In Australia’s National Interest - Security of Critical Infrastructure

Pentagram's case study of U.S. citizen Jareh Sebastian Dalke who worked the the National Security Agency and became an insider threat there. He stole top secret information and tried to sell that information to Russia.

If you are fascinated by Harry Potter, psychology, human behaviour, and the complex realities of protective security — this episode is for you.

What do Harry Potter and insider threat have in common?

More than you might think.

In this episode, Tim Slattery and Marina Shteinberg from Pentagram Advisory explores the surprisingly sophisticated insider threat lessons hidden within the world of Hogwarts — from coercion and radicalisation to manipulation, identity compromise, disgruntlement, behavioural change, and the psychology of trust.

Through characters such as Professor Quirrell, Ginny Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Kreacher, Barty Crouch Jr, Madam Rosmerta, Peter Pettigrew, and Severus Snape, we examine how human vulnerability, emotional pressure, ideology, coercion, and organisational culture can quietly undermine even the most protected environments.

This is not simply a conversation about fiction.

It is a discussion about modern protective security, insider threat, human behaviour, workforce resilience, and the growing importance of psychologically informed security programs in today’s critical infrastructure and organisational environments.

Whether you are a Harry Potter fan, security professional, risk practitioner, psychologist, HR leader, or simply fascinated by human nature, this episode offers a unique and thought-provoking lens on one of the most complex challenges facing organisations today: the human factor.

Because beneath the magic, J.K. Rowling was never really writing about spells.

She was writing about us.

In this episode, Tim Slattery and Marina Shteinberg from Pentagram Advisory explore what the recently updated CIRMP annual reporting form may reveal about the evolving expectations of the Department of Home Affairs surrounding governance, operational resilience, assurance, and Board accountability under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018.
The discussion examines the broader shift from compliance-focused attestation toward evidence-based assurance, including what the expanded reporting requirements may mean for Boards, senior executives, and responsible entities preparing for the FY2025–26 CIRMP reporting cycle.

When employees leave, it is often treated as a process — access removed, systems closed, the relationship ended.
But for people, it is a moment of change.
A shift in identity, status and direction — shaped by how that experience is perceived.
At the same time, for organisations, this is often when risk is most concentrated. Knowledge remains. Relationships continue. And control begins to reduce.
So what really happens to trust at the point of exit?
In this episode, Tim Slattery and Marina Shteinberg from Pentagram Advisory explore why exit and post-employment risk are often overlooked — and why how organisations manage people at this moment can shape what happens next.

Insider threat is the misuse by a trusted person of privileged access to, or influence over, assets and operations.  The trusted person’s actions may be unintentional, or their actions may be intentional.  In either instance the harm caused can be the same.  But to become an ‘insider’ a person has to be granted admission.
Australian media reported in April 2026 that an employee of the New South Wales Treasury had been charged for allegedly downloading over five thousand government documents.
In this podcast, Pentagram recounts the public information about the case and explores insider threat issues which the case highlights.