Best Hack The Dino Podcasts (2025)

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#62 Is InfoSec Slowing Down? Threat Models Explained ft. Carl Vincent (vyrus) 39:49

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21h ago39:49

39:49

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Kyser Clark sits down with Carl Vincent, better known as Vyrus, to unpack the shifting realities of cybersecurity. Carl shares straight talk on the Silver Bullet ecosystem that fraud actors rely on, why today’s cybercrime is more about account access than shell popping, and how blue teams can actually turn cri…

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Octopuses Use Suckers To ‘Taste’ Harmful Microbes

20h ago

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Put on your party hat and wet suit because it is Cephalopod Week, Science Friday’s annual celebration of all things, octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish. To kick things off, we’re bringing you an ode to the octopus arm. You may have heard that octopuses can use their arms to “taste” their surroundings, which they use for finding food. Now, researchers…

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#61 How to Level Up Fast in Your First Cybersecurity Role ft. Ryan Daub 34:47

6d ago34:47

34:47

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, returning guest Ryan Daub shares his journey from IT support to offensive security and reveals practical advice on how to level up fast in your first cybersecurity role. We cover the importance of mastering fundamentals, documenting your work, learning from failures, and asking questions without fear. Ryan als…

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#60 Shellcode Evasion in 2025: What Still Works (and What Doesn’t) ft. Robert O’Connor 39:55

13d ago39:55

39:55

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Kyser Clark sits down with Red Team Consultant Robert O’Connor to unpack the realities of shellcode evasion in 2025. They dive into how antivirus and EDR solutions actually detect malicious payloads, the rise of fileless malware, and why network-level detection is still overlooked. Robert shares his hands-on e…

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#59 Q&A: You Can’t Choose Wrong in Cybersecurity 24:19

17d ago24:19

24:19

In this Q&A episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Kyser Clark tackles some of the biggest questions aspiring and active cybersecurity professionals ask. From whether you should stack network pentesting certs like CPTS, OSCP, and PNPT or mix in web certifications like OSWA and CBBH, to why you really can’t choose wrong in cybersecurity as long as you keep …

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#58 Why Attention Is the Real Currency in Cybersecurity ft. Tadi 38:41

20d ago38:41

38:41

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, I sit down with penetration tester Tadi Kandango to unpack why attention is the real currency in cybersecurity. We talk about how he broke into pentesting without a degree, the role certifications actually play, and why sharing your work publicly can open more doors than quietly grinding in the background. Whe…

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#57 The AI Security Threat No One Sees Coming ft. Dino Dunn 38:40

23d ago38:40

38:40

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Kyser Clark sits down with Dino Dunn, an AI security professional and cybersecurity instructor, to uncover the hidden risks most organizations overlook when adopting large language models and AI tools. From overlooked governance issues to the dangers of Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and even how comprom…

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#56 Beyond Certs: The Skills That Actually Matter in Pentesting ft. Nick Aures 37:11

26d ago37:11

37:11

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, senior penetration tester and red teamer Nick Aures shares the skills and habits that matter most in pentesting beyond certifications. We discuss real-world experiences from breaking into the field to finding critical vulnerabilities in companies like Tesla, USAA, and Asana. Nick reveals why strong communicati…

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The Animal Shelters are Full

1M ago

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The animal shelters in New York are full. There are feral cat colonies around the city. So what do we do? Will Zweigart, executive director of Flatbush Cats, a nonprofit cat rescue group, explains how we got to this point and makes some suggestions for what New York can do about all the cats.

