Secure & Simple — Podcast for Consultants and CISOs on Cybersecurity Governance and Compliance

In this Secure and Simple Podcast episode, host Dejan Kosutic (Advisera) interviews Robert Siciliano, co-founder of ProtectNow and author of Strategic Human Firewall, about why organizations must address the “human blind spot” - people’s psychological need to trust that attackers exploit through impersonation, social engineering, and manufactured urgency. Siciliano explains why phishing simulations alone are not true security awareness training and introduces the AAA protocol (Analyze, Authenticate, Act) with out-of-band verification to stop scams like fake PayPal charges or CEO payment requests. He argues companies should build a “strategic human firewall” by shifting employees from passive targets to active detection layers through scalable, interactive dialogue (e.g., all-hands Q&A) that teaches personal security first, improving engagement and security behaviors measurable through better phishing results and increased adoption of practices like unique passcodes and password managers.

Links from the episode:
- Conformio software to streamline and scale ISO 27001 implementation and maintenance for your clients: https://advisera.co/Conformio-software
- White label documentation toolkits for NIS2, DORA, ISO 27001, and other ISO standards to create all the required documents for your clients: https://advisera.co/page-all-toolkits
- Accredited Lead Auditor and Lead Implementer courses for various standards and frameworks to show your expertise to potential clients: https://advisera.co/Consultant-Courses
- Company Training Academy with numerous videos for NIS2, DORA, ISO 27001, and other frameworks to organize training and awareness programs for your client’s workforce: https://advisera.co/page-Company-Training-Account 
- Beginner's Course for ISO, Cybersecurity, and AI Consultants: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHwD3nQun7caKFq80LxNNYKIabATlyA7t
- How to Grow Your Cybersecurity, ISO, or AI Consultancy: Advanced Course:https://advisera.co/GrowYourConsultancyTraining