Waste, fraud, and abuse. These three words usually make headlines when government resources are misused on a massive scale. But the truth is, efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse extend far beyond the headline-grabbing cases.

In this episode, our experts explore how the government combats waste, fraud, and abuse, and why cybersecurity is now front and center in the conversation. Over the past 40 years, federal agencies have increasingly relied on contractors, which has in turn increased the need for enforcement mechanisms to combat waste, fraud, and abuse.

This episode goes over:

• The history and role of the False Claims Act
• How the Department of Justice’s Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative is using it to tackle cybersecurity-related fraud
• The unique role of whistleblowers, who gain both protections and incentives to report fraud
• A real-world use case that illustrates how enforcement plays out
• Practical strategies organizations can adopt to reduce their False Claims Act risk

If your organization works with the federal government, this conversation is a must-listen.

Resources:

• DOJ’s False Claims Act website
• The False Claim Act (law)

Email remains the most common form of non-verbal communication in organizations worldwide. It’s where our professional and personal lives often collide – making it a prime target for malicious actors. While the junk mail of the digital age – spam – has mostly faded into the background, the threats haven’t gone away. In fact, they’ve grown far more sophisticated.

Our experts explore how email threats evolved from basic to spam to today’s complex phishing campaigns, spear phishing, whaling, and business email compromise. These attacks target people first – exploiting human behavior, namely our desire to trust, be helpful, and be someone who comes through in a time of need. You will learn about:

• The history of email threats
• How phishing attacks weaknesses in human psychology
• Real-world examples of phishing and spear phishing
• Best practices organizations can adopt to reduce risk

The cyber workforce is as diverse as the challenges it faces. From process designers and behavioral analysts to business strategists and communicators, cybersecurity thrives on a diversity of skill sets. It’s important to understand what it takes to join the field, especially given the current shortage of cybersecurity professionals.

In today’s episode, we’re breaking down the misconception that cybersecurity is only for hackers and codebreakers. We’ll dive into why soft skills like communications and organizational collaboration are just as essential as technical skills. We’ll talk about how to break into the field. Spoiler alert: it’s not as hard as you might think.

On this episode, we discuss:

• Why the cyber workforce is broader than you might think
• How non-technical skills are critical in a technical field
• The importance of soft skills
• Why cybersecurity needs process thinkers, analysts, and business minds, too

Today’s guest is Mike Thompson. Mike brings a unique perspective to the table. Mike’s experience spans recruitment, compliance sales, and cybersecurity assessments. His journey through the field offers great insight into the many ways professionals can contribute to cybersecurity without fitting the traditional mold.

Links:

• FedRAMP’s R311 Requirements
• CMMC: Ecosystem Professionals > Assessing and Certification