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#55 Do Cybersecurity Certifications Really Get You Hired in 2025? 26:07

1M ago26:07

26:07

Are cybersecurity certifications still worth it in 2025? Or are they just expensive pieces of paper with no real impact on your job prospects? In this solo episode, Kyser Clark cuts through the noise and tackles the growing wave of anti-certification advice circulating online. He shares what he's actually seeing in the job market, why certification…

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#54 Offensive Security for Blue Teamers: Why Red Team Knowledge Changes Everything ft. Josh Ragland 37:51

2M ago37:51

37:51

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, returning guest Josh Ragland shares how offensive security skills give blue teamers a serious edge. From building a hash-cracking rig to diving deep into C programming and assembly, Josh explains how understanding the attacker’s mindset can drastically cut triage time and help defenders spot threats others mis…

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#53 The Dark Side of Influence: When Winning Feels Like Losing ft. Alethe Denis 39:24

2M ago39:24

39:24

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Kyser Clark interviews legendary social engineer Alethe Denis to explore the ethical limits of influence in red team engagements. From her DEF CON Black Badge victory to her groundbreaking work at Bishop Fox, Alethe shares hard-earned insights on emotional manipulation, deepfakes, social engineering strategy, …

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With help from AI, this threatened frog is making a comeback 13:33

2M ago13:33

13:33

If you were a miner in California during the Gold Rush, you might have dined on a California red-legged frog. The largest native frog in the western United States, this Golden State denizen used to be found as far inland as the Sierra Nevada mountains and south, into Baja California. But overharvesting, predation by invasive bullfrogs and habitat l…

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#52 The Ultimate Hacking Wisdom Compilation 26:43

2M ago26:43

26:43

This episode marks one year of The Hacker’s Cache. To celebrate, I’ve compiled the most powerful, insightful, and thought-provoking moments from every single episode of Season 1, all 52 of them, in one back-to-back highlight reel. This isn’t just a recap. It’s a front-row seat to the best hot takes, bold opinions, unique insights, and raw truths fr…

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#51 Q&A: Why YouTube Took Down My Wi-Fi Hacking Video 27:29

2M ago27:29

27:29

In this Q&A episode of The Hacker’s Cache, I answer your top questions about breaking into cybersecurity from a software engineering background, whether an associate's degree is worth pursuing, and how I prepare for CompTIA certifications using third-party resources. I also open up about why YouTube took down one of my most popular Wi-Fi hacking vi…

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#50 No OSCP. No Degree. Still Landed a Red Team Job ft. Richie Vinson (4NU81X7H3H4CK3r) 39:24

3M ago39:24

39:24

In this episode, Richie Vinson (4NU81X7H3H4CK3r) shares how he broke into red teaming without a college degree or the OSCP certification. He explains why he skipped traditional credentials, how volunteering at cybersecurity conferences helped him bypass the HR firewall, and what newcomers can do to stand out. From earning a Black Badge at HackSpace…

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A Dino’s Last Dinner And Eavesdropping Birds

3M ago

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While there are a lot of dinosaur fossils, and a lot of plant fossils, the precise connection between the two has been something of a mystery. Now, researchers report that they’ve found what’s called a cololite, fossilized gut contents, in the remains of a sauropod—a massive, long-necked plant-eater. The dino’s last meal dates back 95 to 100 millio…

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#49 He Found Vulnerabilities in His Own Code: Then Made a Career Out of It ft. John Kounelis 41:06

3M ago41:06

41:06

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Kyser Clark interviews John Kounelis, a Senior Product Security Engineer with a background in software development and AppSec. John shares how discovering vulnerabilities in his own code led him to a full-time role in application security, and explains the key differences in AppSec across defense, biotech, and…

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#48 He Got Hired Without Knowing the Answer: Here’s Why ft. Michael Kim 38:28

3M ago38:28

38:28

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, senior offensive security consultant Michael Kim shares how he landed a cybersecurity job without knowing all the answers in the interview and why hiring managers still chose him. We discuss how to ace your cybersecurity interview, the importance of mindset and growth, and why technical skills alone aren’t eno…

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#47 Q&A: Feel Lost Watching Hacking Videos? Listen to This 32:00

4M ago32:00

32:00

Feeling overwhelmed watching hacking videos and not understanding what’s going on? You’re not alone, and you’re not behind. In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, I answer real questions from the community about certifications, career paths, and that all-too-familiar. I share my own experience struggling with concepts early on, why I prefer the bab…

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10-Question Quiz: City Critters

4M ago

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Listeners try their hand at a quiz about the critters that live in the city.

