Michael and Sam chat with HOU.SEC.CON 2025 speakers Sean Jones and Kaloyan Ivanov! In this episode, they explore how pathways into the cybersecurity industry have evolved across generations, what it takes to go undercover in cybercriminal communities, and why accountability is crucial when engaging in such high-risk work.

Things Mentioned:

• DarkForums Rushes to Hide after Hacker Exposes User IPs - https://cybernews.com/cybercrime/darkforums-ssrf-exploit-leak/
• HSC User Group on August 28, 2025 – https://www.hscusergroup.com
• Get your HOU.SEC.CON. Ticket before they go up on September 1, 2025 -  https://web.cvent.com/event/9ba9c5ea-9502-44a2-922e-d026c047c9f3/regProcessStep1?rp=7fc495f3-0ae2-4b86-a115-0ce784642a9f
• CYBR.SEC.Media - https://www.cybrsecmedia.com
• Register for HOU.SEC.CON. - https://web.cvent.com/event/9ba9c5ea-9502-44a2-922e-d026c047c9f3/register?rp=7fc495f3-0ae2-4b86-a115-0ce784642a9f
• Attend Sean and Kaloyan’s talk on Wednesday, October 1 at 1:00pm in room 350 DEF at HOU.SEC.CON. “How to Become One of Them: Deep Cover Operations in Cybercriminal Communities” - https://web.cvent.com/event/9ba9c5ea-9502-44a2-922e-d026c047c9f3/websitePage:dd3dff4f-9597-4a4b-960e-eb732a9a3853?rp=7fc495f3-0ae2-4b86-a115-0ce784642a9f&session=4d9d59ff-e268-4d78-98a5-fc3754a5a5be

Do you have a question for the hosts? Reach out to us at [email protected] 

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 In this episode:

·      Host: Michael Farnum

·      Host: Sam Van Ryder

·      Guest 1:

In this episode Michael and Sam sit down with Emily Crose - cybersecurity professional, speaker, and author of “Hack to the Future”. Emily shares her journey into the field, the project that sparked the idea for her debut novel, and her candid thoughts on hacker culture. 

Emily will be a featured speaker and author at HOU.SEC.CON. 2025, so be sure to grab your ticket for a chance to receive a free signed copy of her book!

Things Mentioned:

·      HSC User Group on June 26, 2025 – https://www.hscusergroup.com

·      Get your HOU.SEC.CON. Ticket before they go up on September 1, 2025 -  https://web.cvent.com/event/9ba9c5ea-9502-44a2-922e-d026c047c9f3/regProcessStep1?rp=7fc495f3-0ae2-4b86-a115-0ce784642a9f

·      CYBR.SEC.Media - https://www.cybrsecmedia.com

·      Emily’s Book “Hack to the Future” - https://www.amazon.com/Hack-Future-Governments-Relentless-Pursuit/dp/1394169825

·      Register for HOU.SEC.CON. - https://web.cvent.com/event/9ba9c5ea-9502-44a2-922e-d026c047c9f3/register?rp=7fc495f3-0ae2-4b86-a115-0ce784642a9f

Do you have a question for the hosts? Reach out to us at [email protected] 

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In this episode:

·      Host: Michael Farnum

·      Host: Sam Van Ryder

·      Guest: Emily Crose

·      Production and editing: Lauren Andrus

·      Music by: August Honey

We’re chatting with another fantastic HOU.SEC.CON. author and speaker, Doug Landoll! In this episode Michael and Sam talk to Doug about his book “Security Risk Assessment Handbook”, how he transitioned from traditional IT to cybersecurity, and why others should consider a similar path before moving into a GRC role. 

Things Mentioned:

·      HSC User Group on July 31, 2025 – https://www.hscusergroup.com

·      Get your HOU.SEC.CON. Ticket before they go up on September 1, 2025 -  https://web.cvent.com/event/9ba9c5ea-9502-44a2-922e-d026c047c9f3/regProcessStep1?rp=7fc495f3-0ae2-4b86-a115-0ce784642a9f

·      CYBR.SEC.Media - https://www.cybrsecmedia.com

·      Doug’s Book “Security Risk Assessment Handbook” -  https://www.amazon.com/Security-Risk-Assessment-Handbook-Assessments/dp/0367547473

·      Doug’s full catalog of books - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001KIFGHI?ccs_id=88e85151-8947-4a56-8179-82a65592c4e7

Do you have a question for the hosts? Reach out to us at [email protected] 

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In this episode:

·      Host: Michael Farnum

·      Host: Sam Van Ryder

·      Guest: Doug Landoll

·      Production and editing: Lauren Andrus

·      Music by: August Honey

We’re back with another keynote speaker, Robert “RSnake” Hansen! He chats with Michael and Sam about his new book, AI’s Best Friend (and how to get a free copy!), how he started hacking, and his upcoming HOU.SEC.CON. presentation around his research on the CVSS framework. 

