Adventures of Alice & Bob

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Wysopal (aka Weld Pond), co-founder of the legendary L0pht Heavy Industries and CTO/co-founder of Veracode. Chris takes us on a journey from programming BASIC on cassette tapes in the 1970s, through the golden age of BBS culture and phreaking, to testifying before the U.S. Senate as one of the first hackers to bring security concerns to Capitol Hill. You'll...

In this episode, James Maude talks with Ralph Echemendia “the ethical hacker” whose journey from Miami phone phreak to Hollywood’s top cybersecurity consultant is stranger than fiction. Ralph shares how hacking printers and hospital records jump-started his career, why tracking down an Eminem album leak turned into an international manhunt, and what Oliver Stone learned about the NSA at DEF CON. F...

James sits down with cybersecurity pioneer HD Moore, the legendary founder of the Metasploit framework, whose journey from dumpster-diving teenager to cybersecurity pioneer was anything but easy.   HD recounts how Microsoft called his employer weekly trying to get him fired for releasing exploits — harassment that ultimately motivated him to "drop zero days continuously, forever, until it got norm...

In this episode, James Maude sits down with Kevin E. Green, Chief Security Strategist at BeyondTrust, whose 25+ year career stretches from configuring Nokia firewalls in basements to shaping federal research initiatives. Kevin recalls how crashing systems during penetration tests at Ernst & Young was once considered a win - a “capture the flag” moment - and how he crossed paths with future industr...

In this episode, James Maude sits down with Brian Wagner, CTO at Revenir, whose cybersecurity story started at just 15, building Microsoft Access databases for a medical hospice. From teenage entrepreneur to AWS security specialist, Brian’s path has been anything but ordinary. He pulls back the curtain on his time with the elite Zipline incident response team where he confronted a catastrophic VPC...

Join host James Maude for a candid conversation with Matthew Toussaint - founder of Open Security and mastermind behind the legendary Subterfuge framework that once forced Starbucks to overhaul its Wi-Fi security. From his unexpected path as an aspiring Air Force lawyer to becoming a renowned cybersecurity educator, Matthew shares a lifetime of stories: a physical pen test that went spectacularly...

Former FBI Supervisory Special Agent Miguel Clarke joins hosts James Maude and Marc Maiffret to reflect on 25 years at the front lines of cybersecurity. From coding in BASIC on his Commodore 64 to helping uncover the digital trail behind 9/11, Miguel shares raw, behind-the-scenes stories of how real cyber investigations unfold. In this episode, you'll hear how a casual beer in Nebraska sparked a c...

Tommy DeVoss—aka "dawgyg"—is back for round two, and it’s even wilder. A former black hat who faced prison four times, Tommy turned his life around and became a legend in the bug bounty world. From max-sec prison cells to flexing a championship belt on stage at HackerOne Live, his story is pure hacker folklore. In this episode, he shares how bug bounties bought him mini donkeys, why he still hunts...

BeyondTrust's 2025 Microsoft Vulnerability Report dropped—and it’s a wake-up call. With 1,360 new vulnerabilities and elevation of privilege attacks dominating the landscape, even insurance companies are backing away from covering privileged service accounts. In this special episode, cybersecurity veterans James Maude, Paula Januszkiewicz, Sami Laiho, Kip Boyle, and Charles Henderson dig into what...

In today’s episode, James Maude chats with Robin Wood—better known as “DigiNinja”—the creator of DVWA and co-founder of SteelCon. Robin shares wild stories from his hacking career, including an infamous SQL injection that accidentally overwrote every customer’s credit card info on a gambling site, how he took down entire client networks with just two packets, and the origins of the UK’s most eccen...

In today's episode, James Maude dives into the world of cyber warfare, espionage, and hacked satellites with the legendary Chris Kubecka—aka the "Chief Hacktress." From grounding overconfident pilots as one of the first female C-5 loadmasters, to investigating mysterious “vampire satellites” that silently disable spacecraft, Chris has lived a life straight out of a cyber-thriller. She recounts her...

In this episode, host James Maude sits down with Runa Sandvik, a cybersecurity pioneer protecting journalists and vulnerable populations worldwide. From hacking wi-fi enabled rifles to creating secure tip systems for The New York Times, Runa shares the fascinating journey that led her from Norway's tight-knit tech scene to the frontlines of digital security. 

