PrOTect It All

Effective OT penetration testing isn't just about finding vulnerabilities, it's about building trust.

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow is joined by Oren Niskin and Reynaldo Gonzalez for an engaging discussion on the evolving role of penetration testing in operational technology (OT) environments.

Drawing from years of experience in industrial operations, IT, and OT cybersecurity, Oren and Reynaldo explain why successful OT security assessments require far more than technical expertise. They explore how trust, communication, and collaboration help bridge the gap between security teams and operations, making penetration testing a valuable business tool rather than something to fear.

The conversation also highlights the importance of diverse career paths, hands-on learning, and mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. From network segmentation and risk communication to creating realistic lab environments, this episode offers practical lessons for anyone responsible for securing critical infrastructure.

Key Learnings: 

Why trust is essential for successful OT penetration testing

How IT and operational experience strengthen OT security teams

The value of network segmentation in reducing cyber risk

Why "doing nothing" is no longer an acceptable cybersecurity strategy

How organizations can bridge the gap between safety, operations, and security

Practical ways to develop the next generation of OT cybersecurity professionals

Key Moments: 

07:00 Oren's technology and security approach

15:04 Discussing network security measures

19:16 Building Trust in Business Relationships

26:17 Understanding and planning security architecture

30:16 Network management and rule assessment

33:39 Managing and Assessing Tool Overload

38:39 Analyzing tool overlap and complementarity

48:41 Building a trusting team culture

49:48 Encouraging Open Communication

56:34 Getting into cybersecurity without IT experience

01:04:56 Entry-level ICS training courses

Whether you're an OT engineer, penetration tester, security leader, or just beginning your cybersecurity journey, this episode delivers practical insights into protecting industrial environments while building stronger relationships across teams.

Tune in to discover why the most successful OT penetration tests don't just identify vulnerabilities they build trust, strengthen teams, and improve security for the long term.

About the guests: 

Oren Niskin is Principal OT Security Engineer at GuidePoint Security. His 20-year arc runs from the US Navy as a Nuclear Electrician's Mate, to Electronics Technician on offshore drilling rigs, to office OT/IT management, to OT cybersecurity consulting at EY, and now into OT cyber engineering at GuidePoint. He also runs Packets Or It Didn't Happen, a YouTube livestream where he builds a factory-realistic PLC and HMI training kit on camera (the open-source PLC Trainer Kit), aimed at helping newcomers get hands-on with OT for under $500.

Link to connect Oren Niskin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orenniskin/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PacketsOrItDidntHappen

PLC Trainer Kit (GitHub): https://github.com/oniskin/PLC-Trainer-Kit

LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/17708001/

Reynaldo Gonzalez is a recognized cybersecurity thought leader with 18+ years of experience...

The biggest cybersecurity challenge isn't technology - it's people.

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow welcomes Swapnil Kachave for an insightful conversation about what it really takes to build high-performing cybersecurity teams in an era of AI, automation, and increasing cyber threats.

Having built and led Security Operations Center (SOC) teams across five industries, Swapnil shares why successful cybersecurity programs are driven by leadership, communication, and continuous learning - not just the latest tools.

Together, Aaron and Swapnil explore the growing impact of alert fatigue, burnout, workforce development, and the changing role of AI in modern security operations. They also discuss why "people debt" can become just as dangerous as technical debt and how organizations can create resilient teams prepared for the future.

Key Moments: 

Why cybersecurity leadership is fundamentally about people

How to reduce alert fatigue and improve SOC performance

The importance of mentoring, training, and career development

How AI is changing security operations - and the skills teams need next

Why communication and empathy make better security leaders

How organizations can prepare teams for emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing

Whether you're leading a SOC, managing cybersecurity programs, or just beginning your security career, this episode delivers practical leadership lessons that extend far beyond technology.

Key Moments: 

06:04 Dealing with alert fatigue

07:55 Navigating SOC career growth

13:54 From network admin to new opportunities

14:41 Diverse career path overview

21:02 Translating tech issues for executives

23:41 Importance of Soft Skills in Tech

25:50 Prioritizing practical knowledge over trends

31:03 Prototyping and learning new skills

35:26 Using AI to validate ideas

37:57 Human awareness vs. tech evolution

41:32 Quality assurance in AI responses

42:40 Discussing AI system reliability

46:05 Accelerating processes with AI tools

Tune in to discover why investing in people is still the most effective cybersecurity strategy - only on Protect It All.

