WE'RE IN!

Jen, a former military professional turned hacker, shares her journey into cybersecurity and her experiences with the Synack Red Team in the latest episode of WE’RE IN! She transitioned from fixing security issues to actively seeking vulnerabilities, inspired by her brother and motivated by her experiences at the storied hacker conference, DEF CON. Jen emphasizes the importance of skill development and preparation for women entering the male-dominated cybersecurity field, and discusses her preferred hacking tools and techniques.

In this episode of WE’RE IN!, Jennifer gives her take on AI in penetration testing, suggesting it should be used as a tool for initial reconnaissance but not for exploiting vulnerabilities. 
 

Listen to hear more about: 

• Why all of Jennifer’s smart home devices’ warranties are voided
• How anyone can be a hacker by following the Open Source Intelligence methodology to find vulnerabilities
• The importance of producing high-quality work and going above and beyond to gain trust in the pentesting industry

Sara Mosley, technical director for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security's Cybersecurity and Technology Services, works with the U.S. State Department to help identify threats and potential compromises. In her role, she advocates for a Zero Trust approach that focuses on protecting critical data rather than trying to secure everything equally. She recommends balancing security measures with mission needs to prevent users from circumventing security protocols.

In this episode of WE’RE IN!, Sara underlines the importance of collaboration between IT and security teams to adequately protect data and address relevant threats in anticipation of the September deadline for federal Zero Trust compliance.

Listen to hear more about:

• The role of the private sector in adopting Zero Trust frameworks and providing security tools
• Preparing for emerging technologies like quantum computing and their accelerated development due to AI advancements
• Why Sara believes hackers will initially benefit more from AI advancements than defenders

Cybersecurity has a complexity problem. A tangled web of technical, psychological, economic and geopolitical factors enable and motivate malicious actors. Michael Daniel, CEO and president of the Cyber Threat Alliance, is helping public and private organizations decode these complex motivations with information sharing, including the Ransomware Task Force. 

In this episode of WE’RE IN!, Michael elaborates on his "immune system" approach for the internet, a strategy where threats are quickly identified and neutralized. But this requires robust – and highly trusted – information sharing between groups. 

Listen to hear more about:

• The threat assessment for the 2024 Paris Olympics, highlighting potential threats from Russia and Azerbaijan
• The need for more resilient software systems that can degrade gracefully rather than catastrophically fail
• Michael’s thoughts on industry diversification and the value of different viewpoints in tackling cybersecurity challenges

Anand Prakash on cloud security startups and next-gen hacking 

Anand Prakash, founder of startup PingSafe, shares his insights on building a successful cybersecurity business and his experience as a top bug bounty hunter. He emphasizes the importance of fast execution, accountability and learning from mistakes when growing the company acquired by SentinelOne, where he’s now a senior director of product management. 

In the latest episode of WE’RE IN!, Anand touches on India's prominence in global tech – particularly in security research and bug bounty programs – and he shares his personal journey into cybersecurity, which began with a curiosity about hacking at a young age in cyber cafes. 

Listen to hear more about: 

• How bug bounty programs have evolved, with companies now more open to ethical hacking due to increased awareness of data breaches
• The viability of government efforts to reduce entire classes of vulnerabilities like SQLi
• If AI is effective in improving red teaming and bug bounty hunting

Ads Dawson, release lead and founding member for the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Top 10 for Large Language Model Applications project, has no shortage of opinions on securing generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and LLMs. With rapid adoption across the tech industry, GenAI and LLMs are dominating the conversation in the infosec community. But Ads says the security approach is similar to other attack vectors like APIs. First, you need to understand the context of AI-related vulnerabilities and how an attacker might approach hacking a particular AI model. 

In the latest episode of WE’RE IN!, Ads talks about including threat modeling from the design phase when integrating GenAI into applications, and how he uses AI in his red teaming and application security work. 

Listen to hear more about: 

The misuse of AI, such as creating deep fakes for financial gain or manipulating powerful systems like the stock market 

The role of governments in securing the AI space and the concept of “safe” AI

How the infosec community can contribute to OWASP frameworks

Integrating security into the product development lifecycle is a tall order for any industry. It’s particularly challenging for healthcare, with its wide range of critical needs from HVAC systems to medical devices. Kevin Tambascio, director of cybersecurity data and application protection at Cleveland Clinic, juggles the need for constant vigilance and staying updated on fast-moving threats to hospitals.

