Adventures of Alice & Bob

Today James is joined by Terry Cutler, Founder of Cyology Labs. Terry Cutler is a modern magician, but you won’t find him on a Vegas stage. As a professional hacker and "Cyologist," Cutler uses social engineering and technical wizardry to pull off digital feats like taking down a corporate network by leaving USB drives in the bathroom. In this fascinating interview, he makes cyber threats disappear before your eyes as he recounts tales of infiltrating systems to improve security defenses.

Join The Grugq, an independent security researcher with over 20 years of expertise in cyber warfare, as he unpacks two significant hacks. He recounts the audacious phishing campaign against the Qatar News Agency, using fake academic credentials to infiltrate targets. In another twist, he discusses how the Coinbase hack faltered due to the attackers' overreliance on a flashy zero-day exploit despite simpler, effective methods. Expect insights on OPSEC, deviant security, and the evolving landscape of cyber operations!

Today James is joined by Dr. Ryan Louie who shares captivating stories from the frontlines of psychiatry and insights on protecting mental health in our tech-driven world. Join us as they explore the psychological parallels between social engineering attacks and persuasive techniques used in medicine. Dr. Louie also shares his account of a pivotal moment early in his career that shaped his approach to patient care. Don't miss his enlightening perspective on how breaches of health data violate the deepest levels of patient privacy.

Get inside the mind of hacker Ymir Vigfusson as he sits down with James to recount his early days of finding exploits in SSH and owning an Icelandic ISP at age 14. Learn how he navigated the ethical lines of hacking and later used his talents for good by teaching others. Also, we'll hear the method behind his current zero trust startup after a life spent understanding how things break.

From finding body parts in a warehouse to shaping data privacy legislation in Congress, Michelle Dennedy has never backed down from the unexpected plot twists along her remarkable journey. The chief privacy trailblazer joins Marc today to discuss the real-life stories behind her role in “The Usual Suspects”, her national human microchipping debate on Dr. Phil, the high school pact that led to a career defending consumer data rights, and so much more. Michelle brings her signature wit and wisdom to every tall tale. Get ready for a wild ride with this privacy rebel.

What's it like to rob banks and government facilities for a living? Find out today when James sits down with professional ethical hacker and social engineer FC (aka Freakyclown) to discuss the wild stories from his 30+ year career circumventing security systems. From stealing helicopters and gold bullion, to building secret offices and making friends with targets, hear tales of exploits that sound stranger than fiction in today's episode. FC also shares hard lessons learned and practical advice for improving security.

Today, James finds himself engaged in a captivating conversation with Dr. Cathy Ullman, Principal Technology Architect, Security at University at Buffalo. In their discussion, Dr. Ullman regales James with gripping accounts of her experiences combating the notorious Nimda Virus, a pernicious file-infecting computer worm. She also delves into her firsthand encounters with the tumultuous era of Code Red and other early internet worms, sharing invaluable insights gained from navigating these cybersecurity crises. She also talks about working with law enforcement on cyber investigations and touches on her unconventional career journey through philosophy, forensics and beyond. 

Today James is speaking with Eliza-May Austin, CEO & Co-Founder of th4ts3cur1ty.company. Drawing on her experience with a TeamViewer supply chain attack early in her career, Eliza explains how she built her company's SIEM solution to help businesses of all sizes defend against threats coming through trusted third parties. She also discusses the benefits of purple teaming and shares some amusing moments from working night shifts in cybersecurity, including testing if she can still do roly-polies and giving herself a concussion!

Okta provides identity and access management to some of the world's biggest brands. But what happens when Okta itself comes under attack? In this episode, James sits down with BeyondTrust CTO Marc Maiffret to discuss how BeyondTrust discovered a breach of Okta’s Support Unit, escalated concerns, and gathered the necessary evidence to spur Okta into action. Join us for a rare inside look at how a major provider was compromised, and what we can learn to better defend our own systems.

In this episode James hosts Lynn Dohm, Executive Director of WiCyS (Women in Cybersecurity). Lynn shares the origin story of WiCyS, from humble beginnings as an NSF-funded conference to today's thriving global community empowering women at all stages of their cybersecurity careers. Join us as they discuss systemic issues like the “leaky pipeline,” how to create inclusive spaces in security, and overcoming barriers that cause women to leave the field. Lynn talks data, gives advice for cybersecurity leaders looking to recruit, retain and advance women, and much more! Tune-in to be inspired by the superheroes at WiCyS who are making a global impact for women in cybersecurity.