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Lesser Prairie Chicken May Lose Endangered Species Status

4M ago

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The lesser prairie chicken was granted endangered species status in 2023. Now the Department of the Interior is moving to revoke those protections. What can this bird known for its flamboyant courtship rituals tell us about the Trump administration’s approach to environmental policy and protections for endangered species? Host Flora Lichtman is joi…

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#46 She Started Coding at 13 and Never Looked Back ft. Betta Lyon Delsordo 39:49

4M ago39:49

39:49

Betta Lyon Delsordo started coding at just 13 years old and never looked back. In this episode, she shares how learning to code as a rebellious teen sparked a career that led her from freelance web development to becoming a lead application pentester specializing in web, cloud, and AI hacking. We talk about how anyone can learn to code, the importa…

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#45 OSWA Grind: 24 Hours. No Sleep. One Last Flag ft. Pratham Shah 35:16

4M ago35:16

35:16

He stayed up for 24 hours straight to pass one of OffSec’s toughest exams. In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, I sit down with Pratham Shah, a 21-year-old cybersecurity consultant who holds OSCE3, OSCP+, OSWA, and more. We break down his insane study grind, how OSWA pushed him harder than OSCP, and why he thinks passion matters more than paychec…

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Ancient Iguanas Floated 5,000 Miles Across The Pacific | A Pregnant Icthyosaur Fossil

4M ago

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Millions of years ago, iguanas somehow got from North America to Fiji. Scientists think they made the trip on a raft of fallen vegetation. Also, the marine reptile’s fossilized fetus is cluing paleontologists into the lives of ancient sea creatures. Ancient Iguanas Floated 5,000 Miles Across The Pacific If you picture iguanas, you might imagine the…

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#44 How to Hack What No One Teaches ft. Noah Pack 33:17

5M ago33:17

33:17

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, I sit down with Noah Pack, an aerospace pentester with a ridiculous cert stack and an unconventional mindset. We talk about hacking obscure systems with no public tools or documentation, transitioning from SOC analyst to pentester, and why reading the manual might be your secret weapon. If you’ve ever wondered…

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What The Hack: Nature in NYC

5M ago

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New York may be known as a concrete jungle, but it's also a fish spawning ground, a migratory bird rest stop, and home to all kinds of life, including flora, fauna and whatever category “dog vomit slime mold” fits into. In their new book Wild NYC: Experience the Amazing Nature in and Around New York City, naturalist and science writer Ryan Mandelba…

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The Windbreaker: Why Farts Make the World Go Round

5M ago

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Farts. Trouser trumpets. Sulfur squeaks. Or toots, as Lulu insists on calling them. Smelly bubbles of air we don’t like to talk about. But Songbud Alan and Producerbud Ana are not ones to shy away from the stinky sidelines of science. First, they take us to a concert hall to meet a FARTchestra and and hear how behind some of the world’s greatest wo…

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Investigating Cat Behavior Through Genetics

5M ago

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With the help of cat owners, a new project investigates cats’ biology and aims to link some of their behaviors to their genes. Calling all cat people: This one’s for you. Despite humans’ long history of welcoming felines into their homes and delis, research on cats lags far behind research on dogs. Now, scientists behind the project Darwin’s Ark ar…

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#43 Grind Now, Relax Later: The Harsh Reality of Breaking Into Cybersecurity ft. Matthew Younker (Zumi Yumi) 34:29

5M ago34:29

34:29

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Matthew Younker (aka Zumi Yumi) shares the raw truth about what it really took to break into offensive security, working full time, going to college, and grinding for OSCP with almost zero rest. He opens up about the unhealthy sacrifices he made, why OSWA was harder than OSCP, and how his journey from Army haz…

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Into dudes who drum? You might be a female fiddler crab 9:00

