Are cybersecurity conferences just another industry event, or are they the driving force behind the next big leap in the field? When you think about the future of cybersecurity, do you consider the role of gatherings like Black Hat USA and DEF CON?

In this episode of the Cyber Consulting Room podcast, host Gordon Draper explores the recent Black Hat USA and DEF CON conferences. He is joined by Edward Farrell, an offensive security expert and owner of Mercury Information Security Services, and Shanna Daly, an incident response specialist with Khrushchev. Edward discusses his career in vulnerability hunting and the importance of mentorship, while Shanna shares her experiences as a speaker coach and Call for Papers review board member. They reflect on conference highlights, emerging cybersecurity trends, and the value of community engagement and networking in the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity.

In This Episode:

• (01:07) Guests introduction
• (01:34) Mentorship in cybersecurity
• (19:23) Themes from the conferences
• (19:36) Black Hat research focus
• (20:28) Vendor tools at Black Hat
• (24:11) AI in cybersecurity discussions
• (27:08) Threat intelligence insights
• (31:56) Conference attendance strategy
• (39:39) Managing health at conferences
• (40:34) Post-conference recovery
• (41:21) Sensory overload in Vegas
• (43:14) Defcon badge discussion
• (46:38) Volunteering at Defcon
• (49:39) Future of cybersecurity innovation
• (51:35) Consolidation in cybersecurity practices
• (53:02) Human element in cybersecurity

Notable Quotes

• [00:02:14] "The reward for me wasn't necessarily gaining knowledge or imparting it as I have done in previous years, but mentoring a brand new speaker at B-Sides and supporting my own team who attended DEF CON." — Edward Farrell
• [00:09:52] "You don't need to prove anything to anyone at this point. The fact that you got selected is already a really, really, really awesome thing. Now you just tell your story." — Shanna Daly

Our Guests

• Shanna Daly, with 20+ years in information security, excels in data breach investigations and leading expert consulting teams.
• Edward Farrell, a cyber security consultant with 14 years of experience, leads Mercury and has managed over 900 audits and incident responses. With IRAP accreditation and board roles at ISC2 and CREST, he excels in technical, operational, and strategic consulting. Edward also presents globally and develops training materials for the Australian Defence Force.

Resources and Links

Cyber Consulting Room

• Cyber Consulting Room

Gordon Draper

• https://cybermarket.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordondraper/

Shanna Daly 

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannadaly/
• https://mercuryiss.com.au/

Edward Farrell

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/31337au/?originalSubdomain=au
• https://mercuryiss.com.au/

• For more episodes like this visit https://cyberconsultingroom.com
• You can find more information about Cyber Consulting Room Podcast Host at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordondraper/