In the complex world of Department of Defense (DoD) cybersecurity, Zero Trust has become a critical imperative. Cut through the noise and gain actionable insights with Zero Trusts Given, a podcast series dedicated to demystifying Zero Trust implementation within the DoD and broader defense community. This podcast series brings together leading experts from government and industry to explore the critical aspects of Zero Trust surrounding civilian agencies, the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), MIPDEP, and the overall progress of Zero Trust initiatives within the DoD. Join hosts Tom Tittermary and Tom Gianelos for a practical look into how agencies can navigate the DoD Zero Trust landscape.
In this episode of Zero Trust Given, Cimcor CEO Robert Johnson joins the conversation to discuss how system integrity and continuous monitoring strengthen Zero Trust security. The discussion examines why detecting unauthorized changes to servers, applications, cloud infrastructure, and critical assets is essential for reducing cyber risk, improving resiliency, and meeting compliance requirements. They also explore how Cimcor's CimTrak platform integrates with Zero Trust architectures to enable dynamic policy enforcement, endpoint integrity validation, ransomware defense, automated system hardening. CimTrak also gives organizations real-time visibility into configuration drift, helping organizations move beyond trust and toward continuous verification.
20 Jul 2026
The Power of Zero Trust Ecosystems: Securing the Tactical Frontline
In this episode of Zero Trust Given, hosts Tom Tittermary and Tom Gianelos are joined by Okta's Tony Ardura and Bhagya Prabhakar to discuss how identity serves as the foundation of Zero Trust for the Department of Defense, particularly in disconnected, degraded, intermittent, and low-bandwidth (D-DIL) environments. The conversation explores how cloud-native identity and access controls can be extended to the tactical edge, enabling warfighters to securely access mission-critical applications and data even when connectivity is unavailable, while maintaining strong security, resilience, and operational agility. This episode also addresses mission partner access, fine-grained authorization, identity resiliency, and how organizations like Okta and Zscaler are working together to deliver scalable, secure, and mission-ready Zero Trust architectures for the modern battlefield and beyond.
1 Jun 2026
Zero Trust as a Journey: Lessons from General Robert Skinner
In this episode of Zero Trusts Given, host Tom Tittermary speaks with retired General Robert Skinner about the evolving role of Zero Trust across the Department of Defense. Drawing on decades of experience, Skinner emphasizes that Zero Trust is an ongoing journey—not a fixed endpoint—centered on resilience, identity, and continuous improvement against adversaries. The conversation explores key trends like the growing importance of identity, the balance between standardized solutions such as Thunderdome and flexible architectures, and the expanding role of AI in both cyber defense and attack. They also highlight persistent challenges around data visibility, logging, and cultural barriers, underscoring that achieving true Zero Trust requires both technological advancement and a shift in mindset across the organization.
6 May 2026
Disconnected, Contested, and Secure: Zero Trust for the Tactical Edge
In episode thirteen of Zero Trusts Given, Tom Tittermary sits down with Dr. Mark Taylor, Chief Innovation Officer at Sage Creek USA and former CTO of U.S. Special Operations Command, for a deep dive into what Zero Trust really means for the Department of Defense. The conversation unpacks the evolution from network centric security models to data centric Zero Trust architectures, with a particular focus on mission partner access, cross domain solutions, and data tagging and policy enforcement. Dr. Taylor shares hard won insights on why traditional network boundaries and CDSs often undermine true Zero Trust, and how identity, ICAM, and policy based access controls are critical to enabling secure information sharing across classifications and nations. The episode also explores the stark contrast between enterprise and tactical environments—where disconnected, contested operations demand resilient, local decision making—and why commanders at the edge must retain authority to adapt security policies in real time. The result is a candid, practitioner level discussion on moving DoD Zero Trust from theory to mission impact, at the speed of need.
20 Feb 2026
"Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together," Zscaler & Vectra AI in the DoD
Episode twelve of the podcast, "Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together," Zscaler & Vectra AI in the DoD, features Robert Marcoux, Federal Principal Technologist at Vectra AI, for a discussion on why traditional perimeter-based security no longer works in a world dominated by remote users, cloud services, and SaaS, and how Zero Trust has become essential. They explore how AI-driven signal analysis cuts through data noise, helping resource strained security teams detect threats faster and more accurately. The conversation also showcases how Vectra AI’s integration with Zscaler accelerates identity-centric detection and response, reducing MTTR by linking anomalous behavior directly to specific users and increasing visibility into attacks. Finally, the discussion emphasizes practical Zero Trust enforcement through a human in the loop model, combining AI-powered context with analyst oversight to maintain resilience across federal, defense, and critical infrastructure environments.
16 Dec 2025
If You’re Reachable, You’re Breachable: Modernizing Defense with Zero Trust
3 Dec 2025
Identity as the Core of Zero Trust
Episode ten of the podcast, Identity as the Core of Zero Trust, features Dan Miller from Ping Identity, emphasizing that verifying digital identity and assessing user attributes in real time is critical before granting access to any DoD resource. He discusses the importance of using detailed attributes like location, device, and role instead of relying on simple logins to make smarter, real-time access decisions, which is crucial for secure operations in classified and remote environments. Since many DoD units work in disconnected settings, Ping Identity provides local identity solutions that keep missions running and sync with the cloud when reconnected. This episode explores how, in joint missions, enforcing secure data sharing through identity-driven access and tagging paves the way for granular Zero Trust.
