Hacker Valley Studio

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

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/

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/

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.

00:00 – Introduction

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

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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

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/

The internet once came this close to crashing—and Microsoft was on the front line.

In this episode, cybersecurity veteran Christopher Budd takes us inside the Microsoft Security Response Center during one of the most chaotic cyber events in modern history. From the Nimda worm of 2001 to ransomware turf wars, and the weird future where threat actors post job ads for ransom note writers, Christopher lays it all out with perspective only decades in the game can bring. If you think AI or ransomware is the endgame, you’re not seeing the whole board.

Impactful Moments:

00:00 - Introduction

Links:

Connect with our guest, Christopher Budd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherbudd/

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/

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.

00:00 - Introduction

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/

The best time to be alive is right now—if you know how to use AI. Marcus J. Carey, Principal Research Scientist at ReliaQuest, is harnessing AI to supercharge creativity, cybersecurity, and career development. In this episode, he shares the workflows he uses that redefine productivity, from dictating books in a week to building a personal AI twin.

In this episode, Ron and Marcus highlight AI’s true power—when used right. They discuss why intuition is the secret ingredient, how AI is reshaping cybersecurity, and why people who master AI will lead the future. Plus, Marcus breaks down how he built his own personal GPT, his approach to learning, and why he sees AI as a tool, not a threat.

Impactful Moments:

00:00 - Introduction

Links:

Connect with our guest, Marcus J. Carey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcuscarey/

Grab a copy of Marcus’ book, “Hacker, Inc.: Mindset For Your Career” here: https://a.co/d/8i7waDc

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/

We’re already in World War III—just not the kind you’re thinking of. Cyber warfare is here, and the battlefield is your inbox, your bank account, and your digital identity. So why are we still acting like it’s peacetime?

Dr. Eric Cole, cybersecurity pioneer and former CIA hacker, joins the show to drop hard truths about the state of cyber warfare, AI’s role in our digital future, and why most people are sleepwalking through a war they don’t even realize they’re in. From the rise of deepfakes to North Korea’s billion-dollar hacking economy, this episode is one you can’t afford to ignore.

Impactful Moments:

00:00 - Introduction

Connect with Dr. Eric Cole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericcole1/

Check out Dr. Eric Cole’s books – 

Cyber Crisis: Protecting Your Business from Real Threats in the Virtual World: https://www.amazon.com/Cyber-Crisis-Protecting-Business-Threats/dp/B093X3YNPT

Online Danger: How to Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones from the Evil Side of the Internet:

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/

AI isn’t just evolving—it’s sprinting, and cybersecurity needs to keep up. 

Ron Eddings is joined again by cybersecurity leader Marco Figueroa, Program Manager for Gen AI at the ODIN Bug Bounty Program, who called it in January: 2025 is the year of AI agents, and the early signs are already here. From Grok 3’s speed advantage to AI-powered red teaming for $25K, this is the reality check security leaders need. No more six-month security projects—it’s all about speed, automation, and staying ahead.

Impactful Moments:

00:00 - Introduction

01:45 - Breaking down Palantir’s stock drop

07:15 - Why Grok 3 is a game-changer

10:24 - The real difference between GPT-4 and Grok

17:25 - AI-powered red teaming for $25K?

22:00 - The death of six-month security projects

26:24 - OpenAI’s Operator: The future or a gimmick?

34:22 - How AI is eliminating busywork

36:55 - Next month’s prediction: Agents building agents

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/

What if you could have a conversation with yourself—years into the future? Or leave behind an AI-powered avatar that understands your thoughts, philosophies, and even your voice? In this episode, we explore the mind-blowing potential of AI and its impact on cybersecurity, productivity, and even legacy.

Pedram Amini, Chief Scientist at OPSWAT, joins Ron Eddings to discuss his journey from bootstrapped startups to AI-driven innovation. Together they cover topics like the role of AI in cybersecurity, the rise of fake identities in hiring, the ethics of AI-generated content, and why mastering AI tools is no longer optional—it's essential. Pedram shares his workflow for superhuman productivity, his thoughts on deepfakes, and how AI is reshaping how we work and communicate.

00:00 - Introduction

Links:

Connect with our guest, Pedram Amini: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedramamini/

Check out the entire article about the $17M North Korea insider threat case here: https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/12/arizona_woman_laptop_farm_guilty/

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/