Isf Podcasts

Today, Steve returns to Business Matters with Juliette Foster. The war continues to rage in Iran, and with it comes an increasing threat of cyber attacks. Steve shares his thoughts on what the conflict means for cyber investment in the private sector, British critical infrastructure, and the British government’s approach to cyber resilience. Steve and Juliette also discuss the UK Financial Minister’s Spring Statement, which didn’t include any references to cybersecurity. What does this omission signal? How will multinational companies react? Is cyber a macro economic issue? This, and more, in Steve’s latest appearance on Business Matters.Key Takeaways:  Cyber is a macroeconomic issue, not just a technical one.  AI has changed the way that the threat landscape is evolving, but it's also brought benefits for cyber defence.  Governments have limited abilities to support the cyber resilience of the private sector; cooperation between large enterprises supports the whole business landscape. Tune in to hear more a

Today’s episode is a special one, recorded to announce an exciting and important new partnership between ISF and the organisation Prostate Cancer Research. Joining the show is PCR CEO Oliver Kemp, who for nearly a decade has worked to ensure fewer men suffer and die from prostate cancer. Steve and Oliver talk about how prostate cancer screening works and the importance of catching it early. The two also talk about the partnership and how it will help PCR’s efforts across the UK. Key Takeaways: Early detection saves lives. If you find prostate cancer before it has reached stage 3, the survival rate is 100%. A cancer battle will affect people around you, but they will also be the people whom you can draw strength and support from.  Access to cancer screening varies between regions and demographics.  Tune in to hear more about: What PSA is and how testing for prostate cancer is done (5:28) The new partnership between ISF and PCR (18:58) How AI and new technologies can help in cancer detection (22:34) Standout Q

In today’s episode, Steve speaks with Martina Navratilova. Martina is one of the most accomplished tennis players of all time, holding the record for most open era titles and Wimbledon wins. Since retiring from tennis, Martina has been a vocal advocate for gay rights and cancer awareness. In her conversation with Steve, she talks about the importance of screening and early detection, and why self-awareness and kindness to yourself are essential when you’re going through something difficult. The two also discuss adapting to change, how to read your opponents and why rehearsing matters – both on the tennis court and in the world of cyber. Martina also gives the audience a piece of advice on staying resilient in the face of uncertainty, from the perspective of a champion.Key Takeaways: If something doesn’t feel right in your body, get tested. And even if you’re feeling fine, do that annual physical.  There is no substitute for practice when it comes to crisis preparedness. Breaches will happen, it’s about how y

In this week’s episode, Steve sits down with conductor, pianist, comedian, and broadcaster Rainer Hersch. Rainer leans on his orchestra experience to explain how leaders outside the concert hall can build deep trust and strike a balance between discipline and adaptability in a rapidly changing world. He also reveals his secret leadership weapon: humor. Key Takeaways: Conducting an orchestra has many parallels to leading a business. Not every team member must know the entire business, but the leaders do.  Good conducting—and by extension, good leadership—is a back-and-forth effort between leaders and those being led. Tune in to hear more about: How conductors make different parts of the orchestra function in harmony (1:53) Flexibility in an orchestra and in business (6:59) How Hersch uses humor in his work as a conductor (14:54) Standout Quotes: “These analogies are very similar to how any large organization works. The only person actually who's got the kind of blueprint for the product that the orchestra is

Today, Steve sits down with Dr. Helena Boschi, globally acclaimed psychologist, to talk about the best security system of all: the human brain. The two discuss how stress impacts performance in high stakes environments like cybersecurity, why trust and psychological safety matter more than ever, and what leaders can do to help their team stay calm, focused, and creative even when the pressure is on. Finally, Dr. Boschi also explains what neuroscience reveals about how we can train our brains to become more cyber resilient. Key Takeaways: Leaders must be aware of the early warning signs of too much stress – memory loss, absentmindedness, sudden outbursts, etc.  Leaders must strike a balance between quick results and allow teams to think about problems in new ways, even if it takes a little longer. The brain is not great at adapting to big changes, so introduce new things in chunks to make the transition easier.  Tune in to hear more about: How the brain can help us become better leaders (11:26) Digital fatigu

