THE SONY HACK: HOLLYWOOD, NORTH KOREA & THE CYBER WAR THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
In 2014, Sony Pictures became ground zero for the first major nation-state cyberattack on a global corporation. The “Guardians of Peace,” linked to North Korea, crippled Sony’s networks, leaked unreleased films, and exposed troves of executive emails that forced high-level resignations. At the center of it all: The Interview, a comedy starring Seth Rogen and James Franco about a CIA plot to kill Kim Jong-un.

What started as a movie scandal quickly escalated into an international incident and a turning point for every CISO and cybersecurity leader. The Sony Hack showed the world how geopolitics, culture, and cyber warfare could collide in ways that devastate private companies.

In this episode of THE CISO SIGNAL: TRUE CYBERCRIME PODCAST, host Jeremy Ladner takes you inside the breach that changed corporate security forever. We unpack how Sony responded under pressure, why their crisis management is still debated a decade later, and what today’s security leaders must learn to defend against state-sponsored threats.

💡 IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:
👉 How The Interview triggered a nation-state cyberattack
🔹 The impact of leaked emails and unreleased Sony films
⚠️ Why Sony’s response became a leadership case study
🛡️ How the Sony Hack reshaped global cybersecurity strategy
📈 Actionable CISO lessons for preparing against nation-state adversaries

🎙️ ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Dror Hevlin — VP Security & CISO at Cynomi. With 20+ years in defense, critical infrastructure, and enterprise security, Dror brings unique insight into nation-state threats. Learn more 👉 https://www.cynomi.com

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#Cybersecurity #SonyHack #TheInterview #NorthKorea #NationStateAttack #CISO #TheCisoSignal

SIN CITY CYBERATTACK: INSIDE THE MGM & CAESARS CASINO BREACHES

In September 2023, Las Vegas turned into ground zero for one of the most disruptive cyberattacks in U.S. history. MGM Resorts, owner of iconic casinos on the Strip, saw slot machines go dark, hotel check-ins grind to a halt, and operations paralyzed for days. At the same time, Caesars Entertainment quietly faced its own breach, but unlike MGM, Caesars chose to pay the ransom.

In this episode of THE CISO SIGNAL: TRUE CYBERCRIME PODCAST, we take you inside the MGM Casino $100M ransomware hack and contrast it with the Caesars breach. We break down how attackers from the Scattered Spider/ALPHV ransomware group gained access, why MGM refused to pay, and what every CISO can learn from the two very different incident response strategies.

Our special guest co-host is PAZ SHWARTZ, CISO and CEO at Persist Security, who joins us to analyze the attacks, share real-world insights, and outline how leaders should prepare for ransomware scenarios that strike at the heart of critical business operations.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

👉 How the Scattered Spider group used social engineering to breach MGM and Caesars

🔹 Why MGM Resorts refused to pay ransom and Caesars paid up

⚠️ The operational and financial fallout for both casino giants

🛡️ Actionable strategies CISOs can deploy to prepare for high-stakes ransomware incidents

📈 Key leadership lessons for crisis response under public and shareholder pressure

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Paz Shwartz is the CEO and CISO of Persist Security, with deep expertise in cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and incident response for global enterprises.

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🌐 Website: www.thecisosignal.transistor.fm

🔗 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-ciso-signal

DON'T FORGET TO LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND SHARE TO STAY AHEAD OF THE LATEST CYBERCRIME THREATS!

#Cybersecurity #MGM #Caesars #CasinoHack #Ransomware #CISO #TheCisoSignal

The CISO Signal | INSIDE CNA's $40M BITCOIN RANSOM | The Hack That Changed Cybersecurity - EP 4

In this episode of The CISO Signal, we go deep inside the cyberattack that shook the financial world.

Join us as we unravel the haunting details of the 2021 ransomware attack on CNA Financial, which resulted in a record-breaking $40 million ransom payment in Bitcoin.

This wasn't just another breach. This was a black swan event cloaked in silence, executed by a mysterious threat actor known as Phoenix. They slid past defenses, encrypted over 15,000 devices, and vanished with a payday big enough to fund a small nation-state.

How did one of the largest U.S. insurers, an industry built on managing risk become the ultimate risk?

🧠 GUEST CISO CO-HOST: Matan Eli Matalon

We’re joined by Matan Eli Matalon, CISO of OP Innovate. With a battlefield-hardened perspective from years in offensive and defensive cybersecurity, Matan brings a rare blend of red team psychology and blue team pragmatism to decode the dark mechanics behind this quiet catastrophe.

From ransomware tactics and insurance industry blind spots to negotiating with digital extortionists, Matan provides unparalleled insights.

📌 In This Episode:

ATTACK ANATOMY: How the CNA ransomware attackers gained access and detonated their payload.

ROOT CAUSE: The critical role of stolen credentials, Active Directory, and legacy systems.

THE RANSOM DECISION: Why a $40M ransom was paid and what it signals for future attacks.

THE AFTERMATH: The eerie silence that followed and the legal/PR playbook that unfolded.

KEY TAKEAWAYS: What security leaders can learn from CNA’s nightmare to prevent the next one.

🔐 FOR CISOs, BY CISOs.
The CISO Signal is a cinematic, story-driven podcast for security leaders, SOC professionals, and infosec veterans. Each week, we dissect high-stakes breaches with the insight of top CISOs and the pace of a true crime thriller.

SUBSCRIBE NOW! for weekly episodes that go beyond the headlines and deep into the shadows of today’s cyber underworld.

👍 LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE this episode with your security team.
🌐 Visit thecisosignal.transistor.fm for full episodes, bios, and more.

#CNAFinancial #RansomwareAttack #Cybersecurity #CISOPodcast #TrueCybercrime #Infosec #Ransomware #CyberInsurance #SecurityLeadership #BreachAnalysis #IncidentResponse #SOC #CyberRisk #CIO #CTO #Hacking #DigitalExtortion #Cyberthreats #CybersecurityNews #Datasecurity #MatanMatalon