Shawnee Delaney

Decorated Clandestine Officer & Insider Threat Expert

Shawnee Delaney

Decorated Clandestine Officer & Insider Threat Expert

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Biography

Shawnee Delaney is the founder and CEO of Vaillance Group. Shawnee spent nearly a decade with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) as a decorated Clandestine Services Officer conducting Human Intelligence (HUMINT) operations all over the world.

She served four combat zone tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Case Officer and Detachment Chief and served as a Supervisory Branch Chief in Europe. After leaving DIA, Shawnee supported the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the protection of U.S. critical infrastructure and industrial control systems for the Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT).

Shawnee has built Insider Threat programs for major Fortune 500 companies. She holds an M.A. in International Policy Studies with a Specialization in Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Proliferation, a M.S. in Cyber Security and is currently in process of getting her third Masters in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.

She has written articles or been cited on Insider Threat in publications such as the Cipher Brief, Fox Business, Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, the Hill, and the Financial Times, among other international periodicals.

Speaker Videos

Negative Impacts of Organizational Change

Insider Threats

Why Are Insider Threats So Dangerous to Your Organizations

Mitigating Insider Threat

Human Trust Management

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Speech Topics

Human Vulnerabilities in Cybersecurity: Strategies for Mitigating Social Engineering and Insider Threats

This presentation will provide an overview on what the term "insider threat" actually encompasses, from unintentional acts to malicious acts, and everything in between. It will provide details and case studies on malicious insider acts, psychological motivations of a malicious actor, and the Critical Pathway. The Critical Pathway, as identified by Shaw and Sellers, explains how personal predispositions, stressors, and concerning behaviors can lead up to Insider Threat-like behaviors and/or malicious acts. In addition, this presentation will discuss:

How the human factor impacts organizations
How your organizational culture can affect insider threat
How both spies and social engineers work similarly to target you and your employees to gain access to your organization's most sensitive data
How one's personal motivations and vulnerabilities can leave their organization vulnerable
How organizations can establish an employment lifecycle program in order to understand important interdependencies, touchpoints, interactions, and gaps in insider protection strategies

The Art of Espionage: Understanding the Fundamentals of Spycraft

Espionage is real and is all around us. Think you would never be recruited as a spy? Think again. In this presentation you will learn from a former Case Officer - a Spy - how she used to target and recruit people just like you. From elicitation at airport gates to surveillance of unwitting people, hear the tricks and techniques she leveraged against various targets of all walks of life and how you can prepare if you suspect you are ever approached. This talk covers both human and cyber security tactics used and addresses how today’s malicious actors including hackers, nation states, and organized criminal groups, use the same techniques as spies.

Beyond Hiring & Firing: Maximizing Organizational Performance through Effective Employment Lifecycle Management

An employee’s lifecycle encompasses several stages throughout their career. This begins with recruitment and concludes with resignation, retirement, or termination. This talk addresses how organizations can establish an employment lifecycle program in order to give employees consistency throughout their careers and teaches you how to prevent insider threats as a result. It also provides a framework to understand important interdependencies, touchpoints, interactions, and gaps in insider protection strategies.

It will cover:

What is an insider threat?
What is employment lifecycle management?
How the human factor impacts organizations
Best practices for mitigating insider threat by managing the employment lifecycle

The Invisible Threat: Safeguarding Intellectual Property & Trade Secrets Against Malicious Actors

There are a variety of motivations for conducting theft of intellectual property and/or trade secrets. This talk will cover the various types of Intellectual property theft, differences between intellectual property, trade secrets, and protected information. It will include suggestions for how to better protect this information and what threats are targeting it, including hackers, nation states, insider threats, and technical threats.

In addition, this presentation will discuss:

How the human factor impacts organizations
Psychological aspects of a malicious actor
How both spies and social engineers work similarly to target you and your employees to gain access to your organization's most sensitive data
How one's personal motivations and vulnerabilities can leave their organization vulnerable,
How organizations can establish an employment lifecycle program in order to understand important interdependencies, touchpoints, interactions, and gaps in insider protection strategies

Unveiling the Intersection of AI (Artificial Intelligence) & Insider Threat

Have you heard of a deep fake? Would you or your family fall for one? Dive into the dynamic world of artificial intelligence and its intricate relationship with the insider threat landscape. As AI continues to reshape industries, it simultaneously introduces new dimensions of vulnerabilities within organizations that insiders can exploit. This talk uncovers the complexities of AI-driven risks, offering valuable insights into understanding, mitigating, and staying ahead of potential insider threats.

