Legitimate Cybersecurity Podcasts

What if you could break down every cyberattack into just 7 steps? In this episode of Legitimate Cybersecurity, Frank and Dustin dive deep into the Cyber Kill Chain — Lockheed Martin’s 7-stage framework for understanding and stopping attacks — and compare it to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, hacker methodology, and even… honeypots, magicians, and Christopher Nolan films. We cover: The 7 stages: Re...

Quantum computing is no longer science fiction—it’s a ticking clock for modern encryption. In this episode of Legitimate Cybersecurity, Frank and Dustin break down Q-Day, the moment when quantum computers may render current cryptography useless. We explore how close we really are, the science (and hype) behind quantum technology, and what CISOs should be doing NOW to prepare. Along the way, expect...

Today on Legitimate Cybersecurity, Frank and Dustin dive deep into the weird, wild, and worrying world of IoT (Internet of Things) — from smart thermostats and connected doorknobs to pacemakers with IP addresses and hacked fish tanks. You’ll hear real-life stories of IoT gone wrong (including a connected beer brewer used for hacking), explore the creepy rise of biohacking and RFID implants, and fi...

Dr. Charles Harry — former NSA leader, cybersecurity strategist, and professor at the University of Maryland — joins Legitimate Cybersecurity to expose the hidden gaps in U.S. cyber defense. From nation-state strategy to local school vulnerabilities, this episode uncovers why most cybersecurity efforts are missing the mark… and how to fix it. We explore: Strategic cyber risk (not just IT vulnerabi...

🎙 In this episode of Legitimate Cybersecurity, we dive deep into the unsettling reality of AI in modern cybercrime. Senator Marco Rubio was impersonated by AI in a high-level cyber deception campaign, and that's just the beginning. Frank and Dustin unpack: 🧠 Deepfake threats to democracy 🔐 Signal messaging & nation-state exploitation 🧪 Data poisoning and post-truth dangers 🛡️ AI in cybersec...

Are you curious about penetration testing, aka legal hacking? In this episode of Legitimate Cybersecurity, Frank and Dustin tear down the myths of hacking, break down real-world pen testing, and share hilarious (and horrifying) war stories from the field. We cover: ✅ The skills you actually need to get into pen testing ✅ What certs like OSCP, CEH, and GPEN really mean ✅ Why most companies have...

Sorry in advance for the wonk audio!! AI is everywhere—and it's not just writing poems or generating cat pics. In this episode of Legitimate Cybersecurity, Frank Downs and Dustin Burr dive deep into the impact of artificial intelligence on the world of cybersecurity. From the myth of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) to AI-powered pentesting and blue team burnout, we demystify the buzzwords, t...

In this powerful and wide-ranging episode of Legitimate Cybersecurity, Frank and Dustin are joined by Micah Heaton, Executive Director of Product & Innovation Strategy at BlueVoyant and 2025 Microsoft Security Changemaker. 🎧 We talk: Why Micah champions the quiet defenders in cybersecurity The hidden art of communicating technical truth AI vs hype: what’s real, what’s marketing How tribalism...

What happens when the man who brought down Silk Road and Silk Road 2.0 joins us to talk about the largest credential breach in history? In this episode, Austin Berglas — former Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cyber Branch in New York — shares behind-the-scenes stories from taking down some of the most infamous dark web marketplaces, tracking cybercriminals through the rise of Tor an...

🎙️ Welcome back to another episode of Legitimate Cybersecurity, where Frank and Dustin dive deep into the misunderstood world of cyber maturity. From donut shop risk models to executives clicking phishing emails (yes, really), this episode brings laughs, lessons, and legal implications. Learn: What cyber maturity really means Why frameworks like NIST CSF and ISO 27001 matter How corporate culture...

In this conversation, Frank and Dustin explore the critical themes surrounding cybersecurity, including its impact on businesses, the vulnerabilities organizations face, the role of leadership in fostering a secure environment, the importance of frameworks and standards, and the necessity of building a culture of cybersecurity. They discuss real-world examples of companies affected by cyber incide...

After a three-year hiatus, Frank Downs and Dustin Brewer are back—older, wiser, and still talking into microphones they probably shouldn’t be trusted with. In this launch of their new podcast: Legitimate Cybersecurity, the two 20-year cyber veterans tackle one of the industry’s most persistent problems: why patching is still broken in 2025. They explore: The cultural and business reasons patching...