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.

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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!

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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

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