Cyber Survivor

Cyber threats don’t just steal data—they halt care, cancel clinics, and shake trust. I sat down with Brent Yax, founder and CEO of Aweccom Technologies to unpack the hard truth: today’s attackers are profit-driven, organized, and focused on disrupting operations until we pay. We trace how the threat landscape shifted from amateur mischief to a mature cyber economy, why small and mid-market healthcare organizations are...

Dan Dodson hosts Drex DeFord, a leader in healthcare cybersecurity, to discuss the evolution and current state of cybersecurity in healthcare. Drex shares his career journey from a hospital administrator in the Air Force to leading roles in various healthcare organizations and consulting for tech companies. He describes how the rapid digitization of healthcare, particularly through electronic health record (EHR) adopt...

Dan Dodson interviews Dr. Bradley Fowler, author of “Cybersecurity Leadership for Healthcare Organizations and Institutions of Higher Education,” discussing the pressing cybersecurity workforce shortages and the role of education and leadership in addressing risks. Dr. Fowler shares insights from his research, emphasizing human error as a major cause of breaches and the critical need for robust policy compliance and updated trainin...

This episode distills memorable insights from six months of interviews with healthcare cybersecurity leaders and clinicians. The five lessons: focus on fundamentals over flashy tech (Phil Alexander), ensure leadership at all levels (Chrissi Maguire), rely on preparation and people during outages (Katrina Brown), recognize every cyber event as a patient safety issue (Dr. Jeffery Tully), and cultivate strong governance and organizati...

What happens when artificial intelligence starts making healthcare decisions faster than humans can review them? Dr. Ali Dehghantanha’s Professor and Canadian Research Chair in Cybersecurity and Threat Intelligence, takes us on a fascinating journey through the evolving landscape of healthcare cybersecurity where self-healing AI systems may soon become our frontline defenders.

The cybersecurity battlefield shifts constantly. From d...

Dan Dodson and cybersecurity expert T.J. Ramsey discussed the escalation of ransomware attacks in healthcare, emphasizing that ransomware is a form of extortion malware used primarily for financial gain, with attackers operating like organized crime syndicates. Ramsey traced his journey from military intelligence to cybersecurity, explained the operational and financial pressures making healthcare a vulnerable target, and described...

Dr. Jeff Tulley, a board-certified physician and co-director of the UCSD Center for Healthcare Cybersecurity, discusses the intersection of healthcare and cybersecurity. He highlights the benefits of digitization in healthcare, such as clinical decision support and interoperability, but also acknowledges the increased attack surface. Tulley's research focuses on the impact of technology failures on patient outcomes, particularly du...

Join us in this compelling episode of the Cyber Security Podcast as we sit down with Scott Augenbaum, a former FBI agent with a distinguished career in cybersecurity spanning back to 1988.

Augenbaum takes us on a fascinating journey through the evolution of cybercrime, from its early days of thrill-seeking individuals to today's highly organized and sophisticated transnational threats. He reveals the stark reality of cybercrime's m...

In this episode,  Chief Nursing Officer Katrina Brown recounts her experience managing a cyberattack at USA Health Providence Hospital. The attack severely impacted the hospital's Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and other critical systems, leading to a significant decrease in efficiency and a necessary reduction in patient census. Brown highlights the crucial role of strong leadership and well-practiced downtime procedures, noting...

In this episode of Cyber Survivor host Dan Dodson interviews Steven Ramirez, Chief Information Security and Technology Officer at Renown Health. They discuss the evolution of healthcare cybersecurity over the past decade, emphasizing increased funding, improved identity management, and the importance of governance. Ramirez highlights the growing threat of social engineering and AI-fueled attacks, stressing proactive e...

In this episode, Chrissi Maguire, CEO of Mount Desert Island Hospital, shares insights on the evolution of healthcare cybersecurity, emphasizing the importance of investments in security infrastructure, staff training, and leadership engagement. She recounts a recent cyber incident, highlighting the swift response, collaboration, and system safeguards that minimized patient care disruption. Maguire underscores the necessity of ongo...

This episode of Cyber Survivor focuses on the action taken after a cyber security attack at a hospital in the Northeast.  Host Dan Dodson interviews IT experts James Edgell and Dan Colon, who share their experiences handling cybersecurity challenges during that episode. They discuss the aftermath of a cyber incident, improvements in security measures, and the importance of maintaining strong cybersecurity practices. The conversatio...

In this Cyber Survivor podcast episode, host Dan Dodson discusses with Thomas Ritter the evolving cybersecurity landscape, emphasizing ransomware and its increasing complexity. Ritter, a privacy and cybersecurity attorney, highlights the human impact of breaches, especially in healthcare, where technology's over-reliance raises patient safety concerns. The conversation explores preparedness, third-party risks, and the necessity of ...

In this episode of "Cyber Survivor," host Dan Dotson converses with Donald Neal, a seasoned CRNA, about the significant impacts of cybersecurity breaches on healthcare. Donald recounts his journey from paper to electronic medical records and shares a personal ordeal with identity theft due to a security breach. He discusses how cyber incidents disrupt clinical operations, highlighting the challenges posed by technological reliance....

In this episode of Cyber Survivor, host Dan Dodson speaks with Kathie Philippou, who has 40 years of experience in practice management. Kathie shares her journey from humble beginnings in healthcare administration to navigating the digital transformation of medical practices. She discusses the challenges of implementing electronic medical records and the increasing burden of cybersecurity and regulatory compliance. Kathie emphasize...

In this episode of "Cyber Survivors," host Dan Dodson and guest Louis Wright delve into healthcare cybersecurity challenges, particularly during acquisitions. Louis shares insights as the CISO of USA Health and describes how they navigated a cyber attack on a legacy system during a transition period. They emphasize the importance of comprehensive disaster recovery plans, third-party risk management, and continuous improvement. The ...

In this episode of "Cyber Survivor," host Dan Dodson and legal expert Thomas Ritter delve into the recent cyber incidents involving Oracle Health. They discuss Oracle's handling of potential data breaches linked to both Oracle Cloud and legacy servers from the Cerner acquisition. While Oracle has contacted some clients privately, it has not publicly confirmed the breaches. The conversation highlights the complexities ...

Dan Dodson hosts "Cyber Survivor" with guest Paul Connolly, a mentor and reputable figure in cybersecurity. They discuss Connolly’s unexpected journey from agriculture to becoming a pioneer in cybersecurity, emphasizing his role as the first CISO at the White House. They explore cybersecurity’s impact on healthcare, the importance of communication, especially with clinical staff, and the challenges faced by healthcare organizations...

In a conversation between host Dan Dodson and cybersecurity expert Phil Alexander, they delved into the critical role of relationships and fundamentals in managing cyber events, especially within the healthcare industry. Phil, with 25 years of experience, emphasized the importance of building strong relationships with organizational leaders and external partners. He shared insights from his career, like launching a cy...