The Security Repo

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we chat with Jake Hildreth, Principal Security Consultant at Semperis, about the enduring challenges of securing Active Directory in a hybrid cloud world. Jake shares war stories from the field, including dangerously misconfigured environments and the real-world impacts of legacy systems. We also explore practical advice for defenders, including the cr...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Andre Van Klaveren talks about his decades-long journey through IT, software development, and application security, culminating in the reboot of the OWASP St. Louis chapter. They discuss the history and importance of OWASP, community building in a post-pandemic world, and how risk-based thinking and strong fundamentals drive effective security practice...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Jenn Gile shares insights from her hands-on security education at DEF CON's AppSec Village, where she ran a wildly successful lottery-style dependency upgrade game. She discusses the challenges developers face with remediation, the importance of empathy in AppSec, and how gamified, tangible learning experiences can bridge gaps between dev and secur...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Narayan Ram Narayanan shares his journey into cybersecurity, sparked by a personal data breach and fueled by a passion for privacy and secure development. He discusses his upcoming talk on threat modeling OpenSSL applications using STRIDE and other threat models, and highlights the value of volunteering and networking at events like BSides. The convers...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Sean Juroviesky joins us to share their journey through cybersecurity, from finding community in BurbSec to giving talks at major conferences like DEF CON and BlueTeamCon. Sean dives deep into the realities of risk management, executive sign-off processes, and the critical importance of understanding business impact. The conversation also touches on th...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Dwayne McDaniel and Sankalp Kumar dive into the world of deepfakes, how they are created using transformer models and GANs, and the real-world scams they enable. They discuss current detection techniques, including physiological analysis, iris scanning, and PKI-based authentication. Sankalp also shares actionable advice for security teams to adopt exis...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we’re joined by Matt Gracie, a seasoned blue team expert and senior engineer at Security Onion Solutions. Matt dives deep into the architecture and practical deployment of Security Onion, a powerful open-source enterprise security monitoring tool. He also shares insights from his role as a cybersecurity educator, reflecting on how generational shifts a...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, software engineer and newly minted CISSP Matt Olmsted joins us to explore cryptographic fundamentals and why understanding them matters for anyone in security. From explaining symmetric vs. asymmetric encryption to the real-world implications of side-channel attacks, Matt delivers practical insights for blue teamers and developers alike. Plus, we dive...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Johnny Xmas shares the grassroots story and philosophy behind BurbSec, a unique InfoSec meetup network focused on genuine community and consistent in-person engagement. He dives into the evolution from IRC to Discord, detailing how digital platforms have helped expand and sustain their hyperlocal connections. Johnny also discusses the broader social im...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we meet Christian Pinkston, a cybersecurity student and car culture enthusiast who's become a recognizable figure in the hacker community. Christian shares his unique journey into cybersecurity—from early experiments with hacking tools to volunteering at major conferences and running mesh networks with Meshtastic and LoRa. He also offers insightful...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we sit down with Matt Glaman, a veteran developer in the Drupal community, to explore the role of static code analysis in maintaining secure, performant, and upgrade-ready PHP applications. We dive into tools like PHPStan and DrupalCheck, and how they help identify deprecations and prevent security risks. Matt also shares insights on mentoring in open...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Manoj Viswanathan shares his unconventional journey into cybersecurity, from a personal phishing incident to mastering Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions and interning at Toshiba. The conversation dives deep into the community-driven value of groups like BurbSec, the practical benefits of hands-on experience over certifications, and the evolving path...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we dive deep into the evolving role of DevSecOps with Nivathan Athiganoor Somasundharam, a technical account manager at Teleport. He shares his journey from cloud engineering to becoming a DevSecOps practitioner, emphasizing proactive security, the elimination of secrets, and the future of identity-based infrastructure access. We also explore how AI ca...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Andy Dennis, VP at Modus Create, joins Dwayne McDaniel to unpack what "shifting left" really means for security and engineering teams. They explore the impact of hands-on security training at B-Sides events, the concept of developer toil, and the role AI tools like GitHub Copilot AutoFix are starting to play in secure coding workflows. Andy a...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we sit down with Rebekah Skeete, COO of BlackGirlsHack, to explore how her organization is increasing diversity and accessibility in cybersecurity through hands-on training, mentorship, and inclusive community building. Rebekah shares the origin story of BlackGirlsHack, their evolving programs including SquadCon and Friday Night Labs, and the core valu...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Thomas Jost shares his journey from software development to becoming a Senior Application Security Engineer, offering insights into the value of diverse tech backgrounds in AppSec. He discusses the real-world friction between security practices and developer workflows, especially around static analysis and CI/CD slowdowns. Thomas also emphasizes the im...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Dwayne McDaniel sits down with Yash Shahani, a seasoned AppSec engineer and vulnerability hunter, to dive into the nuances of manual code review and the limitations of automated security tools. They explore the evolving role of AI in AppSec, its promise and pitfalls, and why human intuition still plays a vital role in catching complex logic flaws. Yash...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Maria Khodak explores how graph theory and data visualization can be used to uncover machine learning vulnerabilities like data poisoning. She explains how her work as a penetration tester intersects with research on threat detection and the importance of making abstract security concepts more human-readable. The conversation also covers her journey in...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Ailin Castellucci shares her inspiring journey from selling shoes to building cybersecurity teams and leading human-centric education projects. She discusses the unique challenges and perspectives of cybersecurity education in Argentina, emphasizing the importance of empathy, communication, and passion in the industry. Ailin also delves into her curren...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Chris Kulakowski, a seasoned detection engineer from IBM, delves into the complexities of threat detection, from writing detection rules to collaborating with red teams for proactive security strategies. He shares insights on prioritizing security risks, the evolving role of AI in cybersecurity, and the importance of adaptability in the ever-changing t...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Bleon Proko dives into the intricacies of AWS security, focusing on the role and impact of quarantine policies in mitigating the risks of compromised credentials. He explains how AWS policies prioritize denial to prevent privilege escalation, lateral movement, and financial fraud, offering practical strategies for securing sensitive identities. Additio...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we welcome back Mackenzie Jackson, security researcher and founder of this very show, to discuss the evolving landscape of AI in cybersecurity. Mackenzie dives deep into how AI is reshaping open-source security, revealing research that uncovered 600 unreported vulnerabilities in popular packages. We also explore the growing risks of AI-generated packag...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we sit down with cybersecurity expert Gerard Johansen to dive deep into identity and access management (IAM) challenges in the enterprise space. We explore the explosion of data and identities, the ongoing debate over who "owns" IAM in organizations, and how threat actors are evolving their tactics to exploit identity-based vulnerabilities. G...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we sit down with Josh Kuntz, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, to explore the unique challenges of securing state agencies. With nearly three decades in public service, Josh shares his insights on navigating government cybersecurity, hiring the next generation of security professionals, and...

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we sit down with Zach Hill from Antisyphon Training to discuss affordable cybersecurity education and the evolving landscape of IT training. Zach shares insights on the importance of hands-on learning, the challenges of misinformation in online education, and how AI is reshaping entry-level IT roles. We also dive into unconventional career paths into s...