PrOTect It All

Work with Aaron: https://protectitallpod.com/work/

The book: https://protectitallpod.com/book/

This episode: https://protectitallpod.com/ep121/

The OT Security Starter Kit: https://protectitallpod.com/starter-kit/

AI has made it easier than ever to build a cybersecurity product. But has it also made it harder to build a valuable cybersecurity company?

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow sits down with Ken Elefant, Founding Managing Director of the venture group at Sorenson Capital, for a candid conversation about what really makes cybersecurity startups succeed.

Ken shares a venture investor's perspective on the rapidly changing security market, including why simply wrapping a product around an LLM may not create lasting value, how AI is accelerating commoditization, and what founders need to do to build a meaningful competitive advantage.

The conversation goes beyond technology to explore the often-overlooked role of people, process, market positioning, and execution. Aaron and Ken discuss the importance of finding the right "wedge" into enterprise security, solving real customer problems, differentiating in crowded markets, and building companies that can create lasting value rather than chasing the latest technology trend.

They also draw on lessons from successful cybersecurity exits and the changing threat landscape to examine what investors are looking for as AI reshapes both cybersecurity products and the businesses behind them.

Key Learning: 

What venture investors look for in cybersecurity startups

Why AI-powered security products can quickly become commoditized

How founders can find a strong market wedge

Why solving a real customer problem matters more than adding AI

The role of people and process in building successful security companies

How cybersecurity startups can differentiate in an increasingly crowded market

What founders and operators can learn from successful security exits

Where AI is creating genuine opportunity and where the hype may be ahead of the value

Key Moments: 

03:43 Using AI in podcasting

07:41 Trusting vendors and cybersecurity risks

10:59 Building Connections for Early Investments

15:19 Investing in emerging tech markets

17:45 Supporting AI-based startup growth

20:19 Building simple websites for businesses

26:03 Attracted to boring, overlooked markets

27:21 Building compliance products at Industrial Defender

30:16 Investing in defense tech startups

33:20 Experienced founders leveraging AI for products

38:32 Navigating fast-changing tech landscape

40:09 Importance of Building Trust in Business

Whether you're a cybersecurity founder, investor, security practitioner, technology leader, or entrepreneur, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how experienced investors evaluate innovation in one of the fastest-moving areas of technology.

Tune in to hear what separates a promising cybersecurity idea from a company capable of creating lasting value.

DISCLAIMER : "Any portfolio companies mentioned in this episode are investments of Sorenson Capital funds and do not represent all fund investments. A complete list of investments is available upon request. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation to buy securities."

About the guest : 
...

Work with Aaron: https://protectitallpod.com/work/

The book: https://protectitallpod.com/book/

This episode: https://protectitallpod.com/ep120/

The OT Security Starter Kit: https://protectitallpod.com/starter-kit/

Offshore oil and gas operations don't have the luxury of simply shutting everything down and starting over.

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow sits down with Josh Herr and Matt McLendon to explore the real-world challenges of modernizing cybersecurity and technology in offshore operational technology (OT) environments.

From million-dollar equipment and aging control systems to virtualization, containers, and edge computing, this conversation reveals what it actually takes to keep critical industrial operations running when technology fails, hardware is difficult to replace, and downtime can come at an enormous cost.

Aaron, Josh, and Matt share stories from the field, including the creative decisions operators sometimes have to make to keep one rig running when another goes down. They also explore the gradual shift from legacy Windows and Sun workstations toward Linux, containerization, and newer approaches to managing industrial systems.

But this isn't simply a conversation about replacing old technology with new technology. It's about understanding the realities of OT cybersecurity, where reliability, availability, safety, cost, and security all have to work together.

Key Learning: 

Why offshore OT environments present unique cybersecurity challenges

How legacy systems continue to influence modern industrial operations

Why containers and virtualization are gaining ground in OT

How operators balance cybersecurity with uptime and reliability

The surprising realities of maintaining aging industrial hardware

What the shift from Windows to Linux can mean for OT environments

How creative problem-solving can keep critical operations running

Where AI, containers, and modern infrastructure could take OT next

Key Moments:
06:16 Frustrations with vendor costs and delays

09:34 Offshore connectivity and autonomy challenges

13:02 Managing power plants across Texas

16:19 Challenges with industrial HMIs and alarms

19:40 Vendor control and security policies

21:16 Component delays and industry characters

24:08 Final integration testing and safety factors

28:20 Vendor management challenges with outdated tech

34:02 Missing sysadmin skills in industry

35:59 Challenges with ARM architecture

41:09 Managing hardware life cycles

44:23 Concerns about AI and open source

45:43 Future of JavaScript and integration

Whether you work in oil and gas, industrial cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, engineering, or OT operations, this episode offers an honest look at the gap between cybersecurity theory and what actually works in the field.