Today, Steve is in conversation with Jaya Baloo, COO at Aisle. One of the world’s leading experts on quantum technology and cybersecurity, Jaya shares what the future of quantum computing looks like and what businesses can do to prepare for a quantum-prevalent world. She also offers her view of how cyber and quantum technology will co-evolve in the next 10 to 20 years. Key Takeaways: You should have started preparing for quantum yesterday. Cybersecurity stands out among areas of quantum as a space where quantum may first be used by governments to attack adversaries. More diversity is needed in quantum development.  Tune in to hear more about: How to begin your journey to quantum-ready today (8:17) How diversity can shape responsible development of quantum (13:48) Jaya Baloo’s view on quantum in 10-20 years (15:58) Standout Quotes: “ Cybersecurity is something really special here because unfortunately we do not have only from quantum, the same ability to protect as we have to attack. And I worry that the firs

Today, Steve returns to Business Matters with Juliette Foster. In this conversation, Steve recaps 2025 in cyber and shares what he sees as the biggest risks heading into 2026. The two also discuss resilience and compliance, as well as the growing importance of togetherness among businesses…Key Takeaways: Companies would be wise to conduct frequent cyber audits.  Supply-chain disruptions can have long-lasting, reputational effects.  How we protect the integrity of our data is at the core of cybersecurity.  Tune in to hear more about: The relationship between government business in cyber (12:56) How boards should plan for a cyber attack (15:40) Collaborating within and across industries (22:24) Standout Quotes: “I've said many times that good compliance doesn't equal good security, but good security does equal, nine times out of 10, very good compliance. So where do we go with all of that? I do think that we're probably getting to a point, sadly, where we need to be viewing some of the security processes that

In today’s episode, Steve sits down with Tom Hardin, aka Tipperx — best known for helping expose a massive Wall Street insider trading ring. Steve and Tom discuss early warning signs that an organization might be crossing ethical or legal lines, how to build an organizational culture that promotes openness and protects from insider threats, and how to get employees to buy into things like good cyber hygiene.Key Takeaways: Governments must work with the private sector to achieve a cyber-secure environment. Boards are increasingly aware of cyber risks, but more work is needed.  Global trust is dissipating. Tune in to hear more about: The changing landscape of critical national infrastructure (5:46) Security vs. privacy in the UK (9:27) An ongoing, structural geopolitical shift (15:18)  Standout Quotes: “We need to make sure that we are thinking right across government when we are thinking about the approach to critical national infrastructure and how we can make it most safe for our users and for our populatio

In today’s episode, Steve sits down with Tom Hardin, aka Tipperx — best known for helping expose a massive Wall Street insider trading ring. Steve and Tom discuss early warning signs that an organization might be crossing ethical or legal lines, how to build an organizational culture that promotes openness and protects from insider threats, and how to get employees to buy into things like good cyber hygiene.Key Takeaways: The most underappreciated leadership skill is listening. Compliance must never be an afterthought or just a check-box exercise.  Anybody has the potential to become an insider threat. Tune in to hear more about: The fraud triangle (4:10) How cybersecurity leaders can build a culture that discourages insider risk (7:12) Striking a balance between trust and control (15:12) Standout Quotes: “But you don't get people to speak up by telling them to speak up. You actually have to, if you're gonna tell them to do that, you have to listen up. So I always encourage leadership to work on their listen

Today, we bring you the second half of Emerging Threats 2026, the first episode of which we aired last year. In the previous episode, Steve outlined the threats and challenges that enterprises and business leaders will face in 2026 and beyond. Today, he answers questions from the audience. We’ll get into artificial intelligence, supply chain and geopolitical challenges, corporate governance, risk and resilience, and more.Key Takeaways: Cyber resilience today is about data, data, and data.  Enterprises must help their suppliers to meet adequate security standards.  AI will be a big challenge for the board in 2026. Tune in to hear more about: Managing supply-chain risk (5:07) How leaders can deal with risks outside of their control (12:16) An evolving cyber threat landscape (15:37) Standout Quotes: “Assuming you've got your policies and your processes in place, I would suggest you have an AI committee that actually approves or otherwise the way in which these tools are then implemented across the business. Why

The ISF Podcast celebrates 10 years this year. Over the decade that we’ve been in your ears every week, Steve has interviewed a lot of fascinating people: visionary business leaders, neuroscientists and physicists, world leaders, and formerly notorious cyber criminals, just to name a few. We have touched on topics like AI, the human mind, cyber resilience, leadership, and the future of technology and society. So, to kick off 2026, we wanted to give you a look back, highlighting the very best of this first decade of the ISF Podcast. And don’t worry – we’ll link all the episodes in the show notes. Check out our favorite episodes from the last 10 years: Mo Gawdat - Rethinking the Paradigm of Artificial and Human Intelligence Brian Cox — Intellectual Honesty & Learning to be a Leader Hannah Fry - What Data Can & Can’t Tell Us About Ourselves Peter Hinssen - The Never Normal Inside the Mind of Today's Cybercriminals (Brett Johnson, Part 1) Steve Wozniak In Conversation with Steve Durbin Captain Tammie Jo

Today, Steve looks toward the horizon, at the threats and challenges that enterprises and business leaders will face in 2026 and beyond. He also gives advice on how everyone, from the board to the practitioner, can meet these challenges, and answers some of the questions he’s received this year.  Key Takeaways: Steve’s four key drivers of cyber risk heading into 2026 are AI, supply chain, quantum, and geopolitical instability. Crucial to cyber resilience are strong governance and a security-conscious culture. Adaptive governance and adaptive security are keys to managing the challenges of 2026 and beyond.  Tune in to hear more about: Steve’s four key drivers of cyber risk heading into 2026 (2:23) Questions to ask, whether you’re a board member, an executive, or practitioner (16:14) The changing role of the board (18:54) Standout Quotes: “ Resilience really needs an organizational wide holistic approach that takes technology, it takes governance, it takes operational readiness, and really importantly,

In the second part of his interview with journalist Nick Witchell, Steve and Nick delve into the world of AI and cyber. Steve shares his thoughts on autonomous cyber defense and argues that major actors like the ISF, large private enterprises, and the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, must lead the way and support small and medium-sized businesses in keeping pace with technological advancements. The two also discuss the future of AI, cautioning that we aren’t as prepared as we need to be…Key Takeaways: Small and medium-sized businesses must receive support to stay up-to-date with new technologies. As more automation is introduced into business operations, understanding of one’s crown jewels and how to protect them is increasingly important. AI is advancing rapidly with evermore funding, and globally society is not preparing as well as it needs to for what’s to come.  Tune in to hear more about: Steve’s view on autonomous cyber defense (00:55) The National Cyber Security Centre and its role in the cyber re

In today's episode, Steve sits down with journalist Nick Witchell for a conversation focused on what business leaders can learn from this year's major cyber attacks and the recent AWS outage. The two also discuss cyber regulations and the challenge of operating global enterprise during significant geopolitical turmoil. Key Takeaways: Boards and senior executives understand there is a threat, but many still lack knowledge of how to deal with it.  We are too reliant on technology; for the sake of business continuity, a backup plan must be in place.  High-quality simulation exercises are a crucial step toward more cyber resilience. Tune in to hear more about: The role of policy and regulation (3:17) Why cyber simulation exercises are so important (5:45) Steve’s thoughts on the recent AWS outage (7:54) Standout Quotes: “Now, in the boardroom itself, in companies themselves, we have seen over the past few years an increasing awareness of the threat that these kinds of things can bring to really the future o

