Episode 151 - Health is Wealth with Alexis Robertson

In this episode of the Hacker Valley Studio podcast, hosts Ron and Chris interview longtime friend David Tsao.  David is a security advisor who leads security engineering at Marqeta, and he is an ever-innovating wealth of knowledge.  Ron and Chris ask David about his background, philosophy of leadership, and more!  David took a nontraditional route into the security field, as he had a background in chemistry and pharma before breaking into the security community.  Ron and Chris ask David to explain various aspects of his experience, including decisions regarding when to buy or build things, how vendors may find problems to tackle, and his own founder’s journey as a team builder.  David’s story of team-building opens the door to conversation about his role as a leader in the field, and he tells Ron and Chris about his expectations about leadership and how they matched reality, strategies for assuring opportunity for team impact and giving individual employees opportunities, and what he looks for in his work of hiring employees. Another major topic of conversation is David’s philosophy concerning the social commentary of the day.  More specifically, Ron and Chris wonder how he thinks about issues surrounding both diversity and inclusion and wealth and income gaps.  David explains his thoughts and desire to partner with others in work for change, and also shares the story of a past experience tasting social change and feeling like he made a difference.  Finally, David offers advice to listeners eager to make an impact on their own community, as well as listeners looking with a broad vision and wanting to bring change to the world.  1:34 - This episode features David Tsao and starts with a look at his background. 3:48 - David handles questions of building vs. buying and operating as a vendor. 9:54 - The conversation turns to David’s founder’s journey. 13:26 - David is asked about his first step into leadership, including expectations and reality. 15:05 -David gets into some team strategies and ways to best serve individual employees.  20:48 - What does David look for in hiring people new to the security field? 23:59 - Ron and Chris want to know David’s philosophy on social commentary going on now. 28:14 - They ask David to share a story about seeing and contributing to social change. 30:47 - Where should people who want to make a community impact start? 33:37 - What’s one piece of advice to listeners wanting to bring change in the world?   Links: Connect with David on LinkedIn. Learn more about Hacker Valley Studio. Support Hacker Valley Studio on Patreon. Follow Hacker Valley Studio on Twitter. Follow hosts Ron Eddings and Chris Cochran on Twitter. Learn more about ByteChek, and mention Hacker Valley Studio to receive a limited time offer!

18 Nov 202036min

In this episode of the Hacker Valley Studio podcast, hosts Ron and Chris provide a very special episode as they interview Robin Black.  Robin is a martial arts practitioner and commentator, and he is arguably the best martial arts analyst in the world.  He believes secrets to the universe lie in the sacred moments of combat - and that couldn’t be any more true in cyber security.  So what does cyber security have to do with martial arts and analysis?  Ron and Chris invite listeners into the conversation to find out! As the conversation begins, Robin shares about his background, emphasizing the fact that he has the privilege of doing what he loves.  Robin’s work involves taking events and crafting a story in real time; the task is in many ways similar to that of cyber security, but as a general rule,  it requires more speed.  And so, Ron and Chris wonder, what is Robin’s mindset as an analyst?  Robin explains how he developed his interest and skill as an analyst, slowly building skill, sharpening his ability with language, and consciously deciding to go back to the roots of martial arts in his analysis rather than approaching the work as a television announcer typically would.  He is an art curator of violence, so to speak, and is committed to “nutrient rich” commentary.  Moving forward in the conversation, Ron and Chris wonder about what advice Robin would offer to the “little guy.”  Using the example of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Robin explains the value of knowing more, having more knowledge, being able to change, and being confident.  Such strengths help the apparent underdog in both fighting and cyber security.  Much like they considered unhackability with previous guests, Ron and Chris also raise the notion of an unbeatable fighter, and Robin details the reasons why such a fighter is a myth.  Listeners will learn about such things as the cracks and flaws in fighting (which are located in the root of fighting - within belief systems), the workings and danger of muscle memory, how Robin dissects fighters, and how Robin thinks about cyber security!   1:45 - This special episode features Robin Black! 3:19 - The conversation first turns to Robin’s background and what he’s doing today. 5:31 - What is Robin’s mindset as an analyst? 11:21 - Ron and Chris wonder what advice Robin would give to the “little guy.” 14:02 - Is there such a thing as an unbeatable fighter? 17:17 - The episode turns to the flaws and cracks within fighting. 20:54 - What is the component of muscle memory, and what role does it play? 24:31 - Ron and Chris want to know how Robin dissects fighters. 33:24 - Does Robin have any questions about cyber security?   Links: Follow Robin on Twitter, Instagram. Follow Bellator MMA on Youtube. Learn more about Hacker Valley Studio. Support Hacker Valley Studio on Patreon. Follow Hacker Valley Studio on Twitter. Follow hosts Ron Eddings and Chris Cochran on Twitter. Learn more about ByteChek, and mention Hacker Valley Studio to receive a limited time offer!

