When cybercriminals lock up a children’s hospital, denying treatment to kids with cancer, you realize just how dark the world of ransomware has become. Healthcare isn’t just another target, it’s the lifeline of our society, and it’s under siege. In this episode of the Thales Security Sessions, Dr. Adrian Mayers, CISO of Premera Blue Cross, joins me to expose the reality of this growing “feeding frenzy” of cyberattacks on healthcare, the rise of AI-driven threats, and what it truly takes to defend the systems, and the people, who keep us alive. It is a lesson on the human element of defense that can be applied to any industry.

Deepfakes are no longer just entertainment gimmicks, they’re powerful tools that can fool the eye, the ear, and even entire organizations. In this episode, host Steve Prentice speaks with Jason Keenaghan, Director of Product Management at Thales, about the rise of deepfake-enabled fraud, the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between attackers and defenders, and what businesses can do to protect themselves. From multimillion-dollar heists to the surprising opportunities for legitimate use, we explore how deepfakes are reshaping trust, culture, and cybersecurity.

Every cyber breach has one thing in common: a human being. Whether it’s clicking on a phishing email, rushing past a warning message, or simply being overwhelmed by the pressures of work, people are often labeled as “the weakest link” in cybersecurity. But is that really fair? Should the responsibility for safer behavior fall solely on individual employees—or on the organizations and cultures that shape how they work? In this episode, we speak with Bruce Hallas, founder of Rethinking the Human Factor, to uncover why the real solution isn’t more training or blame, but smarter processes and cultural change that support humans in doing the right thing.

Imagine waking up each day knowing that somewhere in the world, an unseen enemy is already at work—writing code, exploiting vulnerabilities, and using AI to launch attacks that could cripple businesses or compromise millions of people. For Nadav, Senior Director of Threat Research at Thales, this isn’t science fiction. It’s his daily reality. In this episode, we step inside his world—a world where every decision can mean the difference between safety and disaster, and where staying one step ahead of attackers is not just a job, it’s a mission.

The next wave of cyberattacks won’t be launched by humans alone, and neither will the defense. As Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks grow in scale and frequency, machine learning and large language models (LLMs) are stepping into the front lines. But how effective are they? What trade-offs exist between accuracy, speed, and risk? And how close are we to autonomous defense systems? In this episode, Steve Prentice speaks with Johnathan Azaria, machine learning platform lead at Thales, who offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how AI is being used today, and what’s coming next.

Data is the lifeblood of every business, and it is flowing faster and more freely than ever. But with great data comes great risk. Organizations of all types are drowning. They have sensitive information scattered across cloud platforms, SaaS apps, and data lakes—often with no clear idea of where it all is, who can access it, or how well it's protected. If that isn’t bad enough, when trouble strikes, a breach, for example, are you able to tell your customers that the breached data is useless to the threat actors because it was carefully encrypted? Are you able to prove to the regulators that you had the right controls in place, and that you have been proactively monitoring your data? This is no longer just your data that is at stake. Your reputation and your future are on the line as well.

What does it take to build the world’s most influential cybersecurity event? In this episode of the Thales Security Sessions podcast, Linda Gray Martin, Senior Vice President of the RSA Conference, takes us behind the scenes of RSAC, revealing how a small core team and a mission-driven culture orchestrate a 15-month planning cycle involving industry experts, world-class keynote speakers, and 43,000+ attendees. From the evolution of the conference to celebrity appearances and lessons learned from the pandemic, this conversation offers a rare and inspiring glimpse into the heart of cybersecurity’s biggest stage.

In this episode of the Thales Security Sessions podcast, host Steve Prentice speaks with Grainne McKeever of Thales about the growing threat of bad bots in the travel industry. Drawing on insights from the 2025 Imperva Bad Bot Report, Grainne reveals that travel has now overtaken retail as the most targeted sector, and explains more about how these bots perform malicious activities like scraping pricing data, spinning airline seats, and committing loyalty fraud through credential stuffing. The conversation explores how AI has made bot attacks cheaper and more accessible, threatening both large platforms and smaller travel agencies. Grainne outlines key defensive strategies and emphasizes the importance of being proactive, as AI also empowers defenders—but only if they're prepared. The episode is a wake-up call for the travel sector to take bot threats seriously.

AI is revolutionizing cybersecurity, but with rapid advancements come unprecedented risks. In The Hidden Battle for AI Security, three leading data security experts from Thales pull back the curtain on the evolving threat landscape—where attackers weaponize AI for breaches, defenders scramble to stay ahead, and businesses risk losing control of their most valuable assets. From AI-driven cyberattacks to the urgent need for model protection and adaptive security strategies, this episode breaks down the hidden vulnerabilities that could impact every organization relying on AI. If you think you're prepared, think again—because the battle for AI security is unfolding now, and the stakes have never been higher.

