EP 77 — Lazarus Alliance’s Michael Peters on A Security Trifecta that Replaces Checkbox Compliance

Michael Peters, CEO & Founder of Lazarus Alliance, built his cybersecurity career on one principle: turn over rocks before the bad guys do. After 25 years conducting audits, he's watched DIB companies treat compliance frameworks like magical protection. For Michael, however, passing CMMC means you had two good weeks, not 50 weeks of security. His Security Trifecta framework overrides this checkbox mentality with three layers: governance that documents policies in writing, technical enforcement that operates without human bias or fatigue, and vigilant teamwork for everything technology can't solve. As Michael puts it, defenses actually fail not because of the hardware, but “the wetware" — humans clicking ransomware, ignoring protocols, losing focus.

His continuous monitoring methodology spreads audits across 12 months instead of annual blitzes, increasing sample coverage from 10% to near-complete while catching problems in real time. For SMBs without massive budgets, Michael reverses the typical approach: stop buying security tools before identifying what you're protecting. Start with a data-first question, like “What are my critical assets?” Then work backward to the network controls, endpoint protections, and monitoring rules that actually defend them. 

Topics discussed:

• Security Trifecta framework: governance/policy layer, technical enforcement mechanisms, and vigilant teamwork for proactive defense
• Monthly audit touchpoints versus annual assessments to increase sample coverage from 10% to near-complete
• Non-transferable CCA certifications versus FedRAMP's industry-recognized credentials and reasonable fee structure
• Talent shortage crisis, with 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions projected for 2025 and 115,000 DIB companies requiring Level 2 certification
• Technical quick wins for SMBs: secure DNS and basic firewall rules to neutralize command-and-control malware before expensive tools
• Building comprehensive security programs beyond 800-171's surface-level 110 controls for better compliance mapping
• Insufficient oversight frequency for national security applications compared to annual ISO surveillance audit models  

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