The Watchers

Dr. Yolanda Reid explains why post-quantum migration will require more than replacing encryption algorithms—and why organizations should expect systems to fail during the transition. She examines AI drift, offensive cyber risk, responsible regulation, government brain drain, and the danger of trusting technology without auditing it. Drawing from national security work, AI adoption research, and her experience surviving cancer, Yolanda offers a candid perspective on preparing for technological change while continuing to invest in human judgment. MORE FROM YOLANDA REID LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolanda-c-reid FOLLOW THE WATCHERS Website: https://thewatchers.io LinkedIn: https://thewatchers.io/linkedin Sentinel Blue: https://sblu.us/linked Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/watcherspodcast/ JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON DISCORD https://thewatchers.io/Discord GET THE AUDIO PODCAST RSS Feed: https://thewatchers.io/feed Episodes: https://thewatchers.io/episodes CONNECT WITH ANDY LinkedIn: https://sblu.us/Andy PRODUCED BY https://www.sentinelblue.com PRODUCTION TEAM https://www.brandready.com/ #TheWatchersPodcast #sentinelblue #cybersecurity #cyberdefense #QuantumComputing #PostQuantumCryptography #ArtificialIntelligence #AITrust #NationalSecurity #CryptoAgility #ResponsibleAI #EmergingTechnology

Chris Cleary examines whether sanctioned private organizations could help confront ransomware groups and other cyber adversaries.The conversation explores constitutional letters of marque, the limits of hack-back, the case for a dedicated cyber force, critical infrastructure protection, and the expanding power of telecom, cloud, and technology companies. Chris also considers how AI-enabled, non-kinetic effects might reshape deterrence and reduce the human cost of future conflict, without requiring human nature itself to change.MORE FROM CHRIS CLEARYLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopher-cleary-pmp-cissp-6242b635Military Cyber Professionals Association: https://milcyber.orgFOLLOW THE WATCHERSWebsite: https://thewatchers.ioLinkedIn: https://thewatchers.io/linkedinSentinel Blue: https://sblu.us/linkedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/watcherspodcast/JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON DISCORDhttps://thewatchers.io/DiscordGET THE AUDIO PODCASTRSS Feed: https://thewatchers.io/feedEpisodes: https://thewatchers.io/episodesCONNECT WITH ANDYLinkedIn: https://sblu.us/AndyPRODUCED BYhttps://www.sentinelblue.comPRODUCTION TEAMhttps://www.brandready.com/#TheWatchersPodcast #SentinelBlue #Cybersecurity #CyberDefense #CyberPrivateering #CyberPolicy #CriticalInfrastructure #AIDeterrence

Camille Stewart Gloster examines what happens when autonomous AI systems become active participants inside organizations. Drawing from The Insider You Built, she and Andy explore agentic governance, runtime enforcement, operational failures, cybersecurity leadership, and the danger of treating AI as smarter or more trustworthy than it is. Their conversation also considers government’s role, America’s competition with China, workforce disruption, institutional responsibility, and the long-term thinking required to steer AI toward human benefit. MORE FROM CAMILLE STEWART GLOSTERCamilleStewartGloster.comBook title: The full title is The Insider You Built: How Organizations Stay in Control of Autonomous AI Agents. Website: InsiderYouBuilt.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillestewartesqInstagram: @camilleesqFOLLOW THE WATCHERSWebsite: https://thewatchers.ioLinkedIn: https://thewatchers.io/linkedinSentinel Blue: https://sblu.us/linkedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/watcherspodcast/JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON DISCORDhttps://thewatchers.io/DiscordGET THE AUDIO PODCASTRSS Feed:https://thewatchers.io/feedEpisodes:https://thewatchers.io/episodesCONNECT WITH ANDYLinkedIn: https://sblu.us/AndyPRODUCED BYhttps://www.sentinelblue.comPRODUCTION TEAMhttps://www.brandready.com/#TheWatchersPodcast #sentinelblue #cybersecurity #cyberdefense #ArtificialIntelligence #AIAgents #AIGovernance #AgenticAI #CybersecurityLeadership

