CyberBytes: The Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Ankur Shah, CEO & Co-Founder of Straiker AI, fresh off a massive $21M seed raise.Straiker AI is tackling one of the most urgent questions in tech right now: what happens when autonomous AI agents go rogue?Ankur breaks down:- Why agentic AI could unleash both massive productivity and unprecedented security risks- How Straiker’s Ascend and Defend agents are designed to battle “autonomous chaos”- Why startups still have the edge over big tech in the race to secure AI- The future of AI security, and why only AI can defend against AIIf you’ve ever wondered what happens when AI agents start making decisions (and mistakes) on their own, this conversation is a must-listen.Ankur's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankur-shah-aisec/Straiker - https://www.linkedin.com/company/straikerai/Oliver's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverlegg/Aspiron Search - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiron-search/

In this episode, we sit down with Elizabeth Nammour, Founder & CEO of Teleskope, a fast-growing data security startup that’s already protecting enterprise customers. Lizzy shares her journey from building internal security tools at Airbnb to taking the leap into entrepreneurship, fundraising her seed round, and navigating the challenges of being a solo founder.We dive into:How she turned her Airbnb experience into a venture-backed startupWhy AI makes data security riskier than everLessons learned from raising capital as a first-time founderThe future of data security in the era of Copilot, ChatGPT, and generative AIHer best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who are hesitating to startWhether you’re a founder, investor, or just curious about the future of AI and cybersecurity, Lizzy’s story is full of insights, honesty, and inspiration.Lizzy’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethnammour/Teleskope - https://www.linkedin.com/company/teleskopeai/Joseph’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cybercoops/Aspiron Search - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiron-search/

In today’s episode of CyberBytes, we sit down with Murali Basavaiah, co-founder and CEO of Andromeda, to unpack the growing identity security crisis reshaping enterprises today. From his successful exit to launching Andromeda, Murali shares what he’s learned about scaling startups, navigating go-to-market challenges, and staying ahead of rapidly evolving threats.We dive into how agentic AI is transforming both cyberattacks and defense, why identity compromises drive 80% of breaches, and what enterprises must do now to avoid catastrophic risk. Murali also explains the shift from dashboards to conversational AI interfaces, and why explainability, not just innovation, is the key to trust in security.If you’re curious about the future of cybersecurity, AI’s role in shaping it, and the hard-earned lessons of a second-time founder, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.Murali’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/muralibasavaiah/Andromeda - https://www.linkedin.com/company/andromeda-security/Steffen’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steffenfoley/Aspiron Search - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiron-search/

In this BlackHat 2025 edition of CyberBytes, we sit down with Wes Mullins, former CTO of DeepWatch and now the founder & CEO of Icite, for a raw conversation on the future of identity security. Wes shares how his journey from the Marine Corps to cybersecurity leadership shaped his approach to building a startup from the ground up.We dive into why legacy security tools are falling short, how identity has become the hidden bottleneck in modern SOCs, and what it really takes to build a product that cuts through the noise. From insider threats to the slow pace of enterprise adoption, this episode is packed with insights for founders, defenders, and anyone trying to stay ahead of the curve in a cloud-first, AI-driven world.If you're curious about the next wave of identity innovation, and the gritty reality of startup life, this one's for you.Wes's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesmullins/Icite - https://www.linkedin.com/company/icite/Ben's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-gascoigne-aa973317b/Aspiron Search - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiron-search/

In this episode, we sit down with Barmak Meftah, Co-Founder and General Partner at Ballistic Ventures, to unpack his incredible journey from helping take Wells Fargo online in the early days of the internet to building and backing some of cybersecurity’s most iconic companies. Barmak shares stories from his time founding Fortify Software, scaling AlienVault to thousands of customers worldwide, and turning to venture capital.We dive into how Ballistic Ventures is redefining early-stage cybersecurity investing, why data security and AI-driven defenses are at the center of their strategy, and what makes a company truly “investable” in this fast-moving market. From the challenges founders face in finding product-market fit to the emerging threat vectors shaping the future, this is a candid conversation packed with insights for entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone passionate about the future of cyber.Barmak's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barmakmeftah/Ballistic Ventures - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ballistic-ventures/Joseph's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cybercoops/Aspiron Search - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiron-search/

What happens when a history major accidentally stumbles into cybersecurity and ends up founding one of the most talked-about startups at Black Hat 2025? Meet Kristin Del Rosso, Co-Founder and Managing Director of DEVSEC, the AI-powered investigations company tackling everything from crypto heists and missing persons to corporate espionage.In this episode, Kristin shares her journey from sales to malware analysis to building DevSec, why they’ve bootstrapped (and thrived), and how their platform is transforming the way investigators handle massive datasets. From uncovering multi-million-dollar rug pulls to helping law enforcement and lawyers find the “needle in the haystack,” DevSec is redefining what’s possible in cyber investigations.👉 Tune in for insights on:The wild founding story behind DevSecHow AI is changing the future of investigationsBootstrapping vs. fundraising in cybersecurityReal cases of crypto theft, asset recovery, and moreIf you’re into startups, cybercrime, AI, or just love a good founder story, this is one you don’t want to miss.Kristin's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristindelrosso/DEVSEC - https://devsec.com/Ben's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-gascoigne-aa973317b/Aspiron Search - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiron-search/The BlackHat Edition of CyberBytes is proudly sponsored by Marketbridge - a unique blend of strategic growth consultancy and top-tier marketing agency. Marketbridge drives accelerated performance with zero signal loss, seamlessly connecting GTM strategy to in-market execution.Marketbridge: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketbridge/

