
Josiah Dykstra, Ph.D.
Josiah founded Designer Security and serves as its chief cybersecurity expert. He has spent 15+ years helping audiologists with cybersecurity, built on a career protecting government networks. His doctoral research pioneered digital forensic investigations of cloud computing.
He wrote three books, including the award-winning Cybersecurity Myths and Misconceptions, and received the 2017 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). He is a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, an associate member of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, and a member of the HIMSS Maryland chapter.
He and his wife, an audiologist, live in Maryland.
Credentials
CHPSE (Certified HIPAA Privacy and Security Expert) · CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) · Security+



Selected talks and publications
Josiah speaks and publishes regularly on telehealth security, AI in healthcare, privacy compliance, and cybersecurity for audiology.
- “A Moonshot for Trustworthy Medical Software Updates Using Automated Insulin Delivery Systems as a Proving Ground,” Josiah Dykstra, Shannon Lantzy, Eugene Y. Vasserman. ACSAC Workshop on Cybersecurity in Healthcare, December 2025.
- “Advancing AI in Audiology: Predictive, Generative, Prescriptive, and Agentic,” Lucy Orr-Ewing, Josiah Dykstra, Matthew Fitzgerald. ADA AuDacity 2025, September 2025.
- “AI in Healthcare: Navigating Risks and Safeguarding Patients,” AudiologyOnline webinar, August 20, 2025.
- “Exploring Technological Challenges in Telehealth for Allied Healthcare Practices,” Faiza Tazi, Josiah Dykstra, Prashanth Rajivan, Sanchari Das. Proceedings of the 2024 HFES 68th International Annual Meeting, September 2024.
- “Improving Privacy and Security of Telehealth,” Faiza Tazi, Josiah Dykstra, Prashanth Rajivan, Kapil Chalil, Jiovanne Hugart, James T. McElliott, Daniel Votipka, Sanchari Das. Communications of the ACM, August 2024.
- ““We Have No Security Concerns”: Understanding the Privacy-Security Nexus in Telehealth for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists,” Faiza Tazi, Josiah Dykstra, Prashanth Rajivan, Sanchari Das. Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, May 2024.
- “SoK: Analyzing Privacy and Security of Healthcare Data from the User Perspective,” Faiza Tazi, Archana Nandakumar, Josiah Dykstra, Prashanth Rajivan, Sanchari Das. ACM Transactions on Computing for Healthcare, March 2024.
- “Privacy, Security, and Usability Tradeoffs of Telehealth from Practitioners’ Perspectives,” Faiza Tazi, Archana Nandakumar, Josiah Dykstra, Prashanth Rajivan, Sanchari Das. Proceedings of the 2023 HFES 67th International Annual Meeting, June 2023.
- “SoK: Analysis of User-Centered Studies Focusing on Healthcare Privacy & Security,” Faiza Tazi, Archana Nandakumar, Josiah Dykstra, Prashanth Rajivan, Sanchari Das. Nineteenth Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS 2023), June 2023.
- “Keeping Compliant with Internal Clinic Communications,” Audiology Practices, vol. 14, no. 4, December 2022.
- “Closing the Gap: Outsourcing for Improved Outcomes,” Josiah Dykstra, Ph.D., Brandon Pauley, Esq., Alicia Spoor, Au.D., Sam Vaught, Au.D. ADA AuDacity 2022, October 2022.
- “Privacy and Security of Telehealth Services,” Sanchari Das, Kapil Madathil, Josiah Dykstra, Prashanth Rajivan, Shubha Setty, James T. McElligott, Jiovanne Hughart, Daniel Votipka. Proceedings of the 2022 HFES 66th International Annual Meeting, October 2022.
- “Explaining Complex Technology to Patients,” AudiologyOnline webinar, May 4, 2022.
- “The Breaches are Coming What to Do Before and After a Breach,” ADA AuDacity 2021, October 2021.
- “SOK: Evaluating Privacy and Security Vulnerabilities of Patients’ Data in Healthcare,” Faiza Tazi, Josiah Dykstra, Prashanth Rajivan and Sanchari Das. 11th International Workshop on Socio-Technical Aspects in Security, October 2021.
- “Cybersecurity Best Practices for Secure Telehealth Delivery,” California Academy of Audiology Convention, September 25, 2021.
- “Cybersecurity Best Practices for Secure Telehealth Delivery,” Maryland Academy of Audiology Convention, September 23, 2021.
- “Getting Started with Google Ads for Audiology,” AudiologyOnline webinar, September 8, 2021.
- “Smartphone Security for Audiologists,” AudiologyOnline webinar, May 26, 2021.
- “Trends in Cybersecurity Behavior Across Audiology Private Practice: How Do You Compare?,” Audiology Practices, vol. 13, no. 1, January 2021.
- “Cybersecurity for Telehealth,” AudiologyOnline webinar, February 3, 2021.
- “Escaping the HIPAA Minefield from Mobile Devices,” Audiology Practices, vol. 12, no. 4, December 2020.
- “Cybersecurity in Medical Private Practice: Results of a Survey in Audiology,” Josiah Dykstra, Rohan Mathur, Alicia Spoor. IEEE 6th International Conference on Collaboration and Internet Computing (CIC), December 2020.
- “Control Yourself! Hands-On Smartphone Security & Privacy for Audiologists,” ADA AuDacity 2020, October 2020.
- “Everyday Cybersecurity Best Practices for Audiology Clinicians,” AudiologyOnline webinar, June 3, 2020.
- “Cybersecurity in an Audiology Practice,” Academy of Doctors of Audiology webinar, March 3, 2020.
Josiah would love to talk with you about protecting your business. Email him at info@designersecurity.com.