Key Points Covered in the Talk:

AI's Role and Impact:

Introduction to AI and its transformative impact on various industries.
Discussion of how AI amplifies productivity, insights, and efficiencies.

Insider Threats in the Age of AI:

Definition of insider threats and their evolving nature.
Exploration of how AI interfaces with insider threat scenarios.

AI-Enabled Vulnerabilities:

Examination of unique vulnerabilities AI systems introduce.
Insight into how insiders can manipulate AI algorithms for nefarious purposes.

Data Security and AI:

Discussion of data-driven AI applications and their susceptibility to insider breaches.
Analysis of potential data leaks, theft, and misuse by insiders.

AI-Driven Anomaly Detection:

Introduction to AI's role in detecting unusual patterns and behaviors.
Illustration of how AI can be harnessed to identify and counter insider threats.

Behavioral Analytics and Predictive Modeling:

Explanation of how AI algorithms can predict insider threat behavior.
Real-world examples of successful applications of AI-driven predictive models.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations:

Unpacking the challenges of using AI to combat insider threats.
Addressing ethical concerns surrounding AI-driven monitoring of employees.

Strategies for Mitigation:

Exploration of AI-powered tools for insider threat prevention.
Insight into how AI can enhance incident response and recovery.

Human-AI Collaboration:

Emphasizing the role of human intervention in tandem with AI solutions.
Navigating the balance between technology and human judgment.

Future Insights:

Glimpse into the evolving landscape of AI and its implications for insider threats.
Importance of staying adaptive and proactive in mitigating AI-related risks.

By the end of this talk, attendees will have a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between AI and insider threats, empowering them to effectively address challenges, implement preventive measures, and harness AI's potential to fortify organizational security.

Digital Wellness: The Art of Maintaining Your Cyber Health

In our increasingly digital world, the lines between the health of our bodies and the security of our online lives blur more each day. "Digital Wellness: The Art of Maintaining Your Cyber Health" is not just a talk; it's a journey through the fascinating parallels between personal health care and cyber hygiene. Just as we adopt daily routines to keep our bodies healthy and strong, our digital lives require similar care to protect against the ever-evolving threats of the online world.

During this talk, we'll uncover the essentials of cyber hygiene, from the basics of recognizing common threats to the advanced practices that ensure the longevity of our digital well-being. Imagine your antivirus as the digital immune system, fighting off infections, while your password management habits are as crucial as washing your hands. We'll navigate through the importance of regular updates (think of them as your digital vitamins), the power of a good 'cyber diet,' and the significance of 'exercise' for your online presence.

Key takeaways include:

Understanding Cyber Threats: Learn to identify the viruses, phishing scams, and ransomware that threaten our digital health.
Practical Cyber Hygiene Habits: Discover daily routines and practices to keep your online identity secure and your digital life clutter-free.
The Importance of Regular Check-Ups: Just like health screenings, learn why regular security audits and updates are crucial for digital wellness.
Building a Strong Cyber Immune System: Find out how using the right tools and practices can protect you and your data from cyber threats.
Creating a Culture of Cybersecurity: Learn how to foster an environment that prioritizes digital well-being, both for individuals and within organizations.

Join us as we dive into the world of cyber hygiene, drawing lessons from the healthcare practices we've relied on for centuries. By the end of this talk, you'll not only have a comprehensive understanding of how to protect your digital self but also why nurturing your cyber health is as critical as taking care of your physical well-being.

Testimonials

"It was a great honor to host Ms. Shawnee Delaney as one of our speakers for the online panelist discussion on Career in National Security at Harvard Kennedy School. Ms. Delaney brought deep insights for the conversation, especially from a female leader’s perspective. She shared her career experiences in a personable manner that the audience from different backgrounds can easily relate to. She answered questions with professionalism and candor. We received great feedback from event participants. It was an absolute pleasure working together with Ms. Delaney on this event. Hope we will have the opportunity to host her as a speaker again in the future."

- Harvard Kennedy School

“It went great, we had a lot of really good feedback on Shawnee’s presentation and there were quite a few people that wanted to speak to her directly after. Thanks for recommending her, she was right on target.”

- Public Retirement Information Systems Management (PRISM)

"Shawnee was great!…She was great to work with….she came off very relatable and interesting!"