Things Mentioned:

·      HSC User Group on June 26, 2025 – https://www.hscusergroup.com

·      Get your HOU.SEC.CON. Ticket before they go up on July 1, 2025 -  https://web.cvent.com/event/9ba9c5ea-9502-44a2-922e-d026c047c9f3/regProcessStep1?rp=7fc495f3-0ae2-4b86-a115-0ce784642a9f

·      CYBR.SEC.Media - https://www.cybrsecmedia.com

·      Robert’s Book – AI’s Best Friend - https://www.amazon.com/Best-Friend-Robert-RSnake-Hansen/dp/B0CWKY91WM

·      Secrets of the Super Hacker by the Knightmare - https://a.co/d/9ekgGvW

·      EHAP - https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/hacker-group-battles-child-porn/

·      The Lawnmower Man - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lawnmower_Man_(film)

Do you have a question for the hosts? Reach out to us at [email protected] 

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In this episode:

·      Host: Michael Farnum

·      Host: Sam Van Ryder

·      Guest: Robert Hansen

·      Production and editing: Lauren Andrus

·      Music by:

Michael and Sam are back with another HOU.SEC.CON. keynote speaker – Dmitri Alperovitch! In this episode they talk about his new book, what he’s been up to since CrowdStrike, and what will be covered in his opening keynote. 

Things Mentioned:

• HSC User Group on June 26, 2025 – https://www.hscusergroup.com
• TAB Cyber Foundation Scholarship Closing July 1, 2025 - https://www.tabcyberfoundation.org
• Get your HOU.SEC.CON. Ticket before they go up on July 1, 2025 -  https://web.cvent.com/event/9ba9c5ea-9502-44a2-922e-d026c047c9f3/regProcessStep1?rp=7fc495f3-0ae2-4b86-a115-0ce784642a9f
• Sponsor HOU.SEC.CON. 
  • View the prospectus - https://www.houstonseccon.com/_files/ugd/965746_2916296a655a465b9fa325eda641741d.pdf
  • Reach out to our Sponsor Wrangler – [email protected]
• CYBR.SEC.Media - https://www.cybrsecmedia.com
• Dmitri’s book WORLD ON THE BRINK: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century - https://worldonthebrink.com
• Silverado Policy Accelerator - https://silverado.org/about/

Do you have a question for the hosts? Reach out to us at [email protected] 

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In this episode:

·      Host: Michael Farnum

·      Host: Sam Van Ryder

·      Guest: Dmitri Alperovitch

·      Production and editing: Lauren Andrus

·      Music by: August Honey

HOU.SEC.CON.'s first keynote speaker is returning for our 15-year anniversary! This week Michael and Sam are talking to cybersecurity legend Jeremiah Grossman about his start in cyber at just 19 years old, what we can learn from cybersecurity insurance companies, and what to expect at HOU.SEC.CON. 2025!

Things Mentioned:

·      What Works in Cybersecurity: Perimeter Security Appliances - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-works-cybersecurity-perimeter-security-appliances-daniel-woods-nuroe/?trackingId=Q3oQadkXRAKArIH8X6LtvA%3D%3D

·      YOUTH.SEC.CON. - https://www.houstonseccon.com/youthseccon

·      Sponsor HOU.SEC.CON. – https://www.houstonseccon.com/_files/ugd/965746_2916296a655a465b9fa325eda641741d.pdf

Do you have a question for the hosts? Reach out to us at [email protected] 

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·      CyberSunday

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Support or apply to our Scholarship Program:

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In this episode:

·      Host: Michael Farnum

·      Host: Sam Van Ryder

·      Guest: Jeremiah Grossman

·      Production and editing: Lauren Andrus

·      Music by: August Honey

Michael and Sam are catching up with Principal Consultant and Co-Founder at Cavalry Solutions, Sean Curry! Sean talks about his transition from the military to the private sector, the importance of standards like IEC 62443 for OT security, and the best way to align IT and OT teams.

