Rephonic
Artwork for The Virtual CISO Moment

The Virtual CISO Moment

Greg Schaffer
Cybersecurity
Information Security
Risk Management
Ransomware
Small and Mid-Sized Businesses
Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Artificial Intelligence
Small and Midsized Businesses
Information Technology
Compliance
Incident Response
CMMC
Phishing
Social Engineering
Penetration Testing
Job Market
PCI DSS
AI Governance
Mental Health
Networking

The Virtual CISO Moment dives into the stories of information security, information technology, and risk management pros; what drives them and what makes them successful while helping small and midsized business (SMB) security needs. No frills, no glamour, no transparent whiteboard text, no complex graphics, and no script - just honest discussion of SMB information security risk issues. Brought to... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes529Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Virtual CISO Moment

Latest Episodes

In this episode of The Virtual CISO Moment, Greg Schaffer welcomes cybersecurity veteran, consultant, author, podcaster, and private pilot Andrew Kalat for a wide-ranging discussion spanning more than three decades in information security. Andrew sha... more

YouTube

In this episode of The Virtual CISO Moment, Greg Schaffer welcomes Bruno Lecoq, Co-Founder, CEO, and CISO of BEMO, for a wide-ranging conversation on Microsoft's evolving security ecosystem, CMMC compliance, and the realities of securing small and mi... more

YouTube

In S8E22, Greg Schaffer sits down with Alan Clinard, founder of Athena vCISO Services, to explore what it really means to be a trusted security advisor. Drawing from a career that spans the U.S. Army, operational risk consulting, banking, critical in... more

YouTube

Cy Sturdivant returns to the Virtual CISO Moment to share lessons from more than two decades in cybersecurity, financial services, and consulting. The conversation explores the importance of professional relationships, security program maturity, AI a... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Cy Sturdivant
Cybersecurity consulting principal with deep experience in information security, regulatory compliance, and risk management
Independent consultant / Cy Sturdivant & Associates
Episode: S8E21 – Cy Sturdivant on Community Banking, Risk, and Cyber Leadership
Becky MacDonald
Founder of Cyber Risk Navigator
Cyber Risk Navigator
Episode: S8E20 – Becky MacDonald on Building Security Beyond Compliance
Jackie Shoback
Co-founder and managing director of 1414 Ventures
1414 Ventures
Episode: S8E18 – Why Identity Is the Future of Cybersecurity with Jackie Shoback
India James
Principal Advisor, James Infrastructure; leader in critical infrastructure security and real estate
James Infrastructure
Episode: S8E17 - Mid TN ISACA Conference Chats
Ken Smith
Director of Sales Engineering Enterprise, Arctic Wolf
Arctic Wolf
Episode: S8E17 - Mid TN ISACA Conference Chats
Jonathan Weaver
Partner, ProInsights; President, ISSA Middle Tennessee; CEO/Founder, Reindeer for Hope
ProInsights; ISSA Middle Tennessee; Reindeer for Hope
Episode: S8E17 - Mid TN ISACA Conference Chats
Rich Bates
Rich Bates, GRC and cybersecurity strategy expert
Independent security consultant / former government contractor leadership
Episode: S8E16 - Real-World CMMC Insights with Rich Bates
Joseph Gunnells
vCISO and Information Security Consultant with a strong background in cyber defense, organizational leadership, and business strategy
Episode: S8E15 – The Modern vCISO Journey with Joseph Gunnells
Robert Duchesne
Founder and CEO of RD3 Technologies
RD3 Technologies
Episode: S8E14 - The Reality of Starting a Cyber Business with Robert Duchesne

Host

Greg Schaffer
Host of The Virtual CISO Moment; leads conversations on SMB information security risk, governance, and practical security leadership.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 15 ratings
  • Insightful interview

    Actionable takeaways here- a great listen if this is your day-to-day world!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DonInSF
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Balanced discussions that avoid hype and focus on business outcomes.
Actionable takeaways with real-world applicability.
Solid guest lineup delivers practical guidance for SMB security.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#82
South Africa/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

S8E20 – Becky MacDonald on Building Security Beyond Compliance
Q: From your perspective, what really are the qualities that a virtual CISO needs?
A virtual CISO needs a blend of technical acumen, risk-focused thinking, and the ability to speak the language of the business and the board. They should be able to cut through complexity, tailor risk responses to the organization's profile, and communicate clearly about what is in scope and what is not.
S8E21 – Cy Sturdivant on Community Banking, Risk, and Cyber Leadership
Q: What originally drew you into this crazy world?
A childhood fascination with banking and a growing interest in technology, leading to an accidental pivot into IT auditing and risk management within banking, which later evolved into a long, dynamic career in cybersecurity and governance.
S8E16 - Real-World CMMC Insights with Rich Bates
Q: What should SMBs focus on first to achieve CMMC readiness?
Focus on the five-pointer practices first, then progressively tackle higher-value controls, ensuring a human review of SSPs and crosswalks to NIST 800-171A and other standards to avoid costly gaps.
S8E16 - Real-World CMMC Insights with Rich Bates
Q: So tell us about why you got into this field and your career path.
Rich explains his long tenure in governance, risk, and compliance, tracing his start with early computer work, extensive experience in federal and defense contracting, and a shift toward helping SMBs navigate CMMC and NIST 800-171 through practical, business-focused risk management.
S8E14 - The Reality of Starting a Cyber Business with Robert Duchesne
Q: What's one piece of advice outside of the book that you mentioned?
Find a niche you are deeply passionate about and build your business around a real, necessary capability you can deliver, rather than trying to serve every possible IT need; focus on what you can excel at and what clients truly need.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Virtual CISO Moment

What is The Virtual CISO Moment about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A pragmatic, SMB-focused security show that brings candid conversations with CISOs, security leaders, and founders who run security programs in small to mid-sized organizations. Topics frequently center on risk governance, vCISO services, regulatory compliance, AI governance, and practical security operations—emphasizing how to translate risk into business outcomes and how to build security programs without overcomplicated checklists. Notably, guests come from diverse security domains (CMMC, digital identity, incident response, AI governance) and often share personal journeys, leadership lessons, and real-world vendor/customer dynamics that resonate with practitioners seeking actionable guidance.

A standout trait is the steady emphasis on ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Virtual CISO Moment?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Virtual CISO Moment. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Virtual CISO Moment and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Virtual CISO Moment get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Virtual CISO Moment, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Virtual CISO Moment?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Virtual CISO Moment, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Virtual CISO Moment have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Virtual CISO Moment has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Virtual CISO Moment?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Virtual CISO Moment:

1. SANS Internet Stormcenter Daily Cyber Security Podcast (Stormcast)

How many episodes of The Virtual CISO Moment are there?

The Virtual CISO Moment launched 4 years ago and published 529 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Virtual CISO Moment?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Virtual CISO Moment?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Virtual CISO Moment from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Virtual CISO Moment?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Virtual CISO Moment. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Virtual CISO Moment?

Recent guests on The Virtual CISO Moment include:

1. Cy Sturdivant
2. Becky MacDonald
3. Jackie Shoback
4. India James
5. Ken Smith
6. Jonathan Weaver
7. Rich Bates
8. Joseph Gunnells

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days