A cyberattack is a period of enormous stress for an organization. Most companies lack the experience and the expertise to handle such an event effectively, which can lead to further damage to assets, brand, and reputation. This is why it is so important to have a breach coach at the top of your list of emergency contacts, should the worst happen. In this episode, hear from an actual breach coach, who will tell us why this person is so important to a company’s future.

Software monetization isn’t just about selling more subscriptions—it’s about survival. In today’s fast-moving digital economy, companies that fail to capture, protect, and maximize the value of their software risk falling behind, losing revenue, and even compromising security. From industrial automation to cutting-edge AI in healthcare, software isn’t just a product—it’s the backbone of modern business strategy. In this episode, we’re joined by Dale Hopkinson, an expert in software monetization, to uncover why this strategy is essential for growth, resilience, and competitive advantage. If you think monetization is just about pricing models, think again—because without the right strategy, you might be leaving your company's future on the table.

Cybersecurity is at a crossroads, and so are the women in it. While progress is visible, the numbers tell a different story—women’s representation in cyber is stagnating, and in some cases, even declining. Why is that happening? What barriers still stand in the way, and what can we do about it? In this episode, we sit down with two powerhouse women in the field—Jane Frankland and Kate Barecchia—to uncover the real challenges, the hard truths, and the path forward. If you think the future of cybersecurity can thrive without women leading the charge, think again.

What happens when a 10-year NFL veteran swaps the gridiron for the world of cybersecurity? In this episode, we sit down with John Fina, a former professional football player who’s made a remarkable transition from defending end zones to defending corporate networks. John shares how lessons from the field—like strategic thinking, relentless diligence, and studying opponents inside and out—gave him a unique edge in the fight against today’s cyber threats. Through captivating stories from both his NFL career and his cybersecurity work, John reveals surprising parallels between the high-stakes worlds of pro sports and cybersecurity. Whether you’re a cybersecurity professional looking for fresh perspectives or a corporate leader seeking insights into building a resilient team, this episode promises to challenge the way you think about defense, strategy, and staying ahead of your adversaries.

What does 2025 have in store for us? If it is anything like 2024, it will be interesting times indeed. In this episode, host Steve Prentice has a virtual fireside chat with David Holmes, CTO for Application Security, Imperva, a Thales company. The two of them chat about Salt Typhoon, ransomware, AI as a threat surface, quantum computing, the software supply chain, the importance of having a breach coach, and why there are so few young people in cybersecurity. It’s a can’t miss summary of the year just past, and a peek into what lies ahead.

Data sovereignty has three dimensions: data residency, access to data, and stewardship of data. Besides deciding where to store data, it is essential to determine who can have access to it - which becomes more crucial as we consider priorities such as access to cloud across national borders, as well as using the data for training AI models. Furthermore, many organizations do not have complete knowledge of where their data is stored, and others do not have complete control of the encryption keys that keep their cloud data safe. The deeper we get into a data dependent ecosystem, the more complex the issues of data sovereignty, access and security become.

The quantum computing revolution is almost upon us, and this means a new world of cryptography, cybersecurity and, of course, cybercrime. Not all of us are aware of the magnitude of the change that needs to be made. It’s not like swapping out one component of a network for a newer bigger one. There are many small parts holding the cyber world together. Moving toward the age of post quantum cryptography and repositioning our existing data security infrastructure around it relies on timely adaptation and immediate action, with a budget to match. How ready are we? How ready are you to hear that when it comes to a quantum-based world, one plus one might no longer equal two?

Passkeys are a groundbreaking technology that leaves traditional passwords in the dust. They are designed to be resistant to phishing attacks thanks to their relationship to specific websites or services, and they significantly reduce the risk of credential theft. As organizations struggle with the noise of cybersecurity issues such as ransomware and social engineering, the widescale adoption of passkeys seems to be a little drowned out. Which is a shame, since it really is a solution to many of our security problems. This episode looks a little more closely at where we are with passkey technology. Episode: S4E5

Cloud technology may be efficient and vital to the global economy, but it comes at a substantial cost in terms of the power to make it run. This will only increase as more sophisticated forms of computing such as AI become normalized. But there are solutions for making this elastic and ubiquitous technology more ecologically responsible, ranging from using innovative cooling techniques through to shared responsibility and even Carbon FinOps. Our guests from AWS and Thales will make it all clear.

Information and communication technology (ICT) risk management is a vital part of daily practice for organizations in any industry. For those in the EU financial sector, a new set of regulations is being put in place in the form of the Digital Operational Resilience Act aka DORA. But it doesn’t just affect European financial companies – it affects anyone in the world that does business with them, as well as being a good lesson in ICT overall.

In discussing the recent acquisition of Imperva into the Thales fold, Nanhi Singh, VP Application Security and Customer Success at Imperva, and Todd Moore, Global Head of Data Security Products at Thales, dive deep into the many areas of security that will be positively affected, including APIs, bots and of course, generative AI. This is not a self-congratulation conversation: it’s a roadmap for heightened data security, with host Steve Prentice.