
- Average duration
- 24 minutes
- Episodes
- 235
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Episode 11.4: Coming attractions and how to bury the lede
The first of September began with a bang. I've got a lot to write and talk about, but barely had time to do this much. There is an AI infrastructure conference coming next week, along with a special …
Episode 11.3 - Fixing the hole in Agentic AI
A few weeks ago I talked with Paul Valente, CEO of VISO TRUST. In the excitement of Agentic AI adoption, a massive security hole has opened and Valente's goal is plugging that hole. Our conversation…
Episode 11.2 - Separating fact from fiction in Deepfakes
I got a pitch from Reality Defender (deepfake video detection) about a partnership with ValidSoft (deepfake voice) last week. We don’t generally cover partnership agreements because, well, we get a h…
Episode 11.1 - Controlling access could help close Agentic AI security holes, but it's not security
We are starting out the 11th season of Crucial Tech is a bang. I am completing an article on a significant security hole in AI agents that shows how the tech industry makes security an afterthought e…
Episode 10.27 - Why some companies don't carry cyberinsurance
Today ends the 10th season of Crucial Tech, 250+ episodes over six years and not a single repeat subject. Today we look at an aspect of cyber insurance not yet discussed as far as we can find: Why do…
Episode 10.26 - The rise of NHI and the impact of Predatory Sparrow
If you are one of the smart people who have a subscription to Cyber Protection Magazine you will soon receive our next special issue focused on the rise of non-human identities (NHI) and their impact…
Episode 10.25 - The degradation of tech PR
This episode of Crucial Tech iis a bit different. It’s about technology public relations, rather than specifically about a product or service.
Tech PR has a problem. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) a…
Episode 10.24 - Q-Day? Meh. And a view on how M&A affects security
I haven't been shy about rejecting the hype behind the coming of Q-day -- the day that a quantum computer exists that can break modern encryption. But I've always felt that the most powerful encrypti…
Episode 10.23 - When reporters get fired... and hope from the insurance industry
This week is a short one and a two-fer. ABC fired a long-time reporter for expressing an opinion on social media. One might be tempted to call it censorship and bowing to our weak and failing leader.…
Episode 10:22 Ping and Identity Access Management in the AI age
Yes, AI is a problem in the hands of bad actors, especially when they use bots to automate brute force attacks on identity. There are also a ton of companies dedicated to protecting your identity to …
Episode 10:20b - Dale Hoak on understanding Zero Trust, redux
A few weeks ago I posted what was supposed to be an interview with Dale Hoak, CISO for RegScale, on understanding Zero Trust. Unfortunately, the audio was of yet another interview that I have to repo…
Episode 10.21 - Netacea and stopping malicious bots
During @RSAC Conference in April I met with Matthew Gracey-McMinn, VP of Threat Services for Netacea and we talked about the damage malicious bots can do. His company is one of a handful of companies…
Episode 10.19 - The "key" to security could be in your hands
Physical authentication keys are a common trope in movies, TV and spy thrillers and they have been around for almost 20 years. But they are still hard to find in real life. We talked with Alex Summer…
Episode 10.18 - Battle of the bots: stealing student aid
Still digging through dozens of hours of recordings and pages of notes from #RSAC_Conference last week. But while looking into the issue of bots, both good and bad, discovered a fairly recent story a…
Episode 10.17 - Bruce Schneier gives a stunning prediction on AI at RSAC Conference, and how deep risk goes
This was another exhausting #RSAC in San Francisco but I think I'm finally getting a handle on it. There will be more to come, but Bruce Schneier gave a keynote on Tuesday that I think bodes well for…
Episode 10.16 - RSAC preview, Government doing good and bad PR
This is a short episode previewing what I'll be doing at RSAC 2025 next week, kudos to the California Franchise Tax Board, and a how-to on working with the press.
Episode 10.15 - Divorce the orange git!
There comes a moment in many abusive relationships, when observant friends encourage the abused party to leave the abuser.
I consider myself a friend of the cybersecurity industry, aside from its bad …
Episode 10.14 - Encryption, Insurance and why you should care
When it comes to polite discussion, there are two things you should never discuss: Politics and Religion. At the same time, most people would also rather not talk about insurance or data encryption. …
Episode 10.13 - The AI bubble and how it affects cybersecurity
Microsoft haw cancelled plans for a massive build out of AI data centers and China is shutting down gigawatts or AI processing due to lack of demand. It seems the AI boom is on the verge of busting a…
Episode 10.12 - Encryption is all around us, until it isn't
The "Signalgate" scandal has raised the issue of encryption to a broader audience in the past week. On the plus side, many sources say that 95% of digital traffic is encrypted now, compared to 43% i…