In episode 139 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Tony Sager is joined by Amelia Gifford, Sr. Manager, Administration, at the Center for Internet Security®(CIS®); and George Bailey, Director of Purdue cyberTAP. Together, they discuss how the 2025 grant from the Alan Paller Laureate Program will support Purdue cyberTAP's mission of community building for the cyber-underserved. Here are some highlights from our episode:

• 01:02. Honoring a legacy of making cybersecurity practical and accessible
• 03:34. The business of giving products away to benefit the cybersecurity community
• 05:00. The use of the CIS Critical Security Controls (CIS Controls) to help rural electricity cooperatives in Indiana
• 11:00. Methodology, tooling, and repeatability as part of a lifecycle of realizing a good idea
• 11:56. Cross-Mapping as a means to help people live with so many security frameworks
• 12:59. Accountability and re-assessment as methods for measuring program success
• 14:59. The power of community in prioritizing the CIS Controls
• 16:38. Community building as a way to navigate the cybersecurity business together
• 17:42. A controlled Controls experiment to generate data, learn lessons, and create feedback
• 19:03. Progress reporting as a way to foster connections
• 24:39. Feedback on the Alan Paller Laureate Program application process
• 26:30. Focus on cybersecurity community impact as a consideration for future applicants
• 30:31. Parting thoughts about the grant program and an invitation to reach out to George

Resources

• Center for Internet Security Awards Nearly $250,000 to Purdue University’s Technical Assistance Program
• Episode 114: 3 Board Chairs Reflect on 25 Years of Community
• Episode 97: How Far We've Come preceding CIS's 25th Birthday
• CIS Critical Security Controls v8.1 Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Guide
• SEC366: CIS Implementation Group 1™
• How to Plan a Cybersecurity Roadmap in 4 Steps
• CIS SecureSuite® Membership
• Mapping and Compliance with the CIS Controls
• Reasonable Cybersecurity Guide

If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].