What Counter-Terrorism Taught the NFL About Cyber Risk

What Counter-Terrorism Taught the NFL About Cyber Risk

Author: Brave Software July 15, 2026 Duration: 18:36

Kam Karaji, Director of Cyber Security & Risk Management at the NFL, shares what 13 years in counter-terrorism and criminal intelligence taught him about protecting high-stakes environments, and discusses how that thinking now shapes security across five countries and 70,000-person stadiums. He explains why a venue full of fans is really just a very large computer, and why the data a fan hands over the moment they buy a ticket is more time-sensitive than most people realize.

Key Takeaways:

  • How the NFL manages fan data across different legal jurisdictions, and why that data becomes time-sensitive the moment the league leaves a country

  • Why the biggest security investment leaders should be making right now isn't in technology

  • How a single piece of player misinformation can trigger a chain reaction from betting markets to a club's bottom line

  • Why a stadium full of fans is really a cybersecurity problem (and what happens when that computer gets hacked)

Guest Bio:

Kam Karaji leads cyber security and risk management for the NFL's international programme, protecting games, venues, and people across Europe, the Americas, and beyond. Before moving into the corporate world, he spent over thirteen years in law enforcement as a police officer and Bronze Commander, working in criminal intelligence, counter-terrorism and international firearms training with the UK's National Crime Agency (service that earned him gallantry recognition for the protection of the British Royal Family).

Today his focus is the human side of security in an increasingly automated world. As AI reshapes how organizations assess risk, train teams, and defend themselves, Kam is interested in where the technology genuinely helps and where it quietly creates new blind spots. His guiding belief is simple: confidence without control becomes chaos, and without people, none of it works.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte


Hosted by Brave Software, The Brave Technologist is a series for anyone curious about the real human impact of our digital evolution. It moves past the surface-level buzzwords to ask how technologies like AI, machine learning, and Web3 actually affect everyday decisions, privacy, and the fabric of society. The conversations here are grounded and thoughtful, prioritizing the user's perspective in a landscape often dominated by abstract visions of disruption. You'll hear from builders, thinkers, and technologists who are shaping these tools, discussing not just what is possible, but what is responsible and meaningful. This podcast sits at the intersection of technology, business, and marketing, examining how these forces converge to shape our collective future. It’s for listeners who want to understand the "why" and "for whom" behind the code, offering a nuanced take that is often missing from tech commentary. Tune in for a deeper, more inclusive dialogue about the systems that are redesigning our world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Brave Technologist
Podcast Episodes
Inside MCP: How AI Agents Are Learning to Talk to Each Other [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:04
Andy Maskin, Director of AI Creative Technology at Publicis Sapient, explains why brands are shifting from SEO to "AI visibility," where success is no longer about ranking on search engines but instead showing up in tool…
AI Anxiety: The Occupational Identity Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:17
Dr. Maha Hosain Aziz, an international relations professor at NYU and Global Foresight Advisor at the World Economic Forum, highlights the often-overlooked societal, economic, and psychological impacts of AI adoption. Sh…
The Human Layer in an AI-First World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:10
Joseph Ng, Chief Strategy Officer of GeneGenius and author of The Hybrid Mind, discusses how institutions must redesign decision architectures as humans and intelligent machines operate together. His vision for the "hybr…
The CHRO Is the New CTO: Leading in the AI Era [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:17
Elise Neel, Global Head of Strategy & Strategic Partnerships at Panasonic Go, shares lessons from leading innovation within large legacy companies and the cultural challenges of driving transformation. She explains how o…
Bri Teresi: Digital Sovereignty and Protecting Creator Freedom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:40
Bri Teresi, host of 'Free The Money' and a prominent crypto influencer, shares the biggest misunderstandings about cryptocurrency in mainstream media and consumer behavior, along with the biggest challenges faced by cont…
How SheFi is Onboarding More Women into Web3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:46
Maggie Love, Founder and CEO of SheFi, discusses the critical role of the community in managing decentralized spaces and making crypto accessible and relatable for all. She delves into the importance of building technolo…
AI That Acts: How Autonomous Agents Are Rewriting Org Charts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:32
Manoj Saxena, Founder and CEO of Trustwise, explains why agentic AI represents a major shift inside organizations: from AI as a tool to AI as an active participant. He addresses the operational challenges that organizati…
When AI and Enterprise Tech Feel Like Magic [Live from AI Summit] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:37
Kapil Gupta, former Enterprise AI Product & Platform Leader at Cigna, shares insights from more than two decades of turning cutting-edge technology into enterprise-ready products. He unpacks the difference between genera…