5M ago9:00

9:00

The male European fiddler crab attracts his mate by performing a courtship dance. New research says that dance isn't just notable for its visuals — it's notable for its vibrations, too. During courtship, the male crab waves his major claw up and down, drumming on the sand until females approach. This works even in the dark. So, researchers believe …

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#42 Certifications, College, or Bootcamps — What’s Worth It in Cybersecurity? ft. Channa Rajaratne 39:31

5M ago39:31

39:31

In this episode, Channa Rajaratne joins me to unpack one of the most common questions in cybersecurity: should you go after certifications, a college degree, or a bootcamp? We break down the pros and cons of each, share personal experiences, and talk about which path actually helped us get hired. Channa also shares his take on underrated skills lik…

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More Terrestrials Coming Soon!

5M ago

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Terrestrials returns Thursday, April 17th with a brand-new season! This spring, we’re diving into the wonderfully weird. Get ready to meet some of the fiercest, strangest creatures on Earth—from Hawaiian jungle goblins to New York City’s elusive sewer beasts to nine-foot-tall misunderstood snow monsters. When we take a closer look at the creatures …

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#41 How to Actually Become a Great Pentester 38:25

6M ago38:25

38:25

What separates a good pentester from a great one? It’s not just about popping shells or passing certs. In this solo episode, I break down the real-world skills that actually matter. Technical, non-technical, and everything in between. I share hard lessons from the field, my thoughts on being well-rounded vs. specialized, and why communication, clie…

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How did iguanas end up in Fiji? By raft 9:18

6M ago9:18

9:18

Where did the Fijian iguanas come from ... and how? For decades, it's been a scientific mystery. Most iguanas are indigenous to the Americas; however, native Fijian iguanas, call an island nearly 5000 miles away from their closest relatives in the South Pacific home. Thanks to genome mapping, researchers think they've found out how: The iguanas raf…

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#40 Proof You Don’t Need a Degree to Succeed in Cybersecurity ft. Zach Winchester 39:37

6M ago39:37

39:37

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Kyser Clark and Zach Winchester talk about breaking into cybersecurity without a college degree and why it’s not the dealbreaker people think it is. You’ll hear a real-world story of going from firewall configs to full-time pentesting with just an OSCP and hands-on experience. We also get into hardware hacking…

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#39 Q&A: Struggling with Burnout? Here’s Why It Might Be a Good Thing 39:15

6M ago39:15

39:15

Burnout sucks, but what if it's actually a sign of growth? In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, I break down why burnout isn’t always the enemy and how pushing yourself to the limit can actually make you better. Just like lifting weights to failure builds muscle, hitting burnout and recovering makes you mentally stronger. I’ll share my own experi…

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#38 Fired or Freed? Turning a Cybersecurity Layoff into Your Next Big Break w Justin Mahon 39:17

6M ago39:17

39:17

Getting laid off can feel like the end of the road, but what if it’s actually the beginning of something bigger? In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Justin Mahon shares his journey from military IT to offensive security, including how he bounced back after a cybersecurity layoff and landed in a better position than before. We break down the real…

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Where Have All The Butterflies Gone?

6M ago

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A sweeping new study on one of the most beloved insects, maybe the only truly beloved insect—the butterfly—details its rapid population decline in the United States. The new research, published in the journal Science widens the butterfly net and looks at how more than 500 species have fared over the past 20 years. Researchers found that many popula…

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#37 He Hacked for 1000 Days Straight: Here’s How It Landed Him a Cybersecurity Job ft. Constantinos Kaplanis 24:59

6M ago24:59

24:59

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, I sit down with Constantinos Kaplanis, a senior penetration tester who took an unconventional path into cybersecurity. With no prior IT experience, he grinded his way into the field—applying to 500 jobs, enduring countless rejections, and proving his skills through sheer persistence. One of his biggest accompl…

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An Animal’s Size And Its Cancer Risk | Bastetodon, A 30 Million-Year-Old Apex Predator