Kim Irvin, co-founder and CEO of Minerva Cyber Technologies, examines how small defense contractors absorb cash-flow pressure, regulation, and uncertainty around CMMC. She and Andy Sauer consider AI as both an attack tool and a defensive necessity, argue for human oversight, and assess the case for an independent cyber force. Kim also explains why resilience in the defense industrial base depends on mission-driven people and stronger protection across the supply chain.MORE FROM KIM IRVINLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-irving-35547b4/FOLLOW THE WATCHERSWebsite: https://thewatchers.ioLinkedIn: https://thewatchers.io/linkedinSentinel Blue: https://sblu.us/linkedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/watcherspodcast/JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON DISCORDhttps://thewatchers.io/DiscordGET THE AUDIO PODCASTRSS Feed:https://thewatchers.io/feedEpisodes:https://thewatchers.io/episodesCONNECT WITH ANDYLinkedIn: https://sblu.us/AndyPRODUCED BYhttps://www.sentinelblue.comPRODUCTION TEAMhttps://www.brandready.com/#TheWatchersPodcast #sentinelblue #cybersecurity #cyberdefense #CMMC #DefenseIndustrialBase #ArtificialIntelligence #CyberForce

In Episode 48, Dmitri Alperovitch maps the strategic signals around a potential conflict over Taiwan. He covers what Russia's invasion of Ukraine taught Beijing and how Xi Jinping has consolidated power. He also walks through China's cyber activity inside U.S. critical infrastructure. He explains why a blockade is not the same as an invasion, how deterrence can work across military and economic fronts, and why AI may accelerate both intrusion operations and defensive response. The conversation closes with a measured case for American advantages in a second Cold War.MORE FROM DMITRI ALPEROVITCHhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dmitrialperovitch/FOLLOW THE WATCHERSWebsite: https://thewatchers.ioLinkedIn: https://thewatchers.io/linkedinSentinel Blue: https://sblu.us/linkedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/watcherspodcast/JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON DISCORDhttps://thewatchers.io/DiscordGET THE AUDIO PODCASTRSS Feed: https://thewatchers.io/feedEpisodes: https://thewatchers.io/episodesCONNECT WITH ANDYLinkedIn: https://sblu.us/AndyPRODUCED BYhttps://www.sentinelblue.comPRODUCTION TEAMhttps://www.brandready.com/#TheWatchersPodcast #sentinelblue #cybersecurity #cyberdefense #Taiwan #China #Geopolitics #CyberThreats #VoltTyphoon #ArtificialIntelligence #Deterrence

Former DIA Director of Artificial Intelligence Brian Drake joins Andy Sauer for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of AI, autonomous weapons, misinformation, robotics, and the collision between technological innovation and human values. Brian explains how intelligence agencies first approached AI strategy, why regulation is struggling to keep pace, and why the next major geopolitical arms race may already be underway. He also shares his perspective on AI's potential to transform medicine, national security, and society while reminding us that the technology's greatest challenge may not be technical—but ethical.MORE FROM BRIAN DRAKELinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandrakedeloitte/FOLLOW THE WATCHERSWebsite: https://thewatchers.ioLinkedIn: https://thewatchers.io/linkedinSentinel Blue: https://sblu.us/linkedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/watcherspodcast/JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON DISCORDhttps://thewatchers.io/DiscordGET THE AUDIO PODCASTRSS Feed: https://thewatchers.io/feedEpisodes: https://thewatchers.io/episodesCONNECT WITH ANDYLinkedIn: https://sblu.us/AndyPRODUCED BYhttps://www.sentinelblue.comPRODUCTION TEAMhttps://www.brandready.com/#TheWatchersPodcast #sentinelblue #cybersecurity #cyberdefense #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #NationalSecurity #DefenseIntelligence #EthicalAI #AutonomousSystems #MachineLearning #Robotics #TechnologyPolicy

Former NSA engineer and White House cybersecurity leader Tim Van Name joins Andy Sauer to discuss the future of cyber conflict, AI-enabled warfare, and the growing tension between innovation and bureaucracy. Tim shares lessons from responding to cyber compromises inside the White House, explains why “time” is becoming the most contested domain in modern conflict, and argues that America’s long-term advantage depends on collaboration, ethical leadership, and rethinking how cybersecurity responsibility is shared between governments, companies, and consumers.MORE FROM TIM VAN NAMELinkedIn: / https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-van-name-2a95652b/FOLLOW THE WATCHERSWebsite: https://thewatchers.ioLinkedIn: https://thewatchers.io/linkedinSentinel Blue: https://sblu.us/linkedInstagram: / watcherspodcastJOIN THE CONVERSATION ON DISCORDhttps://thewatchers.io/DiscordGET THE AUDIO PODCASTRSS Feed: https://thewatchers.io/feedEpisodes: https://thewatchers.io/episodesCONNECT WITH ANDYLinkedIn: https://sblu.us/AndyPRODUCED BYhttps://www.sentinelblue.comPRODUCTION TEAMhttps://www.brandready.com/#TheWatchersPodcast #sentinelblue #cybersecurity #cyberdefense #AI #nationalsecurity #opensourceintelligence #cyberwarfare #defensetech #artificialintelligence #NSA #WhiteHouse #technology #innovation

