Zero Trust Isn’t a Tool — It’s Everything with George Finney

Hacker Valley Studio

What if Zero Trust isn’t a framework, but the only viable cybersecurity strategy—more about people than products?

In this episode, George Finney, CISO at the University of Texas System and author of Project Zero Trust, reveals the human-first truth behind the Zero Trust movement, and why it’s not something you buy but something you build. George shares stories from hacking a college database to launching a deepfake of himself trained on his own books, all while breaking down how AI and creativity are reshaping security leadership.

Impactful Moments:

00:00 - Introduction
01:16 - Cyber Hall of Fame recognition
07:00 - Hacked his college to solve mail
09:00 - Took startup job without paycheck
14:14 - Zero Trust is a strategy, not tool
17:00 - Tailoring security like a custom suit
23:29 - AI strategy through Zero Trust lens
29:30 - Built a Zero Trust voice clone hotline
36:00 - You don’t need to be a CISO
38:30 - Why weirdos make cybersecurity stronger

Links:

Connect with our guest, George Finney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgefinney/

Check out George’s books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01MT0C6X3

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