347- 149+ Hr Ransomware Attack with Lee Lahti

·50 min·5 clips

Lee Lahti's net admin worked 150 hours in 10 days during a ransomware attack that hit at 11 PM.

The episode begins with Lee Lahti describing a ransomware attack that hit at 11 PM, leading to all-hands-on-deck efforts and his net admin working 150 hours in 10 days. Host Doug Kameen introduces Lahti as Director of IT at Spectralink Corporation, a small international manufacturer of secure telecommunications devices for healthcare, retail, and manufacturing. Lahti shares his tech origins, starting with an Atari 2600, programming on a Texas Instruments 994A and Commodore 128, and earning an A+ certification. He details his career path from federal government programmer to network technician after obtaining NetWare certification, eventually moving into IT management in 1996. Lahti recounts humorous IT mishaps, including a user repeatedly installing AOL software on corporate computers, leading to an 'IT hall of shame,' and accidentally unplugging an AS/400 expansion chassis during a server installation. He explains Spectralink's global operations in Colorado, the UK, and Denmark, and how joining a smaller international company reinvigorated his career. The discussion shifts to leadership, with Lahti emphasizing leading by example during crises, such as working 16-18 hour days during the ransomware attack, and delegating to experts on his team. He highlights the importance of communication, sharing a story about evolving from hourly update demands to trusted status with a sheriff's office after years of relationship-building. Lahti and Kameen compare old tech practices, like using floppy disks for Windows NT updates, to modern automation. They delve into pop culture, with Lahti declaring himself a Star Wars fan who saw the original film 300 times by age 10 and even rented theaters for private showings. Kameen notes his own preference for Star Trek, leading to a comparison of content volumes between the franchises. The episode concludes with Lahti's advice for emerging leaders: find a leadership style, like his 'informed hands-off' approach, and communicate early about project changes. He tells his younger self to invest in cybersecurity earlier and tech stocks like Google or Nvidia.

As heard by us

A grounded look at the workload, career hindsight, and pressure behind a cyber attack.

A cyber attack gives this conversation its weight as Lee Lottie, Director of IT at Spectralink Corporation, talks through the human toll of keeping an IT team moving under pressure.

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Why you'd press play

You want to know what 16-hour days feel like when a cyberattack turns IT into an all-hands emergency.

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