11 Nov 202036min

In this episode, our guest is Kiersten Todd, a cybersecurity innovator for small and medium sized businesses. Kiersten is also behind creating the legislation for Department of Homeland security. There are very few subjects that Kiersten doesn't have experience on in cybersecurity. She's also the managing director of the cyber readiness Institute. Chris and Ron had a great time speaking to Kiersten and she comes with a wealth of knowledge.    The Cyber Readiness Institute  Kiersten's LinkedIn Email: ktodt@cyberreadinessinstitute.org  Take our Free AttackIQ course and earn your badge here: www.hackervalley.com/easy Get your free audiobook from Audible.com Learn more about Hacker Valley Studio Support Hacker Valley Studio on Patreon Follow Hacker Valley Studio on Twitter

2 Nov 202030min

In this one-of-a-kind episode of the Hacker Valley Studio podcast, hosts Ron and Chris interview two amazing founders who are disrupting the industry and bringing in unique perspectives.  They are Corey White and Craig Goodwin, the founders of Cyvatar, a cybersecurity-as-a-service startup.  The conversation centers on the business itself, Corey and Craig’s journey as founders, and more! The conversation starts with Craig and Corey sharing a bit about their respective backgrounds.  Craig has been a CISO for about 20 years, having moved into that line of work after spending the previous years working for the government of the UK and in security services.  Corey has been in his current industry for about 25 years, and he details his work with companies such as Foundstone and Cylance that eventually led him to his present work.  Craig and Corey share an entrepreneurial spirit that they’ve each had since childhood, but they have complementary backgrounds that help them to work well together, with Corey approaching the company from an industry perspective, and Craig from a CISO perspective. Corey and Craig talk with their hosts about Cyvatar.  They share about their first seed round, the gaining of their first customers, and their aim to be cyber avatars for their customers - putting customer needs first and taking a background role to make the customers look good.  Further, Corey and Craig discuss the way they navigate dynamics of team synergy and collaboration when they live on different sides of the world, address their decision to include services with their startup, explain their slogan and the terminology they’ve developed, and finally share lessons they’ve learned from their journey. 0:56 - This is a one-of-a-kind episode! 2:05 - The conversation turns to Corey and Craig’s respective backgrounds. 5:18 - What is the background of the company? 8:45 - The focus shifts to Craig and Corey’s complementary skills. 13:19 - How did Corey and Craig realize they had an entrepreneurial spirit? 17:06 - A team needs synergy and collaboration. 20:40 - Corey and Craig decided to include services with their startup. 24:57 - The two founders introduced new technology. 27:21 - Corey and Craig are asked about lessons they’ve learned.   Get your free audiobook from Audible.com Learn more about Hacker Valley Studio Connect with Cyvatar on LinkedIn. Follow Cyvatar on Twitter. Connect with Corey White on LinkedIn. Follow Corey White on Twitter. Connect with Craig Goodwin on LinkedIn. Follow Craig Goodwin on Twitter. Email Corey at corey@cyvatar.ai Email Craig at craig@cyvatar.ai Learn about Cyvatar’s recent seed round and press release.

