87:60 by Virtuoso Engineering the Next Era of Cyber Defense: Ian Leatherman
Oct 20, 2025
Ian Leatherman, a former U.S. Navy submarine nuclear and cyber officer now a Microsoft security strategist, shares his journey from submarines to shaping zero-trust networks. He discusses building modern Navy networks, defending against nation-state and local threats, state cyber guard ideas, and how AI and private tech drive innovation in cybersecurity.
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From Submarines To Cyber Zero Trust
- Ian Leatherman traced his path from Idaho farm life to BU ROTC to Navy nuclear submarines and then to cyber, showing how engineering rigor transferred across domains.
- He described building Navy zero-trust networks during COVID using nuclear-trained engineers as the pivot that led to his Microsoft role expanding those designs to federal civilian agencies.
Home Lab Project Sparked Cyber Career
- Ian recounted building a home security system because he didn't trust third-party providers while deployed, which spurred his early tinkering and engineering approach.
- That home-lab tinkering scaled into engineering principles applied to Navy networks and later federal zero-trust designs.
Expand Sensors Not Just Perimeters
- Monitor broadly with diverse sensors rather than only perimeter controls; translate home-security sensors (doors/windows) into telemetry like cameras, temperature, and CO2 for cyber visibility.
- That expanded telemetry lets you detect anomalies across owned and cloud assets and defend effectively.