FBI Cyber Advice Every Tech Entrepreneur Needs to Hear

Cybersecurity is not just an IT issue. It is now a core business discipline.

In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, Jonathan Kersting talks with Richard Evanchec, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, following his keynote at Cyburgh 2026. Evanchec shares practical guidance for business and technology leaders on how to strengthen cyber defenses before an incident occurs.

The conversation highlights the FBI's Winter Shield initiative and its focus on basic but critical cybersecurity practices: eliminating default passwords, applying software patches, using phishing-resistant authentication, maintaining offline backups and testing recovery plans.

Evanchec also explains why companies need to think differently about cybersecurity spending. Rather than treating it as a late-stage investment or overhead expense, he says cyber readiness must become part of everyday business decision-making.

The conversation also explores how AI is changing the threat landscape. From deepfakes that trick employees to tools that help criminals analyze stolen data for leverage, AI is making attacks more efficient. But Evanchec also notes that defenders and law enforcement are using AI to respond, investigate and bring bad actors to justice.

Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.