Feb. 4, 2026

Dr. Eric Cole - Former McAfee CTO | No One Is Safe Anymore

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Dr. Eric Cole - Former McAfee CTO | No One Is Safe Anymore

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Dr. Eric Cole is a cybersecurity expert, entrepreneur, and bestselling author with over three decades of experience in the industry. His career has advanced from starting as a professional hacker for the CIA to becoming a commissioner on cybersecurity for the Obama administration. He has served as chief technology officer at McAfee and chief scientist at Lockheed Martin Corporation, and his accomplishments have earned him an induction into the Information Security Hall of Fame. Cole is the founder and CEO of Secure Anchor Consulting and has authored multiple books on cybersecurity, with his latest work, Cyber Crisis, debuting as a bestseller. He holds a doctorate in information technology from Pace University and multiple degrees in computer science from New York Institute of Technology, and he is a sought-after keynote speaker who advises Fortune 500 companies and world leaders on cybersecurity strategy.

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➡️ Talking Points

00:00 – Intro

01:24 – The End of Passwords

09:58 – Can Humans Be Trained Out of Being Hacked

14:12 – How Phishing Really Works

21:07 – How Vulnerable Is the Average Person

26:09 – Why Convenience Always Beats Security

29:34 – Simple Cybersecurity Rules Everyone Should Follow

34:17 – Why the World Needs Global Cyber Laws

47:13 – Sponsor Break

49:44 – Hacking a Nuclear Reactor in 37 Seconds

57:41 – Why Deepfakes Are a Real Threat

1:07:40 – What a Real Cyber War Could Look Like

1:15:39 – How We Can Defend Against Cyber Threats

1:23:38 – Lessons from Working with the Gates Foundation

1:28:16 – Sponsor Break

1:30:10 – Can the US Win the Cyber War

1:33:39 – Why AI Without Safeguards Is Dangerous

1:45:52 – The One Lesson Eric Would Teach His Kids

1:48:51 – Lessons Learned from Powerful People

1:53:18 – Eric’s Mission Today