In the latest episode of the Cyber Insurance News Podcast, host and Executive Editor Martin Hinton welcomes William Altman, Head of Cyber Threat Intelligence at CyberCube, for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of cybersecurity in 2025. The episode highlights critical trends in cybersecurity in education, small business vulnerabilities, the dual nature of AI in cybercrime, and the importance of cyber hygiene like multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Cybersecurity in Education
One of the most eye-opening discussions revolves around the massive PowerSchool breach that compromised 60 million K–12 student records. Altman explains that this data, ranging from mental health records to personal identifiers, could haunt individuals for decades. “These records aren’t like credit cards. They can’t be reissued,” he warns. It begs the question: do we need deeper protections, measures beyond financial protection like credit monitoring?
Cybersecurity For Small Business
The episode also explores elements of CyberCube’s most recent threat intelligence report and how small businesses, often strapped for resources, have become a favorite target for threat actors. Many of these companies lack basic protections, making them low-hanging fruit for credential stuffing and phishing attacks. Altman stresses the importance of MFA, strong identity access management, and patching software vulnerabilities as the first lines of defense.
Artificial Intelligence And Cybersecurity
Adding to the complexity is AI, which has become both a powerful tool for defenders and a force multiplier for attackers. From crafting hyper-targeted phishing emails to rapidly evolving attack vectors, AI in cybersecurity is changing the threat landscape quickly.
Listeners will also gain insights into:
- The cyber insurance protection gap, especially for SMBs
- Why managed service providers can introduce critical risks
- Sector-specific vulnerabilities in finance and education
- Practical steps organizations can take now to improve resilience
Whether you’re an IT leader, educator, small business owner, or policymaker, this episode offers a clear look into the real-world impact of cybersecurity lapses and the urgent need for forward-thinking defenses.
Find the full episode at all the usual places:
Cyber Insurance News Podcast Episode #5 Transcript
NOTE: This transcript, or log, of the episode has been checked for accuracy, but you should verify any items against the video to be sure. Trust, but verify.
Cyber Insurance News Podcast Log EP#5 – A deep-dive into the evolving cybersecurity landscape, this episode explores AI-driven threats, education data breaches, small business vulnerabilities, and the growing cyber insurance protection gap.