Things Mentioned:

·      New study reveals 92% of industrial sites at risk from unsecured remote access - https://www.securityinfowatch.com/critical-infrastructure/press-release/55262827/new-study-reveals-92-of-industrial-sites-at-risk-from-unsecured-remote-access?utm_campaign=4532845-%5BSocial%5D+News+Mentions,+Articles,+and+Bylines&utm_content=323098968&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&hss_channel=lcp-12898104

·      Sean’s Talk: https://youtu.be/Lv6ppq6ZaBs?si=IlBtkFJSEuDshGwF

 Do you have a question for the hosts? Reach out to us at [email protected] 

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In this episode:

·      Host: Michael Farnum

·      Host: Sam Van Ryder

·      Guest: Sean Curry

·      Production and editing: Lauren Andrus

·      Music by: August Honey

In this episode Michael and Sam are talking to malware researcher Dr. Marcus Botacin. Dr. Botacin discusses his journey from early work in sandboxing to advanced malware detection through machine learning, his recent efforts combining LLMs with GANs to create an iterative malware generation system that enhances evasion capabilities, and the importance of scaling defensive technologies to match the generative power of AI in offensive use cases.

Things Mentioned:

• With 'TPUXtract,' Attackers Can Steal Orgs' AI Models - https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/tpuxtract-attackers-steal-ai-models
• GPThreats-3: Is Automatic Malware Generation a Threat? - https://marcusbotacin.github.io/publication/2023-05-01-paper-gpt-number-27
• SoK: All You Need to Know About On-Device ML Model Extraction - The Gap Between Research and Practice - https://marcusbotacin.github.io/publication/2024-05-01-paper-model-extraction-32
• Prospective Students and Research Ideas - https://marcusbotacin.github.io/research/
• HOU.SEC.CON. 2024 Talk: https://youtu.be/5lk_xklzcMg?si=oYyqMMyBUhY0ZbsZ

Do you have a question for the hosts? Reach out to us at [email protected] 

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Support or apply to our Scholarship Program:

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 In this episode:

·      Host: Michael Farnum

·      Host: Sam Van Ryder

·      Guest: Marcus Botacin

·      Production and editing: Lauren Andrus

·      Music by: August Honey

Today’s episode looks a little different as Michael and Sam are talking to the entire YOUTH.SEC.CON. team! Arthi Vasudevan, Reynaldo Gonzalez, and Mary DiFiore-Smith joined the podcast to discuss all aspects of our first event focused on 9th – 12th grade students. Listen now to learn about the talks and activities, eligibility, registration, safety, and more! 

Things Mentioned:

·      Arthi’s episode - https://www.buzzsprout.com/2215185/episodes/14638988

·      YOUTH.SEC.CON. Clip - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7303136605781774336

·      Learn more about YOUTH.SEC.CON. - https://www.houstonseccon.com/youthseccon

·      Questions about YOUTH.SEC.CON. of group ticket? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

·      TAB Cyber Foundation - https://www.tabcyberfoundation.org

Do you have a question for the hosts? Reach out to us at [email protected]  

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Check out our other show:

·      CyberSunday

Check out our Conferences and Events:

·      HOU.SEC.CON.

·      OT.SEC.CON.

·      EXEC.SEC.CON.

·      HSC User Group

Support or apply to our Scholarship Program:

·      TAB Cyber Foundation

In this episode:

·      Host: Michael Farnum

·      Host: Sam Van Ryder

·      Guest: Arthi Vasudevan

·      Guest: Reynaldo Gonzalez

·      Guest: Mary DiFiore-Smith

·      Production and Editing by: Lauren Lynch

·      Music by: August Honey

Sam and Michael are joined by Offensive Security Advisor, Darin Fredde! They discuss the need to move beyond compliance checkboxes, the importance of continuous pen testing, and the disconnect between marketing claims and real-world security implementations. 

Things Mentioned:

• Having trouble with your OT.SEC.CON. or EXEC.SEC.CON. ticket? Reach out to us at [email protected]
• Expired Domains Allowed Control Over 4,000 Backdoors on Compromised Systems - https://thehackernews.com/2025/01/expired-domains-allowed-control-over.html
• Watch Darin’s Talk: https://youtu.be/SAW0qdTgcWY?si=Z_Dc-gNWcPtjdVgi

Do you have a question for the hosts? Reach out to us at [email protected]  

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Check out our other show:

·      CyberSunday

Check out our Conferences and Events:

·      HOU.SEC.CON.

·      OT.SEC.CON.

·      EXEC.SEC.CON.

·      HSC User Group

Support or apply to our Scholarship Program:

·      TAB Cyber Foundation

In this episode:

·      Host: Michael Farnum

·      Host: Sam Van Ryder

·      Guest: Darin Fredde

·      Production and editing: Lauren Andrus

·      Music by: August Honey