Episode 195: Enigma Machines’ Security Lessons for Today

In episode 195 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager sit down with Ed Skoudis, President of SANS Technology Institute, and Marcus Sachs, Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Together, they discuss Enigma machines, their history, and their security lessons for today.

Here are some highlights from our episode:

• 00:56. Introductions to Ed and Marc
• 01:32. What Enigma machines are and why cybersecurity folks still care about them today
• 06:10. Enigma machines as a symbol for how we can use hacking for noble purposes
• 07:18. How the human mind and the need for ease of use can undermine security
• 15:59. The importance of testing when designing and maintaining a security system
• 20:45. Why "security through obscurity" isn't actually true
• 22:58. Curiosity, logic, and a wide range of knowledge: Essential traits for getting hired in cybersecurity today
• 30:57. The impact of culture in shaping security policy and priorities
• 35:09. Why artificial intelligence (AI) is the Enigma machine of 2026
• 36:11. How to learn more about Enigma machines

Resources

• Episode 189: The Present and Future of AI-enabled Pentesting
• A Short Guide for Spotting Phishing Attempts
• Penetration Testing
• Vulnerability Assessments
• Episode 192: How Leaders Balance Expertise and Communication
• Episode 193: AI Security and Responsibility in EO 14409
• The Myth of Mythos: What It Means For Information Security
• National Cryptologic Museum
• Enigma Replica: The Enigma touch

If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing podcast@cisecurity.org.