Season 1 - Episode 10 (Pedro Kertzman & Kees Pouw)

Ever wonder how top security teams stay one step ahead of cybercriminals? The answer lies in the ancient wisdom of Sun Tzu: "If you know yourself and know your enemy, you'll win all battles." This principle forms the foundation of effective Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI). To celebrate our 10th episode, we had an insightful conversation with Kees Pouw, a veteran CISO with over two decades of cybersecurity experience, where we explore how organizations can build powerful CTI capabilities that transform their security posture. Drawing from his experience as both a consultant and in-house security leader, Kees breaks down the mystique surrounding threat intelligence and delivers practical insights on implementation.  "The best battles are won before they're fought," Kees explains, highlighting how proper intelligence allows organizations to deter attackers through strategic preparation. By understanding specific attacker techniques—like Lockbit's targeting of VMware ESXi hosts—security teams can focus limited resources on the most critical defenses.  We dive deep into the four core domains of comprehensive CTI: threat intelligence feeds, dark web monitoring, digital risk protection, and attack surface management. For organizations just starting their CTI journey, Kees offers a pragmatic roadmap, suggesting which capabilities to prioritize and how to grow organically from existing security operations.  The conversation takes a fascinating turn when we explore how agentic AI is revolutionizing threat intelligence. Kees shares his "wow moment" realizing how AI agents can automate complex research tasks that previously required specialized human expertise—potentially transforming how organizations process the massive volumes of intelligence data.  Whether you're looking to build your first CTI program or enhance existing capabilities, this episode provides a masterclass in making threat intelligence both practical and powerful. Subscribe now to continue learning from cybersecurity leaders who are shaping the future of digital defense.Send us Fan MailSupport the showThanks for tuning in! If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review. Got thoughts or questions? Connect with us on our LinkedIn Group: Cyber Threat Intelligence Podcast—we’d love to hear from you. If you know anyone with CTI expertise that would like to be interviewed in the show, just let us know. Until next time, stay sharp and stay secure!