In the latest episode of WE’RE IN!, Kevin discusses the importance of compliance and risk assessment, noting that while compliance with rules like HIPAA is crucial, it's equally important to pressure test controls against real-world threats. Ransomware targeting hospital data is the primary threat, while phishing and potential abuse of generative AI also pose significant risks. 

Listen to hear more about: 

• The benefits of forming an AI task force to enact safe and responsible procedures while enabling clinicians and researchers to explore AI’s potential
• Effectively communicating cyber threats to non-technical staff by relating them to potential impacts on patient safety and business operations
• Application security in healthcare; applications often have access to sensitive patient health information and can be potential entry points for cyber threats

Cybersecurity organizations tend to have unrealistic hiring expectations, according to Tennisha Martin, founder and executive director of the training-focused nonprofit BlackGirlsHack. That can make it hard for would-be candidates to stand out and contribute to solving urgent cybersecurity challenges.

In the latest episode of WE’RE IN!, Tennisha unpacks the important work of The BlackGirlsHack Foundation, which provides training resources and cybersecurity education to underserved communities. That includes giving Black children avenues to complete cybersecurity certifications and snag their first jobs in the industry. 

“Part of the reason why I started BlackGirlsHack was because I was a black girl that was trying to get into cyber security and I was like, hey, I've got a whole bunch of degrees and years of experience and certifications, and if I'm having a hard time, I know that the people who are  fresh out of high school, for example, may be having a hard time as well,” she said.

Listen to hear more about:

• How recently reported corporate cutbacks in DEI initiatives are impacting the work of organizations like BlackGirlsHack
• How Tennisha came to be nicknamed “mother of hackers”
• Why gamifying cybersecurity can be key to building the next generation of cyber talent

A first-of-its-kind 2016 cyberattack on Ukraine’s power grid was a wake-up call for countries around the world to shore up protection of vulnerable energy resources. Mara Winn, Deputy Director for Preparedness, Policy, and Risk Analysis at the Department of Energy's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), is in charge of acting on just that. From securing electric vehicles to safeguarding electric substations, Mara and her team help to ensure the resilience of the energy sector against cyber, physical and climate-based disruptions.

Mara takes a holistic approach to risk management, considering both physical and cyber threats. In the latest episode of WE’RE IN!, she cautions against focusing too much on the "flashy object of the day" and describes why she imbues diversity in risk management for the best outcomes.

Listen to hear more about: 

• Why early implementation of security measures in product development is necessary for distributed energy resources like solar, wind and battery technologies
• How to educate investors, entrepreneurs and designers about understanding the full risk picture in business decisions
• The role of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the Federal Power Act in defining federal and state responsibilities in the energy system

Amy Chang, a resident senior fellow for Cybersecurity and Emerging Threats at the R Street Institute, has many tough problems to consider, from election security to adversarial AI attacks to the geopolitical implications of cyberwarfare. In a world rife with hot takes, she pursues a balanced approach to answering these weighty issues—nothing is an assumed outcome. 

In this episode of WE’RE IN!, Amy provides insights into the potential cybersecurity policies of both the Trump and Biden administrations after the next presidential election, and how AI has the potential for more than just super-powered hacking. In a recently published paper, she and a colleague detailed consequences like inaccurate medical diagnoses or even manipulation of financial markets.

Listen to hear more about: 

The role of cybersecurity in the innovation race between China and the U.S.

The effectiveness of “name and shame” tactics more than a decade after the release of Mandiant’s landmark APT 1 report  

Why bipartisan support for cybersecurity measures may not equate to trust in the election security space 

Dr. Mark Kuhr, a former National Security Agency employee, faced a host of challenges when he co-founded Synack with CEO Jay Kaplan in 2013. As CTO for the security testing company, Mark has led Synack through dramatic growth while working to shift the mindset of some cybersecurity practitioners. For instance, the Synack platform, featuring access to security researchers around the globe, initially faced skepticism—a group of essentially strangers pentesting enterprise networks? Not the most convincing argument for CISOs. But through a trust-but-verify approach, Synack’s take on security testing has risen to prominence in the industry. 

In this episode of WE’RE IN!, Mark explains how he recruited a community of global top hackers to join the burgeoning Synack Red Team – and what’s at stake as AI capabilities ramp up for attackers and defenders alike. 

Listen to hear more about:

• Mark’s predictions about the use of AI for offensive operations, including selecting targets and applying exploits
• Synack’s FedRAMP Moderate Authorized status and how other organizations can secure approval to work with sensitive government data
• How the integration of AI in cybersecurity is increasing the pressure on organizations to patch and mitigate vulnerabilities faster