Hackers Have HR Now? featuring Christopher Budd

Most people think red teaming is digital—until someone bypasses your locks, plants a Raspberry Pi in your server room, and walks out with your data. That’s not sci-fi. That’s White Knight Labs. In this episode, Ron talks with Greg Hatcher and John Stigerwalt, co-founders of White Knight Labs, a boutique offensive security firm built on real-world action. They share high-stakes red team operations—like triggering alarms and dodging police during a break-in—and explain why most companies are wide open to physical and insider threats. This isn’t a theory. It’s what’s happening right now, and it’s being executed with precision and purpose.   Impactful Moments 00:00 - Introduction 02:13 - Origin story of White Knight Labs 08:56 - Why physical red teaming is broken 12:20 - Breaking into a lottery facility 16:00 - Hiding from police mid-engagement 22:30 - Getting hired to breach from inside 25:45 - Hijacking code from offshore devs 33:29 - Real difference: red team vs pen test 35:00 - Get in touch with WKL   Links Connect with our guests! Greg Hatcher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryhatcher2/ John Stigerwalt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-stigerwalt-90a9b4110/ Learn more about White Knight Labs: https://www.whiteknightlabs.com   Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional: https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/

22 Touko 202537min

What if fixing cybersecurity wasn’t about more tools, but about unlocking human potential?  In this episode, Ron Eddings welcomes back David Shipley, CEO and Field CSO of Beauceron Security, for a conversation on the real force behind security resilience: people. Together they expose the failure of "reactive" cybersecurity strategies, drawing parallels with preventative healthcare — and explain why culture, psychological safety, and behavior change are the true secret weapons.  Impactful Moments: 00:00 - Introduction 01:36 - The true meaning of "people in cyber" 03:13 - Cybersecurity’s flawed healthcare analogy 07:31 - Nutrition for cyber: proactive strategies 10:00 - MSPs: why selling tools isn’t enough 16:22 - Measuring culture, not just clicks 19:12 - Why people really click phishing emails 23:59 - Building psychological safety in security 30:30 - Celebrating human wins in security 34:00 - The future: empathy, transparency, trust Links: Connect with our guest, David Shipley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dbshipley/ Learn more about Beauceron Security here: https:///www.beauceronsecurity.com/partner Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional: https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/

15 Touko 202544min

Still tracking certificates in a spreadsheet? You’re not alone—and there’s a better way. In this special episode from RSA 2025, Ron sits down with Michael Klieman, Global Vice President of Product Management for Digital Security Solutions at Entrust, to discuss how leading organizations are rethinking cryptographic security. From simplifying certificate management to preparing for a post-quantum future, this conversation covers real-world risks, surprising breach stories, and practical steps for bringing order to crypto chaos—without the stress.   Impactful Moments: 00:00 – Introduction 04:00 – Three major problems with crypto today 06:45 – Certificates often missing from inventories 08:30 – Managing EV charging infrastructure with spreadsheets 11:00 – The two biggest certificate-related risks 12:50 – Expired certs can tank brand trust 14:45 – Automation usually comes after spreadsheets 16:30 – Why quantum risk grows every year 18:15 – Start with a cryptographic inventory 20:30 – Nation-state threats and critical infrastructure 22:15 – AI could fast-track quantum breakthroughs 24:45 – Entrust’s new unified crypto security platform 26:35 – One question every CISO must answer in 2025   Links: Connect with our guest, Michael Klieman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mklieman/ Learn more about Entrust at: https://www.hackervalley.com/entrust   Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional: https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/

8 Touko 202529min

AI is reshaping the cybersecurity battlefield, and cyber adversaries are getting smarter. In this episode, Ron Eddings welcomes Andrey Suzdaltsev, Co-Founder and CEO of Brightside AI, for a look into the evolution of social engineering, AI’s role in personalized phishing, and how Brightside is turning the tables with automation and human-centric protection. From offensive AI simulations to family-inclusive cyber safety, Andrey shares how his team secures both professional and personal perimeters before cybercriminals can strike.   Impactful Moments 00:00 Cyber criminals get a theatrical glow-up 01:47 AI models + personal data = mass fraud 03:42 Brightside’s 3-part solution explained 07:32 Why security must get personal 11:16 Ron’s reaction to Brightside’s realism 13:16 AI research tools now used by hackers 19:33 Why deepfake detection may fail 15:16 Automating attacks with AI agents 37:34 Protecting families = smarter security 41:56 Brightside’s vision for defending human risk   Links Connect with our guest, Andrey Suzdaltsev: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ndrey Learn more about Brightside: www.brside.com Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional: https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/