About the guest : 

Swapnil Kachave is a cybersecurity operations leader with extensive experience building and leading Security Operations Center (SOC) teams across five industries. Passionate about developing people as much as technology, Swapnil specializes in security operations, incident response, and leadership development. They focus on helping organizations build resilient cybersecurity teams by balancing technical excellence with communication, mentorship, and continuous learning in an increasingly AI-driven world.

How to connect Swapnil: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swapniilkachave/

Website: https://www.optiv.com/=

Learn more about PrOTect IT All:

Email: info@protectitall.co 

Website: https://protectitallpod.com/ep116

X: https://twitter.com/protectitall 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrOTectITAll 

FaceBook:  https://facebook.com/protectitallpodcast

To be a guest or suggest a guest/episode, please email us at...

Some of the biggest cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure aren't new - they've simply never gone away.

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow welcomes back Lesley Carhart for a fascinating conversation about why decades-old malware like Conficker continues to infect operational technology (OT) environments around the world.

Drawing on nearly two decades of industrial incident response experience, they share real-world stories from the front lines of critical infrastructure, explaining why legacy systems, operational constraints, and workforce shortages continue to make remediation incredibly challenging. The discussion goes far beyond "just patch it," exploring the difficult risk decisions organizations face when uptime, safety, and cybersecurity all compete for priority.

Aaron and Lesley also examine one of the industry's most pressing issues: the growing shortage of OT cybersecurity talent and the need to rebuild foundational technical skills for the next generation of defenders. 

Key Learnings: 

Why malware like Conficker still exists in modern OT environments

The unique challenges of removing malware from industrial control systems

Why patching isn't always possible in operational technology

How legacy infrastructure creates long-term cybersecurity risk

The growing OT cybersecurity skills gap - and how the industry can address it

Practical lessons from real-world industrial incident response

Key Moments: 

05:47 Challenges with Old Industrial Systems

06:58 Struggles with malware cleanup

11:02 Challenges in Cyber Security Careers

16:19 Dealing with malware spread

17:53 Managing infection risk long-term

23:04 Challenges with nuclear hardware upgrades

27:05 Training the Next Tech Generation

29:33 Importance of Computer Basics

34:04 Discovering hidden technical issues

37:01 Troubleshooting in industrial environments

39:10 Malware and botnets era

42:20 Developing low-touch security solutions

Whether you're responsible for manufacturing, utilities, energy, transportation, or any critical infrastructure environment, this episode provides practical insight into one of OT cybersecurity's longest-running challenges.

Tune in to discover why yesterday's malware is still creating today's biggest industrial cybersecurity problems - and what organizations can do about it.

About the guest : 

Lesley Carhart is a Principal Industrial Incident Responder at Dragos and a recognized expert in OT and industrial cybersecurity. With nearly two decades of experience in incident response, digital forensics, and threat hunting, they help organizations defend critical infrastructure from cyber threats targeting industrial control systems. Lesley is also a respected speaker, instructor, and advocate for cybersecurity education, regularly sharing their expertise with industry professionals and the next generation of defenders.

How to connect Lesley: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lcarhart/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/hacks4pancakes

Bluesky : https://bsky.app/profile/hacks4pancakes.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hacks4pancakes/

Website: https://tisiphone.net/

Learn more about PrOTect IT All:

Email: info@protectitall.co

The biggest challenge in OT cybersecurity isn't technology - it's earning trust.

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow sits down with Jacob McCune, a cybersecurity architect with more than 20 years of hands-on experience across both IT and OT environments.

Jacob shares his unconventional journey from the help desk to securing critical infrastructure, highlighting the lessons that only real-world experience can teach. Together, Aaron and Jacob explore why communication, collaboration, and trust are often the deciding factors between successful cybersecurity programs and failed initiatives.

The conversation also dives into the future of OT security, examining how AI, cloud technologies, and evolving architectures are changing industrial environments and why organizations need to rethink traditional approaches while keeping operational realities front and center.