The internet is under attack, not just from bots, but from agentic AI agents that are rewriting the rules of online security. In this episode, we sit down with Benjamin “BB” Barrier, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of DataDome, the cybersecurity company stopping 15,000 attacks per second.From the early days of scraping Twitter forums in France to building one of the most recognised leaders in bot management, BB shares DataDome’s 10-year journey, why CAPTCHAs are officially dead in 2025, and how the rise of AI agents will change the way we all use the internet.We cover:✅ How DataDome detects fraud in under 2 milliseconds✅ Why cyber fraud is the new frontier in cybersecurity✅ The risks (and opportunities) AI agents bring to businesses✅ What’s next for the internet as humans, bots, and AI collideIf you want to understand the future of online security, and how AI vs AI battles are already playing out behind the scenes, this is the episode you can’t afford to miss.Benjamin's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminbarrier/DataDome - https://www.linkedin.com/company/datadome/Oliver's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverlegg/Aspiron Search - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiron-search/The BlackHat Edition of CyberBytes is proudly sponsored by Marketbridge - a unique blend of strategic growth consultancy and top-tier marketing agency. Marketbridge drives accelerated performance with zero signal loss, seamlessly connecting GTM strategy to in-market execution.Marketbridge: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketbridge/

In this episode of CyberBytes: The Podcast, we’re joined by Shahar Peled, CEO and Co-Founder of Terra Security, the startup shaking up penetration testing with agentic AI.Fresh out of stealth and already crowned the winner of the AWS, CrowdStrike, and NVIDIA Cybersecurity Competition at RSA 2025, Terra is on a mission to turn traditional, one-off pen tests into continuous, AI-powered offensive security.Shahar shares his path from serving in Special Forces, to scaling go-to-market at JIT, to now building Terra with his co-founder Gal. We dig into why offensive security is broken, how AI agents can finally scale what human hackers do best, and why “a human in the loop” is still essential. If you want an inside look at the future of cybersecurity and the rise of autonomous offensive security, this conversation is a must-listen.Shahar's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speled/Terra Security - https://www.linkedin.com/company/terrasecurity/Joseph's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cybercoops/Aspiron Search - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiron-search/The BlackHat Edition of CyberBytes is proudly sponsored by Marketbridge - a unique blend of strategic growth consultancy and top-tier marketing agency. Marketbridge drives accelerated performance with zero signal loss, seamlessly connecting GTM strategy to in-market execution.Marketbridge: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketbridge

In this episode, we sit down with Dominik, Co-Founder and CPO of Mondoo, to explore his journey from ethical hacker to entrepreneur. Dominic shares how his background in penetration testing shaped his approach to building a company that is not just about finding vulnerabilities but actually fixing them. From crashing networks with a laptop in the early IPv6 days to creating automation pipelines powered by AI, Dominik explains why remediation is the missing link in modern cybersecurity. We discuss the hype around AI, the rise of agentic security, and what it really takes to get companies from millions of vulnerabilities down to zero. If you have ever wondered why security teams drown in results but rarely see fixes, this conversation will open your eyes to what the future of cybersecurity could look like.Dominik's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominikrichter/Mondoo - https://www.linkedin.com/company/mondoo/Steffen's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-gascoigne-aa973317b/Aspiron Search - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiron-search/The BlackHat Edition of CyberBytes is proudly sponsored by Marketbridge - a unique blend of strategic growth consultancy and top-tier marketing agency. Marketbridge drives accelerated performance with zero signal loss, seamlessly connecting GTM strategy to in-market execution.Marketbridge: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketbridge/

Live from BlackHat 2025, we sit down with Edgard Capdevielle, CEO of Nozomi Networks, the company leading the charge in protecting the world’s most critical infrastructure. OT security has grown from an obscure niche into a global priority, and Nozomi has been at the center of that transformation.In this episode, Edgard shares his journey from data management and web security into the high-stakes world of industrial cybersecurity, where a single breach can cost hundreds of millions of dollars or even lives. He explains why AI has been in Nozomi’s DNA from the very beginning, how the company scaled from just eight employees to more than a thousand customers worldwide, and what the future of IT and OT convergence really looks like.Whether you are a CISO battling alert fatigue, a tech enthusiast curious about the AI-driven future of cyber defence, or simply want to understand the invisible systems that keep our world running, this episode delivers rare insights from one of the industry’s most influential leaders.Edgard's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/edgardcapdevielle/?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAAAFkYBfxPianxXZTy82duLTUxc6z3fZ18Nozomi Networks - https://www.linkedin.com/company/nozomi-networks-sa/Ben's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-gascoigne-aa973317b/Aspiron Search - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiron-search/The BlackHat Edition of CyberBytes is proudly sponsored by Marketbridge - a unique blend of strategic growth consultancy and top-tier marketing agency. Marketbridge drives accelerated performance with zero signal loss, seamlessly connecting GTM strategy to in-market execution.Marketbridge: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketbridge/