Loading...

PODCAST

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and Critical Infrastructure

Frank Cilluffo / McCrary Institute

As cyber threats evolve faster than policy, Cyber Focus delivers executive-level briefings on cybersecurity, national security, and critical infrastructure. From the McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security at Auburn University, host Frank Cilluffo speaks with senior leaders across government, industry, and the intelligence community about ransomware, state-sponsored threats, AI, and the systems we all rely on—energy, water, telecom, and supply chains. Each episode focuses on

government

All Episodes

42:06

How Apple's iPhone Supply Chain Built China into a...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2026/02/03

Supply chains are essential infrastructure—and the iPhone's supply chain sits at the center of U.S.–China competition. As Washington reassesses economic security, this episode explores what it looks like when market incentives collide with geopolitical reality. Frank Cilluffo speaks with Patrick McGee, author of Apple in China, about his reporting on Apple's deep manufacturing reliance on China—and what that reveals about leverage, resilience, and risk. They explore how industrial capacity is built

en-us

38:48

AI, Critical Infrastructure, and Cascading Failures...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2026/01/27

Madison Horn joins host Frank Cilluffo to explain why AI-driven cyber risk may be quieter, faster, and harder to spot in 2026. She breaks down "cascading failures" in critical infrastructure—and how a disruption in one sector can quickly ripple into others. The conversation zeroes in on AI agents, especially their ability to create new user accounts, get access to systems, and hide inside everyday routine activity. Horn also warns that AI supply chain weaknesses could spread faster than

en-us

32:43

Cyber Leadership, Workforce Morale, and the House...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2026/01/20

CISA leadership, NSA/Cyber Command staffing, and offensive cyber operations are colliding early in 2026. Frank Cilluffo and reporter David DiMolfetta unpack Sean Plankey's renomination for CISA Director, and what a prolonged leadership vacuum can mean for agency direction and momentum. They then turn to Lt. Gen. Rudd's confirmation hearing and the evolving debate over the Title 10/Title 50 "dual hat." The conversation also examines morale and workforce pressures inside NSA, including reported

en-us

33:05

The Hammer and the Anvil: Offensive Cyber Strategy...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2026/01/13

Chris Inglis joins Frank Cilluffo to break down what offensive cyber strategy should look like in an era of strategic competition. Drawing from the McCrary Institute's new report on U.S. cyber policy, Inglis argues that resilience and consequences are not competing theories—they have to work together. He explains why "defend forward" and persistent engagement reshaped authorities and expectations after 2018, including how NSPM-13 changed delegation for operations. The conversation also tackles the

en-us

17:58

Are We Ready for 2026? Top Cyber Predictions on...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2026/01/06

Cyber Focus kicks off 2026 (and its 100th new episode) with rapid-fire predictions from McCrary Institute senior fellows. They flag big policy inflection points—especially whether Congress can reauthorize "CISA 2015," sustain information-sharing protections, and keep state and local cybersecurity funding on track. Tech-wise, the group focuses on AI's accelerating integration, the "speed" divide between defenders and adversaries, and emerging pressures across connectivity and infrastructure. On

en-us

33:37

AI-Orchestrated Cyber Espionage and the Future of...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/12/18

AI is speeding up cyber operations and shrinking the window for defenders to respond. Nick Andersen, who leads CISA's Cybersecurity Division, explains why Anthropic's recent report caught attention: it described what Anthropic called the first publicly reported AI-orchestrated cyber espionage campaign, in which threat actors misused its Claude models to automate and scale parts of an intrusion. Andersen and Frank Cilluffo unpack what that signal means for resilience, from model safeguards to the

en-us

45:10

Revisiting Offensive Cyber Discussion with Adm. Mike...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/12/16

In this re-releases episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo sits down with Admiral Mike Rogers (Ret.), former Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and Director of the National Security Agency. Rogers shares insights from his leadership across two administrations, discussing offensive cyber operations, the evolution of Cyber Command, and pressing national security challenges. The conversation spans from undersea cable vulnerabilities to public-private integration, the future of quantum and AI, and the

en-us

37:25

The Hidden Backbone of the Internet: Subsea Cable...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/12/09

Undersea cables quietly carry almost all global internet traffic yet rarely feature in security debates. This episode explains how subsea infrastructure underpins the global economy, data flows, and modern military operations while facing frequent "accidental" disruptions and growing geopolitical risk. Listeners hear why chokepoints, island dependencies, and hotspots from the Red Sea to the Taiwan Strait keep national security officials up at night. The conversation also explores how redundancy,

en-us

32:48

The Army's "No Fail" Cyber Mission with Brandon Pugh

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/12/02

Army Principal Cyber Advisor Brandon Pugh joins Frank Cilluffo to address a stark reality: if critical infrastructure fails, the Army cannot mobilize. To meet this "no fail" mission, Pugh explains how the service is aggressively merging cyber with electronic warfare and cutting red tape to field new technology in days rather than years. They also discuss the Army's unique edge in this digital fight—Reservists who bring high-level private sector expertise directly to the battlefield. The conversation

en-us

28:52

Inside State Cyber Defense: Whole-of-State Security...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/11/18

State and local governments are stepping up to defend critical services against fast-evolving cyber threats. In this episode of Cyber Focus, Alabama's top IT leaders show how they're staying ahead of the curve. They explain how a hybrid, highly decentralized environment forces them to lean on shared standards, SLCGP funding, and whole-of-state partnerships. Along the way, they unpack a recent incident that came dangerously close to crisis and what it revealed about tools, visibility, and trust

en-us

37:19

The Hidden Dangers in Your Supply Chain with...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/11/11

