Podcast: PrOTect It All (LS 27 · TOP 10% what is this?)
Episode: OT Cybersecurity That Works: Budgets, Soft Skills & AI Reality for Stronger Defense
Pub date: 2026-03-30
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Strong OT cybersecurity programs aren’t built on tools alone, they're built on strategy, communication, and smart investment.
In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow is joined by cybersecurity expert Don C. Weber for a candid, real-world discussion on what it actually takes to build and sustain effective security programs across IT and OT environments.
From CapEx vs OpEx decisions to the growing role of AI in both attack and defense, this conversation cuts through the noise and focuses on what drives real outcomes: understanding business workflows, aligning with leadership, and developing the soft skills needed to turn strategy into action.
You’ll learn:
Why budgeting (CapEx vs OpEx) directly impacts security success
The underrated power of soft skills in driving security programs
How to connect cybersecurity efforts to business value and operations
The role of pen testing and assessments in improving maturity
Where AI adds value and where it introduces new risk
How training and process understanding strengthen long-term resilience
Whether you’re building a new security program or scaling an existing one, this episode delivers practical, experience-driven insights to help you make smarter decisions and drive real impact.
Tune in to learn how to align strategy, people, and investment for stronger OT cybersecurity only on Protect It All.
Key Moments:
05:49 Technical skills and security requirements
09:10 Understanding data workflows
12:29 Building a vulnerability management program
13:26 Understanding organizational decision history
17:44 Budgeting challenges with CAPEX and OPEX
21:36 Steps in a security assessment
24:17 Starting a cybersecurity program
28:02 Prioritizing remote access security
31:21 Discussing AI's impact on cybersecurity
32:55 Using AI in cybersecurity
38:07 AI simplifying complex knowledge
40:35 AI tools making data queries easier
45:02 Detecting and responding faster
46:05 Networking and shared experiences
About the guest:
Don C. Weber is a visionary cybersecurity leader who helps defenders safely prove security where it matters most in industrial operations. He is a SANS Principal Instructor, Founder of Cutaway Security, co-author of SANS ICS613: ICS/OT Penetration Testing & Assessments, and he also teaches SANS ICS410: ICS/SCADA Security Essentials to SANS student around the world. He brings years of field work into creating step-by-step labs and planning methods teams can use right away.
How to connect Don:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cutaway/
Cutaway Security: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cutaway-security-llc
CutSec Github: https://github.com/cutaway-security
CutSec GasPot HMI Lab: https://github.com/cutaway-security/gaspot-hmi-lab
SANS ICS ICS613 ICS/OT Penetration Testing and Assessments: https://www.sans.org/cyber-security-courses/ics-ot-penetration-testing-assessments
Connect With Aaron Crow:
Website: www.corvosec.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronccrow
Learn more about PrOTect IT All:
Email:
[email protected] Website: https://protectitall.co/
X: https://twitter.com/protectitall
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrOTectITAll
FaceBook: https://facebook.com/protectitallpodcast
To be a guest or suggest a guest/episode, please email us at
[email protected]Please leave us a review on Apple/Spotify Podcasts:
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/protect-it-all/id1727211124
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Vvi0euj3rE8xObK0yvYi4
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