Industrial Cybersecurity Insider

Katie O'Brien shares her unconventional journey from music teacher to industrial cybersecurity expert, bringing over 25 years of IT experience into the OT world. In this conversation with Dino, Katie discusses the critical gaps in OT cybersecurity—from the lack of university programs teaching industrial security to the disconnect between IT and OT teams. They explore why system integrators and OEMs fail to design cybersecurity into new manufacturing projects from the start, compare it to building cars without safety features, and discuss the emergence of managed services in the OT space. Katie explains how Garland Technology helps organizations get visibility into aging infrastructure with unmanaged switches, and both hosts emphasize the urgent need for the OT ecosystem to drive cybersecurity conversations proactively rather than waiting for IT teams who may never have walked the plant floor.Chapters:(00:00:00) - The Hard Truths About OT Security Nobody Wants to Hear(00:01:06) - Katie's Unconventional Journey: From Music Teacher to OT Cybersecurity Expert(00:04:00) - The Current State of OT Cybersecurity and Future Directions(00:06:00) - The Education Gap: Why Universities Aren't Teaching Industrial Cybersecurity(00:08:00) - The Disconnect Between IT/Security Teams and OT Operations(00:10:00) - Designing Cybersecurity Into New Manufacturing Projects From the Start(00:13:00) - IT Teams Who've Never Walked the Plant Floor(00:16:00) - The Emergence of Managed Services in the OT Space(00:18:00) - Garland Technology: Getting Visibility Into Aging Infrastructure(00:19:00) - Software Defined Automation and the Future of Industrial Control(00:22:00) - Why the OT Ecosystem Must Drive the Cybersecurity Conversation(00:24:00) - The Real Cost of Downtime and Cyber Incidents in ManufacturingLinks And Resources:Katie O'Brien on LinkedInWant to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!

Dino sits down with industrial automation and industrial cybersecurity expert Kevin Kumpf, fresh off the floor of Rockwell Automation Fair 2025. They discuss why OT managed services are finally becoming viable for manufacturing, the critical 80/20 split between people and technology challenges, and how the industry's "silver tsunami" of retiring talent is forcing a reckoning. Kevin shares insights on building unified platforms that can manage everything from 30-year-old paper tape systems to AI-powered smart factories, why IT's "patch now" mentality fails in OT environments, and how the DG 360 platform is delivering true cyber-physical convergence today - not tomorrow. They discuss the reality that most OT cybersecurity tools only discover 30% of plant assets, the importance of human-in-the-loop decision making, and why the OT ecosystem - not IT - must drive the managed services revolution. This is a must-listen for anyone struggling with the complexity of protecting and managing modern manufacturing facilities.Chapters:(00:00:00) - Introduction and Rockwell Automation Fair Recap(00:01:43) - The OT Managed Services Evolution and Rebranding(00:04:15) - The Three-Legged Stool: IT, OT, and OEMs(00:07:32) - Point Solutions vs. Unified Platforms in Manufacturing(00:10:45) - The DG 360 Vision: 360-Degree Plant Visibility(00:14:28) - The Silver Tsunami and Training Challenges(00:18:22) - Alert Fatigue and Actionable Intelligence(00:22:45) - Software Defined Automation and Legacy Systems(00:26:18) - Why OT Must Drive the Cybersecurity Conversation(00:30:35) - Real-Time Demo and Implementation ReadinessLinks And Resources:Kevin Kumpf on LinkedInWant to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!