Listen in for the war stories, lessons learned, and "art of the possible" approaches helping bring modern technology into some of the world's most challenging OT environments.

About the guests: 

Matt is a multidisciplinary team leader and technology practitioner with experience spanning electrical systems, controls, automation, data systems, and IS/IT. His background includes offshore oil and gas electronics, systems administration, and computer hardware, with a strong emphasis on troubleshooting and componen...

Work with Aaron: https://protectitallpod.com/work/

The book: https://protectitallpod.com/book/

This episode: https://protectitallpod.com/ep119/

The OT Security Starter Kit: https://protectitallpod.com/starter-kit/

AI agents are becoming more autonomous - but are they becoming more secure?

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow welcomes David Girvin for a timely discussion about one of the fastest-growing challenges in cybersecurity: AI agent security and governance.

From an unconventional career as a ship captain to building one of the first governance platforms for AI agents, David shares why organizations must begin treating AI agents as powerful digital coworkers with permissions, identities, and risks that require the same level of oversight as human employees.

Together, Aaron and David explore how autonomous AI systems can unintentionally create business risk, why credential starvation, execution-layer security, and human-in-the-loop controls are becoming essential, and how organizations can safely adopt AI without sacrificing security.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why AI agents should be treated like insider threats

The biggest security risks of autonomous AI

How guardrails prevent costly AI mistakes

Why human oversight still matters in an AI-driven world

What credential starvation means and why it's effective

Practical governance strategies for enterprise AI adoption

Key Moments: 

05:31 Career paths and diverse experiences

06:24 Startup experiences and mentoring journey

09:30 Exploring a career shift to marketing

15:30 Building a Successful Career

18:20 Governance and AI risks

19:24 Early AI research and presentation

23:19 Just-in-time tokens discussion

27:52 Balancing work, family, and startup challenges

30:48 Transitioning from Operations to Events

35:18 Industry friendships and shared experiences

36:04 Work stress and job challenges

39:49 Securing AI systems and LLM inputs

43:46 Developing AI observability tools

47:56 Managing session risk and autonomy levels

51:14 Security and file management controls

55:34 Cybersecurity awareness chat

Whether you're building AI applications, leading cybersecurity programs, or simply exploring how AI will change your business, this episode offers practical insights into securing the next generation of intelligent systems.

Tune in to learn how organizations can embrace AI innovation while keeping people, data, and critical systems protected.

About the guest :
David Girvin is a cybersecurity leader, security architect, and Founder & CEO of Assury.ai, where he is building execution-level governance for AI agents. With leadership experience at companies including 1Password, Red Canary, and Sumo Logic, David has spent his career helping organizations strengthen security, architecture, and AI strategy. He specializes in making complex cybersecurity and AI concepts practical and accessible, helping businesses adopt emerging technologies securely and responsibly.

Links to connect David: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-a-girvin/ 

Website: https://assury.ai

Learn more about PrOTect IT All:

Work with Aaron:

Work with Aaron: https://protectitallpod.com/work/

The book: https://protectitallpod.com/book/

This episode: https://protectitallpod.com/ep118/

The OT Security Starter Kit: https://protectitallpod.com/starter-kit/

AI is changing cybersecurity at an incredible pace. But are organizations prepared for the risks that come with it?

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow sits down with Brian Schleifer, an industry veteran with decades of experience spanning the military, technology, consulting, defense, and critical infrastructure.

Aaron and Brian explore what it really takes to adopt AI responsibly across IT and OT cybersecurity. Beyond the technology itself, they examine the human side of security, including communication, collaboration, accountability, and the skills needed to make new technologies work in the real world.

The conversation also tackles the growing challenges of AI governance, shadow AI, continuous monitoring, and cyber-physical resilience. Rather than treating AI as a magic solution, Brian offers a practical perspective on how organizations can be intentional about where and how they use AI while preparing for the disruptions it may create.