In this episode, cybersecurity veteran, Kymberlee Price joins James and Marc for a riveting conversation that traces her unconventional path from public health to becoming a pioneering force at Microsoft Security. Kymberlee opens up about her classified work tracking down the creators of the infamous Zotob worm, and how that experience helped reshape how companies collaborate with security researc...

In this episode, James Maude chats with industrial cybersecurity expert Lesley Carhart (aka "Hacks for Pancakes"), whose journey from programming on her family farm to protecting critical infrastructure was shaped by curiosity and determination. Lesley reveals how moths accidentally activating a power plant touchscreen led to a late-night "Chinese hackers" investigation, explains why she carries a...

In this episode, James Maude chats with cyber threat intel pro Brian Kime, whose journey from the Army’s infamous “chemical guy” to security expert was partly inspired by Starship Troopers. Brian dishes on his legendary Dell SecureWorks phishing op that hit a wild 50% click rate—by predicting an IPO years ahead of time. He also unpacks why vulnerability management can stall business and how design...

James Maude chats with Roger Grimes, a 36-year cyber veteran and KnowBe4’s Defense Evangelist. From hacking DOS viruses for John McAfee to catching Chinese APT hackers red-handed, Roger’s war stories are unforgettable. But he’s not just here for the drama—he lays out a bold plan to fix Internet security and reveals why social engineering remains our biggest blind spot. Don't miss this episode—it's...

In this episode, James sits down with Sounil Yu, the mind behind the Cyber Defense Matrix and DIE Triad frameworks that have transformed how organizations approach security. From his early days getting stuffed in lockers as a self-described computer geek to becoming a disruptive force at Bank of America and co-founding Gnostic, Sounil shares the mental models that have guided his three-decade jour...

In this episode, James chats with Richard Stiennon—cybersecurity analyst, author, and former aerospace engineer—whose 20+ year journey spans from designing car seats to hacking corporate systems for giants like Dell. Hear how a 1992 magazine article led him to launch his own ISP and rise to prominence at Gartner. Richard shares his personal stories from the frontlines of cybersecurity, his crusade...

Step into the fascinating mind of Keren Elazari—the first Israeli woman to give a TED Talk and a trailblazing force in cybersecurity. Once rejected by her school’s D&D group, she defied expectations to become a globally recognized security analyst, reshaping the narrative around hackers. In this episode, we dive into Keren’s remarkable journey—from a curious young girl armed with an encyclopedia a...

In this episode, James sits down with Tommy DeVoss (aka Doggy G), who went from a teenage hacker dodging federal prison to becoming one of the most successful ethical hackers in the world. Tommy spills raw, unfiltered stories about his wild days in IRC channels, running with the infamous World of Hell hacking group, and somehow managing to turn his life around to rake in over $4 million in bug bou...

Join James as he sits down with Mishaal Khan, a seasoned cybersecurity expert with over 20 years of experience in outsmarting attackers. From his early days hacking PC games to his current mission of safeguarding high-profile individuals, Mishaal offers fascinating insights into the world of open-source intelligence (OSINT) and social engineering. Discover how he’s intentionally erased his digital...

Today, James Maude sits down with Dustin Haywood, better known as Evil Mog, Executive Managing Hacker at IBM's X-Force. Together, they talk about Evil Mog's fascinating journey from telemarketing to becoming a globally recognized expert in password security. He shares stories, including how he managed a high-stakes data center crisis, creatively navigated IBM's corporate culture through social eng...

Join hosts James Maude and Marc Maiffret as they dive into a captivating conversation with industry legend Morey Haber. With over two decades of experience—going back before CVEs were even a thing—Morey delivers a bold look at the security threats of 2025 and beyond. Is AI on the verge of bursting its hype bubble? Are hidden paths to privilege the next battleground? The group discusses how today’s...

Join host James Maude as he talks all things cryptography with Sophie Schmieg, a Staff Information Security Engineer at Google. In this episode, Sophie shares her journey from pure mathematics to applied cryptography, revealing how her background in algebraic geometry provides a distinctive approach to modern security challenges. From discovering major vulnerabilities in AWS to creating solutions...

Today, Marc and James welcome Brooke Denney, a rising star in cybersecurity who brings a dynamic, cloud-first perspective to the ever-evolving industry. Brooke shares her inspiring journey from aspiring veterinarian to accomplished security engineer, offering insights into the fascinating world of AI-powered phishing, modern security challenges, and safeguarding critical infrastructure. As a senio...