The Wake UP X Solutions - Securing Tomorrow, Empowering Today with Efren L. Salazar

🎙️ Live from RSA Conference, I sat down with Stacy to talk about her journey into cybersecurity and her first experience attending one of the biggest security conferences in the world. Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/efrenlsalazar Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-dittaIn this interview, we cover:🔹 What it’s like attending RSAC for the first time🔹 How a background in healthcare & bi...

Great connecting with Louis Kemp at RSA Conference 2026! 🎙️ We had an insightful conversation about his journey from help desk to cybersecurity leadership, and now building his own consulting company. 💡 Key takeaways from our conversation: Start with the foundations, help desk experience builds real understanding Cybersecurity is evolving toward autonomous penetration testing Mentorship is critic...

🎙️ Controlling Production Access Just Got Smarter At RSAC, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk about something every cybersecurity professional Gergely Dányi should care about, production access control. I spoke with the team from P0 Security, and here’s what stood out 👇🔐 What is P0 Security ?P0 Security is an authorization control plane that helps organizations manage and enforce access...

🤖 AI in Cybersecurity: Hype or Reality? At RSA Conference in San Francisco, I asked Johnny Norris from Concentric AI a simple question:**Is AI actually real… or just hype?**Here’s the honest answer 👇💡 There *is* real power in AI—but there’s also a lot of noise. Many companies are jumping on the trend, but not all are truly using AI. Some are just rebranding existing solutions, what Johnny calle...

🎙️ From High School Cyber Competitions to AI Security 🔐 At RSA Conference 2026 , I sat down with Sana Talwar to talk about breaking into cybersecurity—and what it really takes. 💡 How she started: AP Computer Science CyberPatriot (CTF-style competitions) Passion for problem-solving 🚀 What actually got her into cyber? Internships. She explored multiple paths: Software engineering in security Netw...

Efren Salazar discusses imposter syndrome on the Wakeup X Solutions podcast, explaining it as the inner voice that says you’re not valuable, ready, or knowledgeable and that others will expose you. He shares that imposter syndrome is common across IT and cybersecurity—from beginners to executives—and describes his own experience transitioning from IT into cybersecurity while questioning whether he...

In this episode of the Wake Up X Podcast , we sit down with James to break down his journey from Help Desk to leadership and CISSP , using a light football-style framework to talk about mindset, preparation, pivots, and long-term growth. We cover what it really takes to break into cybersecurity , why Help Desk is a powerful foundation , and how to think beyond tools and start thinking like managem...

In this episode of the Wake Up X Podcast, Efren sits down with Gustavo Mastroianni, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at a California state agency, to break down the real impact of AI in cybersecurity. We dive deep into:How fast AI is evolving (faster than expected)Whether AI will replace jobs or create new onesAI in SOC, GRC, and automation workflowsData Loss Prevention (DLP) and AI guard...

🚨 Replay: LIVE Cybersecurity Podcast! Curious about breaking into cybersecurity or becoming a CISO? Tune in for an insightful Q&A with a cybersecurity expert, educator, and advisor who shares his career journey from tech engineer to CISO, professor, and ISACA chapter president.💬 What You'll Learn:• How to start a cybersecurity career with no degree or certifications• The key differences...

🎙️ Wake Up X: Cybersecurity, Innovation & Real Talk 🚨Host: Efren L. Salazar | Cybersecurity Enthusiast | Entrepreneur | IT ProWelcome to Wake Up X, the podcast where cybersecurity, AI, automation, and entrepreneurship collide. We keep it real while helping you navigate the fast-changing world of tech—from breaking into cybersecurity to scaling in your career or business. Each week, Efren L. S...

✨Exciting Announcement! ✨ Follow: ⁠Gustavo Mastroianni⁠ - CISO⁠ Follow: ⁠Efren L. Salazar - Wake UP X - Podcast⁠ I’m thrilled to introduce ⁠Gustavo Mastroianni ⁠as the first guest on my virtual podcast! Gustavo Mastroianni is a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) responsible for overseeing technical and cybersecurity operations in his organization. With his vast expertise and leadership in...