SecurityScorecard CEO Aleksandr Yampolskiy joins Cyber Focus to warn that third-party risk is now the dominant cybersecurity epidemic. With just 150 companies responsible for 90% of the global attack surface, a single compromise can ripple across sectors and continents. He and host Frank Cilluffo explore the cascading risks of software dependencies, fourth- and fifth-party exposure, and the challenges of shadow IT and shadow AI. Yampolskiy outlines where companies fall short on governance and calls

en-us

34:22

CVE at a Crossroads: Global Standards, Local...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/11/04

Cybersecurity veteran Nick Leiserson joins Cyber Focus this week to break down critical governance gaps in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system and what's at stake if they're not fixed. He and host Frank Cilluffo explore the risks of global fragmentation, the lingering fallout from the F5 breach, and why policy tools like Executive Order 14028 remain stalled. Leiserson warns that the U.S. court system faces an under-the-radar cyber crisis, and shares specific, actionable funding

en-us

44:02

Code Red: Breaking Down China's Cyber Offensive—Volt,...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/10/28

What do Volt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon, and Flax Typhoon reveal about China's cyber playbook? This episode of Cyber Focus breaks down a new McCrary Institute report on China's advanced persistent threat campaigns—and what they mean for U.S. national security. Frank Cilluffo sits down with Mark Montgomery, Brad Medairy, and Bill Evanina to explain how China is embedding itself in American infrastructure, telecom, and data systems. They warn that Beijing is laying the groundwork for future conflict and

en-us

35:06

Fuel, Force, and the Frontlines: Critical...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/10/21

What if the easiest way to disrupt U.S. military operations isn’t with missiles—but by targeting fuel logistics? In this episode, Chris Cleary explains how civilian infrastructure has become a frontline in national defense. He and Frank Cilluffo discuss how adversaries exploit cyber vulnerabilities to slow military response, and why deterrence requires more than just rhetoric. They unpack the case for a dedicated Cyber Force, the suprising way Chris thinks it should be structured, and the challenges

en-us

42:05

Cyber Force, ROI, and the Case for Reform with Ed...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/10/14

Should the U.S. have a dedicated Cyber Force? In this episode, General Ed Cardon and Josh Stiefel examine persistent gaps in the nation’s cyber posture, from undefined mission boundaries to unclear return on billions in cyber spending. They explore the organizational tradeoffs, workforce realities, and coordination challenges that have stalled progress, despite years of warnings. With host Frank Cilluffo, they unpack what it would take to move beyond patchwork solutions. Main Topics Covered The

en-us

33:15

Inside In-Q-Tel: Investing in America’s Cyber Future...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/10/07

Katie Gray, a senior partner at In-Q-Tel, joins host Frank Cilluffo to pull back the curtain on the venture firm’s role in advancing U.S. national security through tech innovation. As head of In-Q-Tel’s cyber investment practice, Gray offers rare insight into the organization’s dual-use investment model, its evolving priorities, and the technologies it believes will define the next 25 years. They discuss how In-Q-Tel identifies emerging threats, evaluates startups, and bridges the gap between

en-us

33:16

How Scammers Exploit Trust and FOMO: Kicking Off...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/09/30

Lisa Plaggemier, Executive Director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance, joins host Frank Cilluffo to discuss how public education can combat online scams, fraud, and cyber threats. With billions of campaign impressions and only a nine-person team, the Alliance focuses on motivating behavior change through creative, jargon-free outreach. Plaggemier explains how scams like pig butchering are orchestrated by organized crime and even nation-state actors—and why the U.S. needs a coordinated national

en-us

06:21

To the Point: The Under the Radar Risk of Letting...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/09/29

In this episode of Cyber Focus: To the Point, Frank Cilluffo sits down with Matt Hayden, former DHS official and current GDIT executive, to unpack the looming expiration of the Preventing Emerging Threats Act. Together, they explore the growing dangers posed by drones—from hobbyist disruptions to nation-state threats—and what’s at stake if Congress fails to reauthorize key counter-UAS authorities by October 1. Hayden explains why current authorities are essential for protecting the homeland and how

en-us

29:16

Inside CISA Cuts, ODNI Shifts, and Spyware Threats...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/09/23

What happens when the federal cyber workforce shrinks just as threats are multiplying? In this episode, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins host Frank Cilluffo to unpack the turbulence facing government agencies. They examine the mass departures at CISA, the controversial firings under DHS’s Cyber Talent Management System, and the looming risks of dismantling ODNI’s cyber intelligence hub. Doubleday also shares a chilling story of how El Chapo’s cartel used spyware and hacked city

en-us

44:44

Why State and Local Cyber Grants Matter with New...

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and... ·

2025/09/16

Congress faces a looming deadline to renew the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP), a federal initiative that helps states and municipalities defend against cyberattacks. In this episode, Frank Cilluffo speaks with New Jersey CISO Michael Geraghty and Arizona CISO Ryan Murray about how these grants are making a measurable difference on the ground. They detail how investments are protecting communities from ransomware, building out shared services, and training the next generation

en-us

149 results

Similar Podcasts

Cyber Focus: Cybersecurity, National Security, and Critical Infrastructure

Frank Cilluffo / McCrary Institute

Fed Gov Today

FedGovToday.com

Live From America with Jeremy Herrell

Jeremy Herrell

webradiocamarasaopaulo

webradiocamarasaopaulo

Disclosure: UAP & Alien Files

Cmdr Silas Vance