Anthony Candeias serves as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Weight Watchers, where he leads the company’s global security strategy, operations, and governance. With a career rooted in both public and private sectors, Anthony's path to cybersecurity leadership began with infrastructure and evolved through firsthand experience battling an advanced persistent threat (APT). From the Ford Foundation to Columbia University and now Weight Watchers, he’s built a reputation for transforming legacy systems into modern, cloud-native architectures while promoting resilience through red and blue team synergy. In addition to his executive responsibilities, he remains active in academia, teaching cybersecurity and mentoring the next generation of professionals.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- The foundational role of purple teaming in modern security operations
- Why APTs are shifting toward AI-powered attack strategies
- The real danger of agentic AI versus generative AI
- Practical ways to strengthen detection and response capabilities
- Anthony's unique entry into cybersecurity through a year-long APT investigation
- His advice for breaking into tech with a focus on cloud and infrastructure
- Why AI should be treated like an intern, not a replacement
- How Weight Watchers built scalable security in a fully cloud-native environment
In this episode…
Anthony shares how an early brush with an APT shaped his entire security career. At the time, he was managing infrastructure for a global business when federal agents revealed that his organization had been compromised. That launched a one-year investigation that taught him more than any course ever could. The APT used subtle techniques like PowerShell commands and login impersonation to bypass detection. These tactics were formative, shifting Anthony’s mindset toward purple teaming—offensive and defensive practices combined.
Now at Weight Watchers, Anthony draws on that background to anticipate how attackers operate and how defenders can stay one step ahead. He warns that the next generation of cyberattacks will be driven by agentic AI—tireless, intelligent systems that don’t need rest or make human mistakes. Unlike simple generative AI, these autonomous agents can continuously probe, learn, and exploit weaknesses at scale.
Despite the daunting threat landscape, Anthony remains pragmatic. He encourages companies to adopt continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) solutions and to treat AI like a tireless assistant, not a threat. Drawing from his teaching experience and real-world war stories, Anthony recommends cloud security as a smart entry point for those breaking into the field. His advice is clear: get hands-on, embrace infrastructure, and leverage AI to scale—not replace—your human potential.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Matthew Connor on LinkedIn
CyberLynx
Anthony Candeias on LinkedIn
Weight Watchers Website
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