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John Sileo

John Sileo

John specializes in the human element of cyber security and uses humor, audience interaction and cutting-edge research to keep his message relevant and entertaining. The movie “Identity Thief” starring Melissa McCartney and Jason Bateman is based on his story.

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  • Security expert
  • Author

*Fee ranges are presented as a guideline only. Speaker fees are subject to change without notice. For an exact quote, please contact your Speaker Exchange Agency representative.

John Sileo left hi-tech consulting for two reasons: to start a family and to launch a software startup in the earliest stages of cloud computing. Six successful years, a multimillion-dollar business and two precious daughters later, he lost the business and his wealth to cybercrime.

Because the cybercriminal, a company insider, masked the crimes using John’s identity, John was held legally and financially responsible for the felonies committed. The losses destroyed his company, decimated his finances and consumed two years of his personal life as he fought to stay out of jail.

John Sileo has shared his story and hard-earned lessons as an award-winning author, 60 Minutes guest and keynote speaker to the Pentagon, Schwab and thousands of audiences ready to defend their data. John specializes in the human element of cyber security and uses humor, audience interaction and cutting-edge research to keep his message relevant and entertaining.

John is CEO & President of The Sileo Group, a Denver-based technology think tank. He graduated with honors from Harvard University and was recently inducted into the National Speakers Hall of Fame.

When not speaking, John spends time hiking with his family in the Rocky Mountains, reading psychological thrillers and earning his 3rd-degree black belt in Taekwondo, where he is regularly thrashed by teenagers half his size.

Savvy Cybersecurity in a World of Weaponized A.I.

Artificial Intelligence makes hacking your organization easier. Generative A.I. models evolved from ChatGPT give novice cybercriminals free tools to code malware, create adaptive ransomware, and author sophisticated phishing emails around the clock. Deepfake videos imitate people in power to manipulate your performance, profits and reputation while disinformation campaigns blur the lines of trust. And quantum computing is about to render current defenses nearly useless. Are you prepared? While technology is also part of the solution, it is not the primary answer to the quiz. In this keynote, cyber expert John Sileo leverages his experience of losing everything to cybercrime to bridge the security gap between human beings, technology and rapidly emerging threats.

BLOCKBUSTER CYBERSECURITY in a Zero Trust World

Hackers don’t just adapt to change; they bank on it. Has your mindset evolved? The rapid expansion of remote workforces, ransomware gangs, cloud jacking, IoT hacking, supply chain attacks, social engineering and disinformation campaigns have altered the way we must defend our data, reputation, and profits. A faulty adage asserts that humans are your weakest link when, in reality, they can be your greatest defense. Cybersecurity doesn’t grow from shinier tools, but from the powerful intersection between human beings and technology. In this keynote presentation, John will leverage potent lessons learned from losing everything to cybercrime as well as a humorous live-hacking demonstration to build a Blockbuster Framework for analyzing, organizing, and communicating your powerful cyber defense strategy.

The Art of Human Hacking: Social Engineering Self Defense

Anti-fraud and social engineering training only work when your people experience it for themselves. Humans can be the weakest link or the strongest competitive advantage in the security and profitability of your information. But people are the most commonly underutilized weapon in your fight against cybercrime. Don’t surrender to Death by PowerPoint; training needs to be engaging to be effective. This presentation makes security interactive, so that it sticks. John will use his own losses to social engineering to illustrate the tools and tricks used to separate you from your critical data, including: System 1& 2 reflexes, social media harvesting, trust shortcuts, ego stroking, greed appeals, and cortisol flushing. John’s closing story, your audience will be fully empowered to detect and deter social engineering and fraud.

Building a Bulletproof Culture of Security

To avoid becoming the next disastrous data-breach headline, you must foster a healthy culture of security that addresses both the technological and human elements of data defense. Change happens when you create energy and buy-in among the people who handle your mission-critical information. When it comes to the latest data security threats, you can’t possibly do everything—but you must do the right things. This cyber security training crash course forges a high-level, non-technical path through the often-confusing web cybersecurity. This highly interactive presentation builds on John’s experience losing everything to cybercrime, continues with a live hacking demo of an audience member and ends with an actionable Roadmap of Next Steps.

“Think Like a Spy” Crash Course for Savvy Leaders

Smart speakers and digital assistants like Alexa, Google and Siri eavesdrop on the conversations you have at home and work, sharing your behaviors with their “partners”. Super cookies collect your browsing history, selling your privacy to the highest bidder. Mobile phone providers track and trade your location while social media sites build psychographic dossiers that classify you according to your psycho-social profile. Identity thieves hack these sources, banking on your data and wealth. Think Like A Spy focuses on taking control of your identity and privacy. Due to the rapid rate at which information is being compromised, you must leverage the very latest prevention tools to protect everything from your Social Security number to bank account, from passwords to confidential emails. John delivers these identity theft and privacy countermeasures in a highly interactive speech inspired by his loss of more than $300,000 to ID theft.

Additional options
  • Interactive Breakout Sessions
  • Sileo on Security Video Series
  • Customized Roundtable
  • Extended Q&A
  • Provide Meaningful Takeaways
Details about the John's most popular presentation packages

Keynote Package which includes:

  • 45-60 Minute Main-Stage Presentation
  • In person Q&A During Book Signing (books additional)

Hack the Audience Package which includes:

  • 60-75 Minute Main-Stage Presentation w/ Customization
  • Hack the Audience Segment (funny clips of John live-hacking the audience)
  • 15 Minute Toss-Across Q&A (built-in Q&A session with throwable Mic to raise energy and fun)
  • 50 Copies of John’s latest book + Book Signing

The Whole Cyber Enchilada which includes:

  • 60-75 Minute Main-Stage Presentation w/ Advanced Customization
  • Additional 45-Minute Deep Dive/Breakout (“Next Steps” Action Plan for Implementation)
  • 100 Copies of John’s latest book + Book Signing (Additional books provided at steep discount)
  • Enhanced Hack the Audience Segment (incorporating social media reconnaissance)
  • 15 Minute Toss-Across Q&A
  • Choose One of the Following:
    • VIP Meet & Greet (Meal or Reception within Travel Timeframe)
    • 6 Continuing Education Videos (SileoOnSecurity) keep attendees learning after the event
    • Video and Usage Rights for 1-Year (Record the Event for Use on Member’s Only Site)
    • Rights to Stream or Webcast Presentation (To Reach Multiple Locations)
Virtual presentation available

Includes:

• Up to 90 Minute virtual presentation

• Virtual Q&A

• A PDF of John’s latest work in cybersecurity and privacy

Please contact us to see testimonials.
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