Tim Pappa spent time in behavioral analysis at the FBI. He now designs cyber deception around how attackers behave. Steve McCrone co-hosted this one with me, and we asked Tim how lessons from historical battlefields shape digital defense.
Ambushes and raids
Tim has written on applying models of historical Mujahideen ambushes and raids against the Soviets to cyber deception design. Guerrilla tactics give defenders a playbook for shaping what an attacker sees. The defender sets the terrain and lets the attacker walk into it.
Behavior first
Tim argues that many organizations miss the chance to build security around psychology. Attackers follow patterns. When defenders learn those patterns, they can build deception that anticipates the next move. Tim also talks about trolling ransomware gangs and exploiting the human weaknesses on the other side.
Adapting
We get into artificial intelligence and how fast the cyber landscape changes. Tim’s view is that good security stays contextual and keeps adapting. For me, that is orientation. A defender who understands the adversary’s world can shape it.
Steve brings his own experience to the conversation, and his questions push Tim into the practical side of deception.
What does an attacker see when they look at your network, and who decided that?
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