Today’s special episode features Steve’s recent Business Matters broadcast interview with Juliette Foster, featuring conversation about critical cybersecurity challenges facing organizations today. Steve and Juliette discuss targeted phishing, the growing threat of Crime-as-a-Service, the increase in AI-driven cybercrime, and more.  Key Takeaways: Cyber attacks will continue to increase, and businesses must adjust. Regulators must strike a balance to have clear guidelines without stifling businesses. To take advantage of new technologies like AI, businesses must invest in upskilling their employees.  Tune in to hear more about: Why cyber crime is on the rise (2:17) How cyber criminals target their victims (4:00) Solving the cyber skills shortage (29:02) Standout Quotes: “The bad guys only need to get lucky once and they can cause havoc. And so the sorts of numbers you are seeing are them plugging away at it, trying to break down defenses, trying to find a way through. And on the defensive side, of cour

In today’s episode, Steve sits down with Dr. Tunisha Singleton, Director of Clinical and Sport Psychology Services at University of Arizona and a leading expert in how media, technology, and culture shape the human experience. Dr. Singleton highlights that authenticity and humanity still matter despite all the technology around us, and the two discuss how business leaders can navigate an online presence where almost anything you post can be turned against you. Key Takeaways: Social media is a tool that can be used for good. Authenticity is key for brand-building online. Posting without purpose is worse than not posting at all. Tune in to hear more about: Dr. Singleton’s background (1:21) How to grow your brand authentically (10:22) The risks of posting too much online (15:44) Standout Quotes: “At a certain point we all just have to come to grips with, we are in charge of our behaviors. We have authority, we have much more agency than we give ourselves credit for. The tech is there. But if we use it, th

Maria Ross keynote Speaker and Award-winning journalist welcomes Steve Durbin at the Empathy Podcast for a compelling discussion on the intersection of empathy and leadership. Managers focus on tasks, leaders empower people. Curiosity is the defining trait of an empathetic leader, the ability to set aside ego and truly listen.

Today, Steve is in conversation with Catherine Bosley, an award-winning veteran journalist, with more than thirty years of public speaking experience. Steve and Catherine discuss the importance of protecting one’s online image, what to do when *it* hits the fan, and why a social media policy is something all organizations should have. Catherine also offers a reminder: pause before you post… Key Takeaways: Think before you post! It will save you a whole lot of headache. What you put online never goes away. Today, offline events can impact your online persona, so be aware of how you appear in public. Tune in to hear more about: How to shine online (4:07) How to deal with negative publicity online (11:19) Being online in the age of AI and deepfakes (19:03) Standout Quotes: “These days, that online image or online presence is so important. It almost is more important than a resume or a portfolio.” - Catherine Bosley “My first step with a response is to ignore the negative because the more you respond to th

In today’s episode, Steve sits down with Dr. Amy Athey, founder of Athey Performance. Her mission is to make the tools of elite performance accessible and human. Amy is a nationally recognized performance psychologist and executive coach with more than two decades of experience working with NCAA champions, Olympians, Navy SEALs, Fortune 500 leaders, and individuals navigating complex lives. She shares how business leaders can help their teams feel more connected to their organization’s purpose and talks about what drives high-achievers. Steve and Amy also discuss stress in the cybersecurity industry and why rest is absolutely crucial for success.  Key Takeaways: Leaders can address rising anxiety, burnout, and disconnection across all levels of their organization by fostering empathy, trust, and a stronger sense of shared purpose. Work with elite athletes and special forces has taught Athey that in high stress environments, recovery and rest are as essential to peak performance as hard work. Prioritize foun

Today, Steve speaks with psychologist Dr. Glen Moriarty, founder and CEO of Seven Cups, a free emotional support service with 570,000 trained volunteer listeners who support users in 189 countries. Steve and Glen explore the origins of Seven Cups, its background and its global user base, and discuss why so many feel alone in a hyper-connected online world. Glen also explains the nature of the gift economy and how we can avoid getting addicted to technology. Key Takeaways: Even as more things move online, human interaction remains important. Technology can be good and bad, it depends on how it’s designed. The mental health care system needs better triaging so that people get the right help. Tune in to hear more about: How and why Seven Cups began (1:58) Technology addiction (4:59) Whether Seven Cups is replacing humans with computers when it comes to mental health (9:54) Standout Quotes: “Technology can be used for good or bad. And so the internet can be a source of amazing compassion and love. But it h