Former U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Richard LaTulip joins Craig Duckworth to reveal the hidden world of cyber criminal networks and infrastructure attacks. Drawing from his undercover work infiltrating dark web forums and catching some of the world's most sophisticated threat actors, Richard breaks down why traditional security approaches fail, how ransomware attacks actually cost organizations millions if not billions beyond the ransom payment itself, and why the timeline between compromise and detection has shrunk from months to minutes. He shares jaw-dropping statistics on vulnerability management failures, explains how adversaries are using AI to become exponentially more dangerous, and provides actionable insights for building resilient security programs that protect what matters most to your business. Whether you're defending critical infrastructure or managing security for a manufacturing organization, this conversation offers a rare insider perspective on the evolving threat landscape and what it takes to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated cyber criminals.Chapters:(00:00:00) - Meet the Ex-Secret Service Agent Who Infiltrated Underground Cyber Criminal Networks(00:03:00) - Inside Operation Carder Kaos: Going Undercover in the Dark Web(00:06:00) - The Real Price Tag: Why Ransomware Costs Go Far Beyond the Ransom(00:11:00) - When Production Lines Go Dark: The Hidden Costs of Manufacturing Downtime(00:14:00) - Reality Check: How Prepared Is Your Organization for a Cyber Attack?(00:17:00) - The AI Arms Race: How Adversaries Are Weaponizing Artificial Intelligence(00:21:00) - 2027 Threat Landscape: What Keeps a Field CISO Up at Night(00:24:00) - Follow the Bitcoin: How Cyber Criminals Launder Billions Through Cryptocurrency(00:31:00) - Why Speed Matters: The Critical Window for Law Enforcement Notification(00:33:00) - The Security Leader's Playbook: Threat Intelligence + Business ContextLinks And Resources:Richard LaTulip on LinkedInRichard's Book: Operation Carder KaosRecorded FutureWant to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on

In this eye-opening conversation, Dino and Craig address a critical issue facing manufacturing organizations today: the dangerous gap between perceived and actual cybersecurity preparedness in operational technology (OT) environments.They discuss why many organizations "don't know what they don't know" when it comes to securing industrial control systems, the myth of isolated manufacturing equipment, and why 25% of companies still lack comprehensive OT asset monitoring. Drawing powerful parallels to safety protocols, they explain why cybersecurity must become as ingrained in plant culture as wearing a hard hat on the factory floor.Their bottom line: Back up your beliefs with data, treat every system as if it's connected, and verify, don't just trust, your security posture. In OT cybersecurity, perception isn't reality, and that gap could cost not only millions but also brand perception and even human life.This episode is a must-listen for anyone serious about protecting their industrial environments.Chapters:00:00:00 - Kicking Off: Are You Truly Secure or Just Comfortable?00:01:15 - OT Security Reality Check: Do You Really Know Your Risks?00:01:45 - The Hidden Challenges Holding OT Security Back00:03:15 - Lack of Skilled Resources: The Biggest Barrier to Security00:05:30 - Security Frameworks: Are They Reaching the Plant Floor?00:06:15 - The Dangerous Myth of “Isolated” OT Systems00:07:58 - From Theory to Action: Winning Strategies for OT Security00:12:13 - Leadership’s Role in Cybersecurity: Who’s Driving the Change?00:19:55 - No More Blind Spots: Key Takeaways for a Secure FutureLinks And Resources:Want to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!

In this milestone 100th episode, Craig and Dino tackle the critical intersection of workforce retirement and industrial cybersecurity knowledge in manufacturing.They explore how 82% of manufacturing workforce exits are due to retirement, creating a dangerous knowledge vacuum as decades of plant expertise walk out the door. The conversation reveals why traditional IT security tools consistently miss 50-70% of OT assets, the problematic practice of buying equipment that's obsolete before installation, and why plant operators bypass corporate security policies when downtime costs a million dollars per day. Craig and Dino state that the solution isn't just better tools, it's bridging the gap between centralized IT teams and the decentralized OT ecosystem by partnering with the system integrators and OEMs who actually keep plants running. They discuss how manufacturers must choose between multi-million dollar capital investments in modern equipment or implementing proper network segmentation and security around legacy systems.They address the reasons why the next generation of talent won't be attracted to facilities running decades-old technology.Chapters:(00:00:00) - Introduction and Industry Growth Update(00:02:15) - The Silver Tsunami: 82% of Manufacturing Exits Are Retirements(00:05:42) - Why IT Security Tools Miss 50-70% of OT Assets(00:09:18) - The Knowledge Vacuum: What Happens When Experience Walks Out(00:13:05) - Why Plant Operators Bypass Corporate Security Policies(00:16:30) - The Problem with Buying Obsolete Equipment(00:19:45) - Centralized IT vs Decentralized OT: Bridging the Gap(00:23:20) - Building Partnerships with System Integrators and OEMs(00:26:50) - Capital Investment vs Network Segmentation Strategy(00:29:35) - Attracting Next-Gen Talent to Manufacturing EnvironmentsLinks And Resources:Want to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!