Key Learning: 

Why trust is the foundation of successful OT cybersecurity programs

How practical experience shapes better cybersecurity decisions

The importance of communication between IT, OT, and leadership teams

Why compliance alone doesn't guarantee security

How AI and cloud technologies are reshaping OT environments

What the future may look like beyond traditional industrial architectures

Key Moments: 

05:18 Building a Power Plant Team

09:06 Balancing cybersecurity with business needs

11:01 Avoiding project delays during downtime

16:04 Importance of Broad Experience

17:59 A mentor's lesson on teamwork

23:41 Challenges with job postings and requirements

26:27 Managing risk and resource challenges

29:59 Helping Your Compliance Team

33:12 Dad's long career and expertise

36:44 Discussing cybersecurity risk management

39:44 Cloud resources and AI discussions

41:08 Exploring future solutions and technologies

Whether you're building an OT security program, managing critical infrastructure, or looking to grow your cybersecurity career, this episode delivers practical lessons from years of real-world experience.

Tune in to discover why people, trust, and communication remain the most valuable assets in modern cybersecurity only on Protect It All.

About the guest: 

Jacob McCune is a cybersecurity architect with more than 20 years of experience across IT and OT environments, helping organizations secure critical infrastructure through practical, real-world security strategies. From starting his career on the help desk to designing enterprise security architectures, Jacob has built a reputation for bridging the gap between IT and OT through collaboration, communication, and trust. He is passionate about helping organizations move beyond compliance to build resilient cybersecurity programs that protect both people and operations.

Links to connect Jacob : 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-mccune-33a08984/ 

CornCon Cybersecurity Conference : https://corncon.net/

Learn more about PrOTect IT All:

Email: info@protectitall.co 

Website: https://protectitallpod.com/ep114

X: https://twitter.com/protectitall 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrOTectITAll 

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AI is changing OT cybersecurity - but success still depends on understanding your operations.

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow welcomes Vivek Ponnada for a practical conversation about how artificial intelligence is transforming the way organizations defend critical infrastructure.

With decades of experience in industrial automation and OT security, Vivek shares firsthand insights into the realities of protecting legacy control systems while preparing for a future increasingly shaped by AI, automation, and digital transformation.

Together, Aaron and Vivek discuss how organizations can use AI to improve visibility, accelerate threat detection, prioritize vulnerabilities, and strengthen operational resilience, without losing sight of the fundamentals that keep industrial environments safe.

Key Learning: 

How AI is transforming OT cybersecurity and industrial operations

Practical AI use cases for protecting critical infrastructure

Why legacy systems remain one of the biggest OT security challenges

How AI can improve vulnerability management and incident response

The role of digital twins in strengthening cyber resilience

Why trust, collaboration, and operational knowledge remain essential in OT security

Whether you're responsible for manufacturing, utilities, energy, water, or other critical infrastructure, this episode provides practical insights into balancing innovation with operational reliability.

Tune in to discover how AI can strengthen OT cybersecurity while helping organizations protect the systems that keep the world running.

Key Moments: 

06:43 AI and cloud adoption in OT

13:27 Controller logic changes and safety steps

21:24 Discussing Digital Twins for Security Use

26:51 Managing vulnerabilities at scale

32:41 Understanding Power Plant Limitations

37:17 Keeping up with plant changes

41:43 Automating infrastructure and maintenance

49:08 Rising importance of cybersecurity investment

52:16 Early days in cybersecurity and OT

01:00:03 Ransomware impacts on industries

01:01:53 Using GPUs for security and OT

About the guest : 

Vivek Ponnada is an Operational Technology (OT) Security practitioner with global experience and currently serves as the SVP of Growth & Strategy at Frenos, the world's first Simulated OT Pentesting Platform. Having started his career in Industrial Control Systems (ICS) as a Technician, Vivek became a Controls Engineer and commissioned Gas Turbines in Europe, Middle-East, Africa and South-East Asia. Post MBA, Vivek held multiple roles in Sales, Marketing & Business Development and Services covering ICS and OT Security solutions for Critical Infrastructure industries (Power, Oil & Gas etc.) at GE, XenonCyber Dynamics and Nozomi Networks. He was a co-lead for the Top 20 Secure PLC Coding Practices Project and regularly speaks at Information Security Conferences. Vivek has a C.Eng. from IEI, MBA from McCombs (UT Austin) and holds the ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Expert & GICSP certifications. He is a member of the ISA, ISACA, Public Safety Canada ICS Security Symposium Advisory Committee and is a CS2AI Fellow.

How to connect Vivek: 

Frenos: https://frenos.io 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/1ot/ 

Frenos YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Frenos_Security

Learn more about PrOTect IT All:

Email: info@protectitall.co