Welcome to "Cybersecurity Science with Shawn Riley"!

Welcome to "Cybersecurity Science with Shawn Riley"! As the Chief Cybersecurity Scientist, I'm excited to share my over 30 years of experience and deep expertise in the field of cybersecurity with you.

My journey in cybersecurity began in my 20s when I served in the US Navy's Cryptology Community, where I focused on Information Security, Information Operations, and Information Assurance supporting NSA/CSS. After the US Navy, spent another decade supporting NSA/CSS overseas as a defense contractor as a Information Security Leader and Computer Network Operations (Attack, Defense, and Exploitation) as a Technical Director. Since then, I've dedicated my career to the field and have become a thought leader and influencer in the industry.

Since leaving the Defense and Intelligence Community in 2011, I've been applying my subject matter expertise at companies building explainable artificial intelligence such as knowledge representation and reasoning based expert systems, machine reasoning, and digital cyber twins for various cybersecurity applications.

I'm passionate about security awareness, cyber threat intelligence, incident response, threat susceptibility assessments, vulnerability assessments, security control assessments, risk assessments, risk management, cyber resiliency, integrated adaptive cyber defense, cyber situational awareness, threat detection engineering, and effects-based courses of action.

I've been recognized by my peers as a leading cybersecurity scientist. In my late 30s, I was the first cybersecurity scientist to be named a Lockheed Martin Fellow, a role/title restricted to the top 1% of all the company's engineers, scientists, and technologists. In my early 40s, I was selected as a Lockheed Martin Senior Fellow, a role/title restricted to the top 0.1%.

As someone who is neurodivergent with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) / Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with a Myers-Briggs personality type of INTJ / MASTERMIND, I run on a different operating system. People on the autistic spectrum are less susceptible to cognitive fallacies, reasoning biases, and group behavior. My top five Gallup "CliftonStrengths" Themes are Strategic, Achiever, Futuristic, Individualization, and Responsibility.

In this blog, I'll provide detailed analysis and cutting-edge strategies for securing your digital world, while also offering insider tips on best practices for staying safe and informed in the field. Whether you're a seasoned cybersecurity professional or new to the field, my goal is to provide you with actionable insights that you can use to stay ahead of the curve and protect yourself and your business.

I'm excited to share my insights with you and to join you on this journey to the future of cybersecurity. Let's get started!

The Interconnected Roles of Risk Management, Information Security, Cybersecurity, Business Continuity, and IT in Modern Organizations

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, understanding the interconnected roles of Risk Management, Information Security, Cybersecurity, Business Continuity, and Information Technology (IT) is crucial for any organization. These concepts form the backbone of an organization's defense strategy against potential disruptions and threats, ensuring smooth operations and the protection of valuable data. Risk Management is the overarching concept that involves identifying, assessing, and mitigating any risks that could negatively impact an organization's operations or assets. These risks could be financial, operational, strategic, or related to information security. The goal of risk management is to minimize potential damage and ensure the continuity of business operations. Risk management is the umbrella under which information security, cybersecurity, and business continuity fall. Information Security is a subset of risk management. While risk management covers a wide range of pot...

Attack Path Scenarios: Enhancing Cybersecurity Threat Analysis

I. Introduction A. Background on Cybersecurity Threats Cybersecurity threats are an ongoing concern for organizations of all sizes and across all industries. As technology continues to evolve and become more integral to business operations, the threat landscape also becomes more complex and sophisticated. Cyber attackers are constantly seeking new ways to exploit vulnerabilities and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and systems. The consequences of a successful cyber attack can be severe, including financial losses, reputational damage, and legal consequences. Therefore, it is critical for organizations to have effective cybersecurity strategies in place to identify and mitigate potential threats. B. Definition of Attack Path Scenarios Attack Path Scenarios are a type of threat scenario used in cybersecurity to show the step-by-step sequence of tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that a cyber attacker may use to penetrate a system, gain access to sensitive data, and ach...

A Deep Dive into the Analysis and Production Phase of Intelligence Analysis

Introduction In the complex and ever-evolving world of intelligence, the ability to analyze and interpret information accurately is paramount. The intelligence cycle, a systematic process used by analysts to convert raw data into actionable intelligence, is at the heart of this endeavor. This cycle typically consists of five stages: Planning and Direction, Collection, Processing, Analysis and Production, and Dissemination. Each stage plays a vital role in ensuring that the intelligence provided to decision-makers is accurate, relevant, and timely. While all stages of the intelligence cycle are critical, the Analysis and Production phase is where the proverbial 'rubber meets the road.' It is in this phase that the collected data is evaluated, integrated, interpreted, and transformed into a form that can be used to make informed decisions. The quality of the intelligence product, and ultimately the effectiveness of the decisions made based on that product, hinge on the rigor and ...

Cybersecurity Science with Shawn Riley

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