Social Engineering Psychology - Ep 60 - Boris Goncharov, AMATAS & Plainsea

In Episode 60 of the Cybersecurity Matters Podcast, we sit down with Boris Goncharov, Chief Strategy Officer at Plainsea and Co-Founder of AMATAS. With over 20 years of experience in information security, Boris brings a refreshingly unconventional perspective to cybersecurity, shaped by his background in fine art and philosophy.

Boris shares his fascinating journey from aspiring painter to cybersecurity leader, revealing how his early experiences with gaming sparked an interest in understanding how systems work and can be manipulated. He discusses how creative thinking and artistic perspectives enhance security problem-solving, offering unique insights that challenge traditional approaches to the field.

Key Topics Covered:

• From fine art and philosophy to cybersecurity leadership
• How gaming influenced security mindset and hacking curiosity
• The psychology behind social engineering attacks
• AI deepfakes transforming the cyber threat landscape
• Balancing security paranoia with business enablement
• Why the human factor remains the biggest vulnerability
• Foundational security practices that still work today
• The exhausting reality of constant learning in cybersecurity
• Career advice: stubbornness, discipline, and sacrifice required

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
01:16 Boris' Unconventional Path to Cybersecurity
07:11 The Role of Creativity in Cybersecurity
12:59 Challenges and Insights in Building Cybersecurity Teams
25:29 Leadership Realizations and Communication
30:13 The Evolution of Cybersecurity
32:51 Complexity and Security Challenges
38:43 Practical Cybersecurity Advice

About Boris Goncharov:

Boris Goncharov is Chief Strategy Officer at Plainsea and Co-Founder of AMATAS, with over 20 years of experience in information security. His expertise spans information security strategy and management, cloud security, social engineering, penetration testing, and physical security. Boris has led enterprise-wide security programs across diverse industries and is an experienced instructor, having taught official CEH, ECIH, and CISSP courses since 2010. He is a frequent speaker at international security conferences.

About Plainsea: Plainsea provides strategic cybersecurity solutions helping organisations navigate complex security challenges and build resilient defences against evolving threats.

About AMATAS: AMATAS is redefining how businesses protect themselves against emerging threats through innovative security approaches and strategic consulting.

The Cybersecurity Matters Podcast is brought to you by neuco, a global recruitment agency that specialises in sourcing brilliant people for groundbreaking companies.