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PODCAST

Hacker Valley Studio

Hacker Valley Media

Welcome back to the show! Hacker Valley Studio podcast features Host Ron Eddings, as he explores the world of cybersecurity through the eyes of professionals in the industry. We cover everything from inspirational real-life stories in tech, to highlighting influential cybersecurity companies, and we do so in a fun and enthusiastic way. We’re making cybersecurity accessible, creating a whole new form of entertainment: cybertainment.

technology self-improvement

All Episodes

41:31

Beating “Checkbox Security” With Continuous Offense...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2026/02/12

Security doesn’t fail because you missed a tool, it fails because “secure today” tricks you into relaxing tomorrow. This episode exposes why the real fight isn’t compliance… it’s whether your defenses hold up once attackers hit you with machine-speed pressure.Ron sits down with Sonali Shah, CEO of Cobalt, to talk about how human-led, AI-powered penetration testing is evolving into full-spectrum offensive security. Sonali shares how Cobalt can start a test in 24 hours, push findings directly into

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37:43

Turning Agent Chaos into a Command Center with Pedram...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2026/02/10

Text threads made AI feel personal, then agents made it productive, and suddenly “success” turns into chaos you can’t even track. In this episode, Ron sits down with Pedram Amini, creator of Maestro, to show what agent work looks like when you stop babysitting and start orchestrating. Pedram lays out why context windows are the limiter, why harnessing beats model-chasing right now, and how Auto Run executes task-docs with fresh context every iteration so agents can run for hours (or days) without

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32:34

Why MFA Isn’t the Safety Net You Think It Is with...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2026/01/29

Phishing didn’t get smarter, it got better at looking normal. What used to be obvious scams now blend directly into the platforms, workflows, and security controls people trust every day.In this episode, Ron sits down with Yaamini Barathi Mohan, 2024 DMA Rising Star and Co-Founder & CPO of Secto, to break down how modern phishing attacks bypass MFA, abuse trusted services like Microsoft 365, and ultimately succeed inside the browser. Together, they examine why over-reliance on automation

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37:18

When Cybercrime Learned How to Make Money and Never...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2026/01/25

Cybersecurity didn’t start as a billion-dollar crime machine. It started as pranks, ego, and curiosity. That origin story explains almost everything that’s breaking today.Ron sits down with Graham Cluley, one of the earliest antivirus developers turned trusted cyber voice, to trace how malware evolved from digital graffiti into organized financial warfare. From floppy disks and casino-style viruses to ransomware, extortion, and agentic AI, the conversation shows how early decisions still shape

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35:38

Defending Dignity in the Messiest Data on Earth with...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2026/01/22

The most dangerous attack surface isn’t your infrastructure, it’s desire under pressure. When people are emotional, impulsive, and hoping for connection, security controls don’t fail… judgment does. Ron sits down with George Al-Koura, CISO at Ruby Life, to talk about securing some of the most psychologically sensitive data on the internet, and why dating data can carry more real-world risk than financial data. From the fallout of the Tea dating-safety app breaches to impulse-driven human behavior,

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37:09

When Automation Outruns Control with Joshua Bregler

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2026/01/18

AI doesn’t break security, it exposes where it was already fragile. When automation starts making decisions faster than humans can audit, AppSec becomes the only thing standing between scale and catastrophe.In this episode, Ron sits down with Joshua Bregler, Senior Security Manager at McKinsey’s QuantumBlack, to dissect how AI agents, pipelines, and dynamic permissions are reshaping application security. From prompt chaining attacks and MCP server sprawl to why static IAM is officially obsolete,

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33:49

The Day AI Stopped Asking for Permission with Marcus...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2026/01/15

AI didn’t quietly evolve, it crossed the line from recommendation to execution. Once agents stopped advising humans and started acting inside real systems, trust replaced experimentation and consequences became unavoidable.In this episode, Ron sits down with Marcus J. Carey, Principal Research Scientist at ReliaQuest, to examine what happens after AI is given authority: agents running in production, prompt debt replacing technical debt, vibe coding accelerating risk, and maintenance emerging as

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35:00

When AI Ships the Code, Who Owns the Risk with Varun...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2026/01/08

AI isn’t quietly changing software development… it’s rewriting the rules while most security programs are still playing defense. When agents write code at machine speed, the real risk isn’t velocity, it’s invisible security debt compounding faster than teams can see it.In this episode, Ron Eddings sits down with Varun Badhwar, Co-Founder & CEO of Endor Labs, and Henrik Plate, Principal Security Researcher of Endor Labs, to break down how AI-assisted development is reshaping the software supply

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28:26

Think Like a Hacker Before the Hack Happens with John...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2026/01/01

What if the most dangerous hackers are the ones who never touch a keyboard? The real threat isn't just about stolen credentials or ransomware; it's about understanding how attackers think before they even strike. In cybersecurity, defense starts with offense, and the best defenders are those who've walked in the hacker's shoes.In this episode, Ron sits down with John Hammond, principal security researcher at Huntress and one of cybersecurity's most recognizable educators. John shares his journey

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33:31

Breaking Into Banks and Bypassing Modern Security...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/12/18

