The latest report from Google Threat Intelligence reinforces something many in this community have felt building for months: the defense industrial base and critical infrastructure are under sustained, multi-vector pressure from nation-state actors. Messaging platforms, edge appliances, manufacturing supply chains, personal email accounts — nothing is off the table. (CYBR.SEC.Community member Matt Johansen has a great video on this over at VulnerableU.)
Russia-linked actors are compromising devices to access encrypted battlefield communications. China-aligned groups are quietly maintaining long-term access to edge infrastructure. North Korea continues to exploit the employment ecosystem itself — infiltrating companies and targeting job seekers to fund broader operations. Manufacturing now tops ransomware impact charts not because it is “defense,” but because it feeds defense. The attack surface isn’t shrinking. It’s concentrating and expanding at the same time.
This week’s #FollowFriday highlights five people who are giving their all to protecting critical infrastructure. Each brings clarity and practitioner-level insight to the evolving risks facing the broader defense ecosystem.
Dmitri Alperovitch
Dmitri Alperovitch — co-founder of Silverado Policy Accelerator, international thought leader on geopolitics, and co-author of the bestseller World on the Brink — delivered a message that hit hard between the eyes during last year's HouSecCon, painting a future where Taiwan becomes the flashpoint of Cold War II (or worse), with China preparing for conflict and cyber attacks on critical infrastructure playing a central role in the opening salvos.
His point: wars are no longer fought just with tanks and missiles. They begin in our power grids, our hospitals, our banks, and our data centers. Since then, I've followed him religiously on social media. One can disagree with parts of his message, but few have done better, IMO, at bringing today's geopolitical situation into focus.
Where to follow:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmitrialperovitch/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/DAlperovitch
Silverado Policy Accelerator: https://www.silverado.org/
George V. Hulme
Cory Simpson
In the last couple years, I've had the good luck to work with Cory S. Simpson on a number of projects through the Institute of Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT), where he is CEO. Also CEO of Gray Space Strategies, he’s one of the rare voices who combines national security experience, strategic policy insight, and critical infrastructure security expertise with a practitioner’s understanding of cyber risk and resilience.
As cyber threats increasingly target interconnected systems and supply chains, Cory’s work at ICIT provides unfiltered insight into how defenders, policymakers, and industry leaders can align on real risk and get past all the useless rhetoric floating around the Internet. He understands that the train left the station long ago when it comes to trying to prevent global cyber war. His push, rightfully so, is on what orgs can do to stay running and bounce back more quickly from attacks on critical infrastructure.
Where to follow:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-s-simpson/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/corysimpsonwv
Gray Space Strategies: https://grayspacestrategies.com/
Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT): https://icitech.org/
Madison Horn
Madison Horn's career bridges enterprise cybersecurity leadership, national security engagement, and public service. I've learned a lot from tracking her posts, especially on LinkedIn. She has held senior security roles in the private sector focused on strengthening security operations, cloud security strategy, and enterprise risk governance, including her current role as Chief Advisor, National Security & Critical Infrastructure at World Wide Technology.
Beyond her corporate work, Madison has been active in public policy and national security conversations, including as a U.S. Senate candidate AND as a candidate for the House. Cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection and national resilience were central themes of her platform. She has also advised and collaborated with organizations focused on advancing cyber workforce development and strengthening state and federal cyber readiness.
She represents the next generation of leaders bridging operational cybersecurity with broader infrastructure and governance conversations. She brings an essential clarity to the discussion.
Where to follow:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madisonshorn/
X (Twitter): @MadisonHornOK
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madisonhorn.ok/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100073247787161
Keenan Skelly
Keenan Skelly has deep expertise in operational risk, security strategy, and defensive program development, with decades of experience across public and private sectors — including senior security roles at Fortune 500 companies and strategic advisory engagements.
She brings hands-on experience to government and enterprise security leadership, serving in senior security roles at MITRE -- where she worked closely with federal partners on threat intelligence, adversary emulation, and strengthening defensive capabilities across critical infrastructure environments – and leadership positions within the U.S. Department of Defense ecosystem, advising on operational security strategy and risk management.
In the private sector, Keenan has led and matured security programs focused on incident response, cloud security, and enterprise risk resilience — helping organizations translate intelligence into operational improvements. Her emphasis on pragmatic defense, team readiness, and mature program design makes hers an important voice when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure.
Where to follow:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keenan-skelly/
X/Twitter: (@keenanskelly)
Christopher Hetner
Christopher Hetner is a former Senior Cybersecurity Advisor at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and a long-time national security and critical infrastructure leader. I first became familiar with him through his work as an IANS faculty member (he joined after I left IANS, but I've never stopped keeping track of the faculty).
He has spent years focused on government, finance and cyber risk, advising boards, regulators, and enterprise executives on how to translate cyber threats into business and systemic risk decisions.
His work consistently bridges the gap between regulatory expectation and real-world execution — particularly around disclosure, risk oversight, and systemic exposure. He helps elevate cybersecurity beyond technical controls and into strategic risk leadership. As threats to critical infrastructure and financial systems intensify, practitioners and executives alike need voices who understand how adversary activity translates into market risk, investor confidence, and regulatory accountability. In that arena, Hetner delivers.
Where to follow:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-hetner-7969758/
Chertoff Group profile (Advisor): https://chertoffgroup.com/christopher-hetner/
IANS Faculty profile: https://www.iansresearch.com/our-faculty/faculty/detail/chris-hetner
