As a kid, Jose Barrientos was continually innovating and learning complex computer skills – and also playing pranks. Yet it wasn't until he joined the military after high school that instead of getting in trouble, his technical abilities were f

The Power of Mind Over Matter with Jessica Hyde

Nov 10th, 2020 43m 57s

For someone who wrote her first computer program at age 4, Jessica Hyde's journey into infosec took a more winding route than you'd expect. After dropping out of high school, she worked in retail management until 9/11, when she realized she had

Better job hunting with a hacker mentality with Jason and Jacquelyn Blanchard

Sep 15th, 2020 44m 17s

Jason and Jacquelyn Blanchard complement each other not only as husband and wife, but through the combination of their unique skill sets. They bring together their talents - Jason as a marketer, and Jacque as an infosec professional - in a twic

Making CTFs count at any point in your story with Ed Skoudis

Jul 14th, 2020 38m 50s

Though Ed Skoudis knew he was a tinkerer since playing with Legos during childhood, his younger self could never have envisioned the expansive career he now has. In this episode, Ed shares advice gleaned from years of creating challenges, build

Turning adversity into altruism with Chris Sanders

Jun 30th, 2020 42m 22s

Despite being a GSE-certified cybersecurity expert, Chris Sanders is up front about the fact that infosec is not his true passion. In this episode, Sanders describes how diving deep into the world of computers and cybersecurity led him to his u

Finding your strategy (and a little social engineering) for "what's next" with O'Shea Bowens - Part 2

Jun 16th, 2020 34m 52s

In part 2 of this special 2-part episode, top cyber defense practitioner O'Shea Bowens joins our host Jason to continue their discussion about strategically building a career in infosec. They discuss key factors in determining the value of trai

Finding your strategy (and a little social engineering) for "what's next" with O'Shea Bowens - Part 1

Jun 2nd, 2020 28m 27s

From his first "hack" (getting unlimited ammo on Oregon Trail) at age 12, O'Shea Bowens knew he liked working with computers. Despite studying a completely different field in college, he has built a successful career in cybersecurity. In this e

Mentorship and Mastering Your Fears with Phillip Wylie

May 1st, 2020 33m 21s

Once known for wrestling a bear, Phillip Wylie is now a leading penetration tester and mentor to many. In this episode, he tells our host, Jason Nickola, the story of his unlikely path to cybersecurity and how it's become a career he "lives and

Breaking and building your way to an infosec career with Chris Elgee

Apr 14th, 2020 30m 38s

As a self-taught programmer since elementary school, Chris Elgee is no stranger to learning by trial and error. Now a challenge developer and penetration tester, he shares advice on how to build a career you're passionate about.In this episode,

Persevering through career setbacks and successes with Micah Hoffman

Mar 31st, 2020 41m 55s

Though many know him as the author of SANS course SEC487: OSINT Gathering and Analysis, Micah Hoffman didn’t set out to become a cybersecurity expert. In this episode, Jason and Micah discuss how his early career changes played a role in his ex

Practicing confidence, mental agility, and vulnerability while building your cybersecurity career with Chris Cochran

Mar 17th, 2020 33m 8s

Chris Cochran's interest in technology began early - from watching Terminator as a child to studying computer science after hours in high school. In this episode, he shares how his experiences in the Marine Corps and working in government and t

Exploring Imposter Syndrome through Experience, Education, and Gatekeeping with Lesley Carhart

Mar 3rd, 2020 36m 36s

Lesley Carhart, principal threat analyst at a leading cybersecurity company, was brought up on a farm with an "old-school hacker" (her dad). She shares how her experiences as a high school coder and military avionics technician ultimately led h

GIAC’s new podcast, hosted by Jason Nickola, GSE and SANS Instructor

Feb 25th, 2020 3m 19s

Meet your host, Jason Nickola, a leading cyber security practitioner who also happens to be GSE certified and a SANS SEC560 instructor. We’ll also discuss the focus of our podcast – overcoming impostor syndrome – and the format of each episode,

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