Key Learnings: 

How organizations can approach AI adoption in IT and OT cybersecurity

Why communication and collaboration are critical to successful security programs

The growing risks of shadow AI and AI governance

Why human accountability remains essential as AI becomes more capable

How continuous monitoring can strengthen cyber-physical security

Why organizations need to think beyond prevention and prepare for resilience and business continuity

How people, process, and technology must work together in an AI-driven environment

Key Moments: 

05:22 Working in tech and cybersecurity

07:23 Importance of people skills in business

10:20 Importance of Listening First

14:31 Implementing Machine Learning Thoughtfully

16:44 Importance of Human Oversight in AI

20:21 Discussing security and human accountability

24:24 Publishing a book with AI tools

27:47 Future of computing technology

31:39 Focusing on disaster recovery strategies

35:27 Budgeting Challenges with Emerging Tech

38:00 Focus on proactive security planning

40:40 Evaluating cybersecurity effectiveness

45:49 Challenges in incident response logistics

47:33 Talking about Security Week events

Whether you're a cybersecurity leader, OT professional, technology executive, or simply trying to understand what AI means for the future of security, this episode offers practical perspectives on navigating the change without losing sight of what matters most.

Listen to the latest episode of Protect It All and discover how organizations can embrace AI while building the trust, accountability, and resilience needed to protect what matters.

About the Guest : 

Brian "SchleiF" Schleifer is a retired United States Air Force veteran, cybersecurity professional, content leader, and owner of PAVE Consulting LLC, which provides digital content creation and cybersecurity consulting. Through PAVE Consulting, he currently supports SecurityWeek as Director of Content and Events, helping lead conferences, podcasts, webinars, and executive-level cybersecurity programming. Brian previously served in senior cybersecurity engineering and leadership roles at Modern Technology Solutions Inc. His exper...

Work with Aaron: https://protectitallpod.com/work/

The book: https://protectitallpod.com/book/

This episode: https://protectitallpod.com/ep117/

The OT Security Starter Kit: https://protectitallpod.com/starter-kit/

Effective OT penetration testing isn't just about finding vulnerabilities, it's about building trust.

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow is joined by Oren Niskin and Reynaldo Gonzalez for an engaging discussion on the evolving role of penetration testing in operational technology (OT) environments.

Drawing from years of experience in industrial operations, IT, and OT cybersecurity, Oren and Reynaldo explain why successful OT security assessments require far more than technical expertise. They explore how trust, communication, and collaboration help bridge the gap between security teams and operations, making penetration testing a valuable business tool rather than something to fear.

The conversation also highlights the importance of diverse career paths, hands-on learning, and mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. From network segmentation and risk communication to creating realistic lab environments, this episode offers practical lessons for anyone responsible for securing critical infrastructure.

Key Learnings: 

Why trust is essential for successful OT penetration testing

How IT and operational experience strengthen OT security teams

The value of network segmentation in reducing cyber risk

Why "doing nothing" is no longer an acceptable cybersecurity strategy

How organizations can bridge the gap between safety, operations, and security

Practical ways to develop the next generation of OT cybersecurity professionals

Key Moments: 

07:00 Oren's technology and security approach

15:04 Discussing network security measures

19:16 Building Trust in Business Relationships

26:17 Understanding and planning security architecture

30:16 Network management and rule assessment

33:39 Managing and Assessing Tool Overload

38:39 Analyzing tool overlap and complementarity

48:41 Building a trusting team culture

49:48 Encouraging Open Communication

56:34 Getting into cybersecurity without IT experience

01:04:56 Entry-level ICS training courses

Whether you're an OT engineer, penetration tester, security leader, or just beginning your cybersecurity journey, this episode delivers practical insights into protecting industrial environments while building stronger relationships across teams.

Tune in to discover why the most successful OT penetration tests don't just identify vulnerabilities they build trust, strengthen teams, and improve security for the long term.

About the guests: 

Oren Niskin is Principal OT Security Engineer at GuidePoint Security. His 20-year arc runs from the US Navy as a Nuclear Electrician's Mate, to Electronics Technician on offshore drilling rigs, to office OT/IT management, to OT cybersecurity consulting at EY, and now into OT cyber engineering at GuidePoint. He also runs Packets Or It Didn't Happen, a YouTube livestream where he builds a factory-realistic PLC and HMI training kit on camera (the open-source PLC Trainer Kit), aimed at helping newcomers get hands-on with OT for under $500.

Link to connect Oren Niskin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orenniskin/

YouTube: