Cybersecurity & Arctic Sovereignty: Protecting Canada's Most Vulnerable Infrastructure Cheryl Biswas

Host David Shipley speaks with cybersecurity professional Cheryl Biswas about her journey into the industry and why she believes Arctic sovereignty must be viewed as a cybersecurity challenge as much as a geopolitical one.

Biswas traces her path from political science and a help desk role at CP Rail to cybersecurity, inspired by the discovery of the Stuxnet malware and the global security community that formed around it. She discusses her experiences speaking at BSides Las Vegas, attending DEF CON, helping build a major Canadian bank's threat intelligence program, and recently earning her Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) designation.

The conversation then shifts north. As Canada invests billions in Arctic defence, communications, transportation, and critical infrastructure, Biswas explains how every new connected system can create new cyber risks. The discussion covers threats to satellites, navigation systems used by ships and aircraft, undersea communications cables, government services, healthcare, energy systems, and the fragile supply chains that support northern communities.

They also explore why collaboration with northern and Indigenous communities is essential, the importance of improving connectivity across the Arctic, and how Canada can work more closely with international partners to strengthen resilience in one of the world's most strategically important regions.

Cheryl also shares advice for newcomers to cybersecurity and discusses the kind of strategic threat intelligence and research work she hopes to pursue in the future.

Chapters

00:00 Weekend Show Kickoff
00:46 Cheryl's Cyber Origin Story
02:30 Stuxnet and Hacker Community
04:06 From BSides to DEF CON
05:10 Threat Intelligence Career Today
05:50 Arctic Sovereignty Meets Cyber
07:41 Canada's Arctic Reality Check
10:14 Why Cyber Matters Up North
12:07 Maritime and Navigation Risks
15:50 Undersea Cables and Fragile Supply
19:55 Solutions, Collaboration and Technology
24:22 Talk Feedback and How to Connect
25:42 Dream Role and Advice to Newcomers
29:16 Closing Reflections and Sendoff

#Cybersecurity #ArcticSovereignty #Canada #CriticalInfrastructure #ThreatIntelligence #CISSP #CyberSecurityToday #DavidShipley #DEFCON #BSides #ArcticSecurity #NationalSecurity #CriticalInfrastructureProtection #ThreatIntel #CyberRisk