- WestRock

"Shawnee Delaney is an exceptional subject matter expert on the coin of the realm of cyber security -- Insider Threats. Incorporating her deep experience running cloak and dagger espionage operations in war zones as a Defense Intelligence Agency Officer and protecting U.S. critical infrastructure, Delaney delivers highly organized, substantive presentations. Her comprehensive training curriculum, buttressed by the most relevant and often intriguing case studies, teach the best cyber security practices, on which corporations and private citizens should comfortably rely to protect their data and reputation."

- Daniel N. Hoffman, Retired Clandestine Services Officer & Former Chief of Station with the Central Intelligence Agency & FOX News Contributor

"Shawnee Delaney is that unique, once-in-a-lifetime gifted speaker with an amazing ability to blend the art of intelligence with the art of storytelling with her audiences. She is a clandestine warrior who excelled in recruitment operations directed against human intelligence (HUMINT) sources. Shawnee is the perfect story teller. Her stories are timeless and authentic. She delivers her materials flawlessly and the sources Shawnee recruited over the years were captivated by her magnetic personality and hypnotized by stories of her experiences in the world of espionage, both government and corporate. Your audiences will be equally enamored."

- Darrell M. Blocker AKA "The Spy Whisperer," Former CIA Station Chief, Retired CIA Senior Operative

"I've had the pleasure of working with Shawnee Delaney as a panelist on a webinar we hosted about insider threat. Her contribution was integral to the success of the event. She had compelling stories to tell and had a great flow throughout. Her answers to the questions posted by the host and the audience were on point and she kept the audience engaged. All in all Shawnee is a talented and respected speaker and I would jump at the opportunity to collaborate with her not only just on training events but on overall Insider Threat expertise."

- Gabriel Friedlander, Founder & CEO, Wizer, Inc. & Co-Founder, ObserveIT

"Our firm has provided superior training to major law enforcement, government and private sector organizations for many years. Shawnee Delaney was brought in for a recent collaboration to provide half-day Insider Threat training to high level law enforcement and private sector personnel. Shawnee's ability to include exactly the right amount of information, paced perfectly throughout the half day, in a way that was incredibly engaging has resulted in the highest rated training delivered in this arena. Not only did we receive considerable feedback on the value of the materials being provided, we have been asked to provide additional training with Shawnee as soon as possible. Shawnee is a true professional who knows the ins and outs of the threat that insiders pose."

- Roque Wicker, President & CEO, Counter-Terrorism Watch, Inc.

"My first interaction with Shawnee Delaney was through participating in an Insider Threat training through the Infragard program in 2020. Shawnee mastered a four hour virtual journey that was superbly laid out for flow of content and peppered with engaging real-life stories. Her ability to bring the threat of insider risks to life, in away that gives the audience a digestible path to initiate an appropriate plan of their own, thrilled me. I have personally trained thousands of cybersecurity providers and my own techniques were improved by watching Shawnee in action. I have since become a loyal follower of her training programs and have recommended her as the go-to expert in everything Insider Threat."

- CISM, SSAP, Senior Cybersecurity Consultant, Edwards Performance Solutions

"Shawnee Delaney is a dynamic and exciting presenter whose in-depth knowledge of cybersecurity and insider threats both educates her audiences and provides them with an actionable plan for prevention. Shawnee pulls from real life experiences from both her days in the intelligence world and the corporate world and can detail both the human and technical vulnerabilities that exist today. Her ability to chronicle the pervasive nature of insider threats and how these are often the entry point for cyberattacks like ransomware and nation-states, set her apart from others. She is a fantastic storyteller and thought leader that immediately captivates her audience when she begins to present. Shawnee is also a wonderful person to work with, she is thoughtful and cares deeply about delivering content that will have immediate impact on her audience's ability to secure their environment."

- Chief Marketing Officer, Illusive

"It was a real privilege to host Shawnee Delaney as the closing keynote speaker at our #Inspiring Politics Careers Week at University College London. Ms Delaney shared her wealth of experience in the field and throughout the trajectory of her career with a rare blend of acute insights, honesty, and humour. She both impressed and inspired our global audience with her approachable and good-natured responses to quite thorny topics peppered with substantive, practical and meaningful advice that was relatable to all. The students at all levels loved her! It was truly delightful to work with Ms Delaney throughout the preparation and during the event, and I hope that we will be able to welcome her back to campus, in person, very soon."

- Department of Political Science, University College London