7M ago

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A study finds that Peto’s Paradox, which states that larger animals are no more likely to get cancer than smaller ones, may not hold up. Also, a nearly complete predator skull was found in the Egyptian desert. Its lineage indicates that it was a top carnivore of the age. What Does An Animal’s Size Have To Do With Its Cancer Risk? If you throw a hug…

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The Best Tail For Balance | Bindi Irwin Wants Kids To Become ‘Wildlife Warriors’

7M ago

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The bone and joint structures in mammal tails help them keep their balance. Could those benefits be adapted for robots? And, in her first children’s book, conservationist Bindi Irwin takes little readers on a journey through Australia Zoo. In Search Of The Best Tail For Balance If you have met a cat, you’ve probably at some point been amazed by how…

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#36 The OSCP Won’t Save You ft. Tyler Ramsbey 44:55

7M ago44:55

44:55

Many aspiring penetration testers believe that earning the OSCP is the ultimate proof of their skills—but what happens when they step into a real-world engagement? In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Tyler Ramsbey joins me to break down the hard truth about OSCP, the gaps it leaves in real-world pentesting, and why experience always outweighs ce…

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#35 Q&A: The Harsh Truth: You NEED to Code for Cybersecurity Mastery 36:04

7M ago36:04

36:04

If you want to be an expert in cybersecurity, coding isn’t optional—it’s essential. In this Q&A episode of The Hacker’s Cache, I break down why learning to code separates the entry-level professionals from the true experts and how AI is shifting the skills needed in offensive security. I also dive into the different career paths available after lan…

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#34 Why Top Pentesters Make More Money (Most Ignore This Skill) ft. Spencer Alessi 43:58

7M ago43:58

43:58

Kyser Clark sits down with senior penetration tester Spencer Alessi to discuss a skill that separates top-tier pentesters from the rest—client communication. While technical prowess is essential, Spencer shares how clear, proactive communication can make or break a pentest engagement, impact client trust, and even determine career growth. They also…

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#33 Are Cybersecurity Bootcamps a Scam? ft. Keith Coleman 40:04

7M ago40:04

40:04

Are cybersecurity bootcamps worth the hefty price tag, or are they just another overhyped shortcut to nowhere? In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, I sit down with Keith Coleman, a seasoned cybersecurity professional with experience in pentesting, security engineering, DevSecOps, and more. We break down the true value of bootcamps, why many gradu…

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The Factors That Make Bird Sounds So Diverse Across The World

8M ago

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Birds are the master vocalists of the animal kingdom. They can make a remarkable variety of sounds. But why is a barred owl more of a baritone, while a cedar waxwing is a soprano? And what influences a bird’s vocal range, and the kinds of sounds it can make? Beak size? Body size? Geography? To answer some of these questions, researchers analyzed ov…

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#32 From Physical Security to Penetration Testing: Paul Nieto III's Journey 41:22

8M ago41:22

41:22

Kyser Clark is joined by Paul Nieto, a seasoned penetration tester with over 22 years of experience spanning physical and cybersecurity. Paul shares his journey from physical security to offensive security, detailing how his curiosity and drive for challenges led to a successful career pivot. They discuss the importance of networking, the debate be…

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#31 Q&A: Are Tech Giants Planning to Replace Us with AI? 31:57

8M ago31:57

31:57

Kyser Clark dives into the growing role of AI in the tech industry and its potential to replace mid-level professionals. Inspired by comments from tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, we explore why companies are investing heavily in AI, how it could reshape the middle-class job market, and what it means for cybersecurity professionals. Kyser shares …

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#30 Uncovering a $200M Fraud Ring with David Taxer 43:00

8M ago43:00

43:00

David Taxer, a cybersecurity expert with over 12 years of experience, shares the incredible story of uncovering a $200 million fraud ring disguised under a major corporation. Learn how his unique background in SEO and intelligence helped him expose insider threats and fraudulent schemes, as well as the challenges he faced as a whistleblower. This e…