After 25 years at the NSA, Phyllis Lee now helps shape the CIS Critical Security Controls used by organizations around the world. In this episode of Sentinel Blue’s The Watchers, she explains why fear-based cybersecurity messaging fails, why compliance frameworks overwhelm defenders, and why software vendors must take more responsibility for security. The conversation also explores MSP culture, secure-by-design thinking, AI optimism, and the widening gap between cybersecurity policy and operational reality.MORE FROM PHYLLIS LEEPhyllis Lee LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phyllis-lee-21b58a1a4/ FOLLOW THE WATCHERSWebsite: https://thewatchers.ioLinkedIn: https://thewatchers.io/linkedinSentinel Blue: https://sblu.us/linkedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/watcherspodcast/JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON DISCORDhttps://thewatchers.io/DiscordGET THE AUDIO PODCASTRSS Feed: https://thewatchers.io/feedEpisodes: https://thewatchers.io/episodesCONNECT WITH ANDYLinkedIn: https://sblu.us/AndyPRODUCED BYhttps://www.sentinelblue.comPRODUCTION TEAMhttps://www.brandready.com/#TheWatchersPodcast #sentinelblue #cybersecurity #cyberdefense #CISControls #CenterForInternetSecurity #NSA #MSP #securebydesign #cyberpolicy #infosec

What happens when cyber risk becomes a question of national power, infrastructure, and resilience? Laura Galante joins Andy Sauer to explore how cyber intelligence evolved, why critical infrastructure is becoming strategic terrain, how AI is reshaping both defense and offense, and what leaders should do when uncertainty becomes permanent. From boardrooms to geopolitics, this episode examines the systems shaping the next decade.MORE FROM LAURA GALANTELinkedIn: Laura Galante LinkedInFOLLOW THE WATCHERSWebsite: https://thewatchers.ioLinkedIn: https://thewatchers.io/linkedinSentinel Blue: https://sblu.us/linkedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/watcherspodcast/JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON DISCORDhttps://thewatchers.io/DiscordGET THE AUDIO PODCASTRSS Feed: https://thewatchers.io/feedEpisodes: https://thewatchers.io/episodesCONNECT WITH ANDYLinkedIn: https://sblu.us/AndyPRODUCED BYhttps://www.sentinelblue.comPRODUCTION TEAMhttps://www.brandready.com/#TheWatchersPodcast #sentinelblue #cybersecurity #cyberdefense #AI #CriticalInfrastructure #ThreatIntelligence #CyberPolicy #NationalSecurity 

Andy Sauer sits down with Vicky Pillitteri from National Institute of Standards and Technology to discuss the intent behind NIST cybersecurity standards, the evolution of CMMC, continuous monitoring, and why compliance alone does not equal security. They also explore how NIST is approaching AI security, machine-readable cybersecurity documentation, and the growing challenge of managing cyber risk in an increasingly connected world.MORE FROM VICKY PILLITTERIhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriayanpillitteri/FOLLOW THE WATCHERSWebsite: The Watchers WebsiteLinkedIn: The Watchers LinkedInSentinel Blue: Sentinel Blue LinkedInInstagram: The Watchers InstagramJOIN THE CONVERSATION ON DISCORDThe Watchers DiscordGET THE AUDIO PODCASTRSS Feed: The Watchers RSS FeedEpisodes: The Watchers EpisodesCONNECT WITH ANDYLinkedIn: Andy Sauer LinkedInPRODUCED BYSentinel BluePRODUCTION TEAMBrand Ready Media#TheWatchersPodcast #sentinelblue #cybersecurity #cyberdefense #CMMC #NIST #RiskManagement #AISecurity #Compliance #CyberRisk