Episode 145: How Global Tensions Are Exposing Critical Infrastructure to Cyber Risk

In today’s rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, cyber threats have become a frontline tactic—not through sophisticated zero-day exploits, but through the exploitation of basic security gaps like weak credentials, unpatched systems, and misconfigured environments. In this episode of the Connection Cybersecurity Podcast, host Kim Coombes is joined by security experts John Chirillo and Rob Di Girolamo to unpack the reality of modern cyber conflict. Together, they explore how nation-state actors, ransomware groups, and hacktivists are converging, why critical infrastructure and mid-sized organizations alike are increasingly at risk, and how “proxy targeting” makes every company part of a larger attack surface. The conversation challenges common assumptions about cybersecurity, emphasizing that today’s greatest risk isn’t lack of advanced tools—but failure to address fundamental security hygiene and identity protection. Listeners will walk away with a clearer understanding of how cyber warfare is evolving, how it impacts organizations indirectly, and what practical steps leaders must take now to reduce exposure and strengthen resilience.