28 Okt 202031min

The Daniel Initiative was kind enough to involve us in a special event for CyberWeek. We produced a live podcast session called "Our Space". Ron and Chris, from the award-winning podcast Hacker Valley Studio, interviewed Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-9th) and Laura Cathcart Robbins from "The Only One in the Room Podcast". Both interviews focused on representation, people of color in technology leadership, and occupying our place in society.   Congresswoman Yvette Clarke's Social https://www.instagram.com/repyvetteclarke/ https://twitter.com/VoteYvette https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvette-clarke-9b3aa810/   Laura Robbins' Social https://theonlyonepod.com/ https://www.instagram.com/lauracathcartrobbins/ https://twitter.com/lauracrobbins?lang=en https://twitter.com/TheOnlyOnePodc1   Get your free audiobook from Audible.com Learn more about Hacker Valley Studio Support Hacker Valley Studio on Patreon Follow Hacker Valley Studio on Twitter Follow Ronald Eddings on Twitter Follow Chris Cochran on Twitter

23 Okt 202056min

In this special 100th episode we dip into the Hacker Valley Studio vault to bring you never before heard content from some brilliant experts in their field. We will be releasing these episodes in their entirety on our Patreon page down below. Travis McPeak Rishi Bhargava Simran S. Sakraney Gary Berman Josh Halbert Nick Vigier Davi Ottenheimer Christina Morillo Rafael Nunez   Get your free audiobook from Audible.com Learn more about Hacker Valley Studio Support Hacker Valley Studio on Patreon Follow Hacker Valley Studio on Twitter Follow Ronald Eddings on Twitter Follow Chris Cochran on Twitter

21 Okt 20201h 4min

In this special live recording of the Hacker Valley Studio podcast,  Chris and Ron are joined by Fredrick 'Flee' Lee, chief security officer at Gusto and an inspirational cybersecurity leader who is focused on making security "lovable" across the organization. Securityweek’s CISO Forum is designed for senior level security leaders to discuss, share and learn innovative information security and risk management strategies. The forum addresses issues and challenges that are top of mind for today’s security leaders and what the future looks like as chief defenders of the enterprise. The Hacker Valley Studio podcast explores the human element of cybersecurity programs and the inspirational stories and knowledge to elevate culture and quality of security programs.   Learn more about Securityweek’s CISO Forum Follow Flee on Twitter Get your free audiobook from Audible.com

12 Okt 202031min

This episode of the Hacker Valley Studio podcast concludes the Hacker Valley Red series.  In this finale, Ron and Chris interview their friend - and formerly their shared roommate - Marco Figueroa.  Marco is a security researcher and cybersecurity speaker, and he is also a bug bounty enthusiast.  He and the hosts constant improvement, bug bounty, and more, while also looking back at the conversations thus far in the season.   At the start of the conversation, Marco shares about his background and what he’s doing now.  He runs through the past 7-8 years of his career, ultimately arriving at his current transition to Sentinel.  Ron and Chris jump in to thank him for his contributions to their podcast, and to share with listeners about their friendship with Marco.  Moving forward, Marco talks about how he first got into the security community, and eventually found a niche in reverse-engineering malware.  He also involved himself in the bug bounty community, and in his various spheres of life, he is committed to building relationships and staying relevant.  Marco explains his system of scheduling calls, his practice of (and future plans for) content creation, and love of learning and feedback.   Throughout the conversation, Ron and Chris lead the conversation to cover a wide variety of topics.  They ask about the possibility of an unhackable device (which Marco denies), the mindset of a hacker, Marco’s philosophy in protection work, and the question of whether or not coding experience is needed for hacking.  The group looks back to former conversation about the hacker mindset (with Ted), about community (with Alex), and about social engineering (with Rachel).  In view of the whole season, the group considers two main takeaways: the value of mentorship and the need to put oneself out there and take a first shot.  Marco shares a lot from his own experience, and makes sure listeners know to press on and trust the process.   -The episode features Marco Figueroa, and listeners are introduced to the content ahead. -What is Marco’s background, and what is he doing now? -Is there such a thing as an unhackable device? -The group talks about Marco’s philosophy in his protection work, the place of social engineering, and the value of building relationships. -What is the hacker mindset, and do you need coding experience to be a good hacker? -If interested in the red side of the field, what should someone do first? -Marco shares about what he sees on the horizon. -The group considers two major season takeaways: the value of mentorship and the need to put yourself out there and take the first shot. -Where is Marco planning to take his contact creation from here?   Links: Connect with Marco Figueroa on Twitter Connect with Marco on LinkedIn Follow Marco’s Livestream Learn more about Hacker Valley Studio Support Hacker Valley Studio on Patreon Follow Hacker Valley Studio on Twitter Follow Ronald Eddings on Twitter Follow Chris Cochran on Twitter Learn more about the season sponsor, RiskIQ

6 Okt 202046min