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In this episode of Unspoken Security, host A.J. Nash sits down with Lauren Zabierek, Senior Vice President for the Future of Digital Security at the Institute for Security and Technology. Together, they examine how the traditional view of national security often overlooks the people it seeks to protect. Lauren shares why national security must move beyond military and government, and instead focus on the everyday risks that affect everyone—whether that’s cybersecurity, healthcare, or even climate safety.

Lauren makes a strong case for widening the lens on security. She explains why protecting people requires new thinking and fresh policies, not just more funding for defense. She also describes the need for face-to-face connections and open dialogue to rebuild trust and unity in a fractured world.

The conversation turns to software and the Secure by Design movement. Lauren outlines how changing incentives for software companies can lead to safer products. She draws on lessons from automotive and aviation safety to show paths forward, and encourages listeners to help drive demand for secure technology across all industries.

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host A.J. Nash sits down with Marley Salveter, Director of Marketing at Unspoken Security. They explore how digital privacy and security awareness look different for younger generations who have grown up in a world where sharing personal data is routine, not a choice. Marley shares her perspective on adapting to life online, where building a personal brand and protecting personal information often overlap for today’s professionals.

Marley explains how her generation views data privacy as an accepted tradeoff, not a conscious decision, and why traditional corporate security training rarely feels relevant. She discusses the real risks of living in public—how threats feel less urgent until they get personal and why the rapid response of tech platforms can mask the lasting impact of breaches. She and A.J. dig into the challenge of communicating security risks to a connected generation that rarely sees tangible consequences. 

Together, they reflect on how open conversations bridge generational gaps and why storytelling and relatable dialogue help people internalize security lessons. Marley argues that making security personal is key to lasting change—especially for those building their careers and brands in the public eye.

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash welcomes Ivan Novikov, CEO of Wallarm, to discuss the fundamental shifts in API security. They explore how APIs have evolved from internal tools to the public-facing backbone of mobile apps, IoT, and AI. This change has dramatically expanded the threat surface, making traditional security methods obsolete. 

Ivan explains why older approaches, like signature-based detection and RegEx, fail against modern attacks. He details Wallarm's unique solution: a real-time decompiler that analyzes the actual payload of API requests. This technique allows for deep inspection of complex and nested data formats, identifying malicious code that standard tools miss. 

The conversation also looks to the future, examining the security risks posed by the rapid adoption of AI agents. Ivan concludes with a stark comparison between physical and cyber threats. In the digital world, attacks are constant and aggressive. Success depends less on the tools you have and more on who you are and how you use them.

In this episode of Unspoken Security, host AJ Nash sits down with Ken Bagnall, Founder and CEO at Silent Push. They explore how modern attackers spin up vast amounts of infrastructure and why traditional, reactive approaches to detection fall short. Ken explains how focusing on the origins and infrastructure of threats—rather than chasing endless indicators—lets defenders get ahead of attacks and avoid becoming patient zero.

Ken shares how the surge in automation and affordable cloud resources has shifted the balance of power, making it easier for cybercriminals to launch large-scale scams. He describes how automation, language models, and new attack methods are fueling rapid growth in targeted phishing and brand impersonation, especially in regions that haven’t faced these threats before. The conversation also dives into why defenders must keep pace with these changes, adapt processes, and question old habits.

AJ and Ken close by weighing the risks of active defense and the need for careful attribution. They highlight the global shift as countries tighten controls and rethink how to protect digital economies in a fast-moving threat landscape.