15 Sept 2025
These Guys Literally Wrote the Book
Episode nine of the podcast, These Guys Literally Wrote the Book, features Rob Freter and Joe Brinker from True Zero Technologies, delving into the evolving implementation of Zero Trust principles across the Department of Defense, the Defense Industrial Base, and the broader federal government. They discuss the importance of starting with a clear problem statement and solution, emphasizing the cultural and practical need for a structured approach to security, including policy enforcement points (PEPs). Drawing analogies to cinematic sequels like The Godfather Part II, the episode explores how Zero Trust architectures have evolved to be even better with their second iterations, offering cleaner lines and easier readability.
14 Jul 2025
Thinking Tactically
In this episode of Zero Trusts Given, hosts Tom Tittermary and Tom Gianelos are joined by Jared Shepard, CEO of Hypori, to discuss redefining device security and enabling Zero Trust in edge environments. Jared introduces Hypori’s virtual mobile operating system, which eliminates data at rest and transit on edge devices by streaming encrypted pixels securely, allowing users to work from compromised or personal devices without risk to enterprise systems. This approach enables agility in BYOD, tactical missions, and mission partner environments, simplifying access while maintaining strong security posture. Jared also discusses the importance of a defense-in-depth approach, avoiding reliance on single vendors, and improving downstream supply chain security to protect critical infrastructures. The episode concludes with a heartfelt discussion about Jared’s nonprofit, Warrior’s Ethos, which supports veterans transitioning from military service by providing mentorship, resources, and job support. He encourages listeners to volunteer, hire veterans, and help ease their transition into civilian opportunities.
This episode is perfect for tech enthusiasts, cybersecurity professionals, and anyone interested in understanding how Zero Trust is transforming the defense landscape. Tune in to gain valuable insights from leading experts on the forefront of innovation and cybersecurity policy in the DoD!
24 Jun 2025
Strategies with How to Eat an Elephant
CTO Jean-Paul Bergeaux discusses Zero Trust implementation within government and DoD environments with hosts Tom Tittermary and Tom Gianelos, highlighting iterative approaches and strategic collaboration in this interview.
10 Jun 2025
The Conrad
Zscaler guest Conrad Maiorino joins hosts Tom Tittermary and Tom Gianelos to examine how Zero Trust makes applications unreachable, disrupting adversary tactics through secure user-to-application tunnels in this interview.
28 May 2025
Drowning in Data
This episode explores the challenges of tagging vast amounts of data within the Federal Government and DOD for zero trust implementation, addressing backlogs and new methodologies.
12 May 2025
Do Androids Dream of Electric Data?
This episode of Zero Trust Given features Skip Farmer from Primer, alongside hosts Tom Tittermary and Tom Gianelos, and examines the role of AI in the Zero Trust security model. From determining access and trust levels for AI entities to the phenomenon of AI “hallucinations” that produce inaccurate information, this episode dives deep into the possibilities and challenges presented by Artificial Intelligence.
This episode is perfect for cybersecurity professionals, tech enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the intersection of artificial intelligence and data security, especially with Zero Trust. Tune in today!
28 Apr 2025
Needle in the Haystack
During this episode, David Pearson from ServiceNow joins hosts Tom Tittermary and Tom Gianelos to discuss the process of analyzing and simplifying large amounts of data, and how to make decisions based on the data collected. They also touch on the different Zero Trust Pillars.
This episode is perfect for anyone interested in better understanding data management and the complexities of implementing Zero Trust in large organizations. Tune in today to discover actionable insights on leveraging data for Zero Trust and fortifying your organization's security!
14 Apr 2025
Zero Faith
This episode features actionable insights on navigating culture change, discussing the importance of data protection and identity management. Guest speakers James Carnall and Quent Strandburg join hosts Tom Tittermary and Tom Gianelos to discuss the need for integration of cloud solutions and AI to enhance security in a multi-vendor environment. They focus on faster, smarter approaches to cybersecurity workflows through collaboration.
24 Mar 2025
In the Beginning
In this insightful episode, join Tom Tittermary, Rich Johnson, and Ryan McArthur as they dive into the critical role Zero Trust plays within the Department of Defense (DoD). The panel explores how Zero Trust principles are reshaping cybersecurity strategies, improving data protection, and strengthening national security in an era of evolving threats.
The conversation addresses key challenges in implementing Zero Trust within the DoD, including cultural shifts, technological barriers, and the complexities of securing legacy systems. The panel also discusses the evolution of Zero Trust policies, frameworks, and tactics over the years, shedding light on lessons learned and what the future holds for its adoption.
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100
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Quality
55
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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Questions about Zero Trusts Given
Who hosts Zero Trusts Given?
Tom Gianelos and Tom Tittermary host the show. Published by Tom Tittermary, Tom Gianelos.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Zero Trusts Given take guests?
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