24 Huhti 202545min

Passwords are the original digital clutter—messy, overstuffed, and way too easy to forget. Like a junk drawer full of old keys and cables, we keep tossing more into them, hoping they’ll somehow keep working. But what if it’s time to throw the whole thing out? In this episode, Ron Eddings is joined by Collin Sweeney of ZKX Solutions and Dr. Chase Cunningham, a.k.a. “Dr. Zero Trust,” for a bold conversation on the future of authentication. From the failures of MFA to the promise of zero-knowledge proofs, the crew breaks down how we got stuck with broken access systems—and what it’ll take to finally fix them. Whether it’s SIM swapping, face IDs, or security keys on the battlefield, this is the real talk on identity security you don’t want to miss. Impactful Moments: 00:00 – Introduction 03:45 – ZKX’s origin: voice verification breakthrough 06:45 – Collin’s “oh crap” SolarWinds realization 09:15 – Why MFA still fails in practice 13:15 – Zero-knowledge proofs explained with a coin 15:30 – How ZKPs reduce identity attack surfaces 17:45 – Making MFA faster, smarter, more human 20:00 – MFA fatigue and ice skating uphill 24:00 – Why people still cling to passwords 30:54 – Quantum fears vs real-world encryption limits Links: Connect with Collin Sweeney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-sweeney-6ab6a5176/ Check out ZKX Solutions new product, Helix: zkxsolutions.com/helix Connect with Chase Cunningham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-chase-cunningham/ Grab a copy of Chase Cunningham's book “vArIable: A Novel in the gAbrIel Series” here: www.amazon.com/vArIable-gAbrIel-Dr-Chase-Cunningham-ebook/dp/B0DVMWCWCD?ref_=ast_author_mp     Check out Hacker Valley’s upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional: https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord B

10 Huhti 202543min

What if the biggest threat to cybersecurity isn’t attackers—but the defenders themselves? Why are we still building tools for experts in a world where technical skills are fading fast? In this episode, Ron Eddings sits down with legendary hacker and investor Robert Hansen (aka RSnake) to talk about startup strategy, LLM-powered workflows, and the uncomfortable truth about skill decline in security teams. You’ll hear how he built an AI-powered threat intel engine, why most cybersecurity advice is outdated, and his hard-earned wisdom on surviving—and thriving—in a landscape built to break you.   Impactful Moments: 00:00 - Introduction 01:30 - Meeting RSnake at Hacker Hoedown 04:50 - AI-powered newsletter curation 08:15 - Ranking news by global impact 13:00 - Keeping LLM costs under 25 cents/day 16:10 - Paths to revenue for cybersecurity pros 24:00 - Why venture capital often kills innovation 33:20 - Cloud migration and the crocodile problem 37:00 - Decline in practitioner technical skill 40:00 - Designing tools for non-experts Links: Connect with our guest, Robert “RSnake” Hansen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberthansen3/   Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional: https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/

3 Huhti 202536s

Marco Figueroa is back, and his AI predictions aren’t just coming true—they’re unfolding faster than anyone expected. AI agents aren’t on the horizon—they’re already here, and security teams are scrambling to keep up. Building on his bold January prediction that 2025 would be the Year of the AI Agent, Marco returns to break down real-world threats, including an insider attack using an infinite logic bomb. From the rise of AI-driven security tools to the biggest risks companies aren’t ready for, this episode is your roadmap to staying ahead in the new AI era.   Impactful Moments: 00:00 - Introduction 02:00 - Insider threat case: Infinite logic bomb attack 06:00 - Why AI will transform security forever 10:00 - AI agents will replace entire workflows 16:00 - The AI pricing war is heating up 22:00 - How to structure AI-driven security workflows 30:00 - The mind-blowing AI coding method you need 38:00 - The future of AI-assisted cybersecurity teams   Links: Connect with our guest, Marco Figueroa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-figueroa-re/ Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional: https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/

21 Maalis 202540min