Three banks in four days isn't just a bragging right for penetration testers. It's a wake-up call showing that expensive security tools and alarm systems often fail when tested by skilled operators who understand both human behavior and technical vulnerabilities.Greg Hatcher and John Stigerwalt, co-founders of White Knight Labs, talk about their latest physical penetration tests on financial institutions, manufacturing facilities protecting COVID-19 vaccine production, and why their new Server 2025

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34:10

Defending Your Cyber Systems and Your Mental Attack...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/12/11

When your firewall forgets to buckle up, the crash doesn’t happen in the network first, it happens in your blindspots.In this episode, Ron is joined by returning guest Chris Hughes, Co-Founder of Aquia and host of the Resilient Cyber podcast. Chris helps reframe vulnerability work as exposure management, connect technical risk to human resilience, and break down the scoring and runtime tools security teams actually need today. Expect clear takeaways on EPSS, reachability analysis, ADR, AI’s

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29:40

Thriving Beyond Human Labor with Context-Powered AI...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/12/04

The real disruption isn’t AI replacing humans, it’s the shocking possibility that human labor was the economic bubble all along.In this episode, Ron Eddings sits down with Daniel Miessler, founder of Unsupervised Learning and longtime security leader, to break open why companies are hitting record profits with shrinking workforces, and what that means for your future. Daniel shares how AI agents, context management, and his Telos problem-first framework are reshaping what it means to create value

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19:36

Building EDR for AI: Controlling Autonomous Agents...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/12/02

AI agents aren't just reacting anymore, they're thinking, learning, and sometimes deleting your entire production database without asking. The real question isn't if your AI agent will be hacked, it's when, and whether you'll have the right hooks in place to stop it before it happens. In this episode, Ron breaks down the ChatGPT Atlas vulnerability that shocked researchers, revealing how malicious prompts can turn AI assistants against their own users by bypassing safeguards and accessing file

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32:48

Can AI Run Your SOC Better Than You? with Ahmed Achchak

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/11/13

What if your security team never missed a single alert and actually had time to think strategically?In this episode, Ahmed Achchak, CEO and Co-Founder of Qevlar AI, reveals how autonomous SOCs are reshaping security operations worldwide. From tackling alert fatigue to empowering analysts with intelligent AI-driven investigations, Ahmed shares the inside story of building a system that can act on threats faster than any human alone. Learn how Qevlar’s innovative approach is giving organizations

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30:04

Making Cybersecurity Marketing Creative (and a Little...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/11/06

Who said cybersecurity had to be serious? The future of cyber is creative, human, and even a little sexy.In this special 400th episode, Ron Eddings celebrates six incredible years of Hacker Valley Studio with one of cyber’s most creative voices, Maria Velasquez, Co-Founder of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society and Co-Host of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. Together, they discuss how bold storytelling, authentic community, and a touch of fun are reshaping the way we connect in

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25:18

How to See Your Organization Like a Hacker with Chris...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/10/30

To defend like a human, you first have to think like a hacker.In this episode, Ron Eddings sits down with Chris Dale, Co-Founder and Chief Hacking Officer at River Security, to explore the human side of hacking, where curiosity, persistence, and vigilance meet defense. Chris shares how the traditional idea of penetration testing has evolved into a continuous journey of discovery, and why reconnaissance and storytelling are critical tools for modern defenders. From real-world breach stories to

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20:22

Coding by Vibe: The Future of AI-Built Security with...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/10/24

When code meets intuition, innovation gets personal. But what happens when we let AI vibe with our ideas?In this episode, Ron Eddings covers the rise of AI-driven development from Vibe Coding, where natural language shapes real code, to the emerging Model Context Protocols (MCPs) that redefine how apps talk to AI. He breaks down the recent Figma MCP vulnerability to discuss how creativity and security now collide in surprising ways. With hands-on insights using Raycast and practical steps for

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25:38

Learning How to Learn: Mastering the Cyber...

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/10/16

The real edge in cybersecurity isn’t found in new tools, it’s built through timeless fundamentals and a mindset that never stops learning.In this episode, Ron sits down with Rich Greene, Senior Solutions Engineer and Instructor at SANS Institute, to uncover how true cyber value starts with skills, curiosity, and mindset. Rich shares his remarkable story of surviving a battlefield injury, retraining his brain, and how that journey shaped his approach to mastering cybersecurity. Together, they

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21:32

How AI Elevates Cyber Hygiene with Jason Rebholz

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/10/10

What if protecting your digital twin becomes the new cyber hygiene?In this week's episode, Ron welcomes back cybersecurity leader Jason Rebholz, CEO of Evoke, to discuss how AI is reshaping the fundamentals of cyber hygiene. From data breaches and deepfakes to everyday habits that protect our digital lives, Jason shares how small actions and smarter use of AI can make all the difference. Together, they uncover how our growing digital footprints are giving rise to digital twins, AI replicas that

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34:12

Securing Software at AI Speed with Varun Badhwar

Hacker Valley Studio ·

2025/10/02

The biggest security threat isn’t in the cloud, it’s hidden in the code you trust the most.In this episode, Ron sits down with Varun Badhwar, Co-Founder & CEO of Endor Labs, who shares why research shows that nearly 80–90% of application code comes from open source and third-party libraries, not your own developers. Varun discusses the unseen risks of AI-generated software, how attackers can now weaponize vulnerabilities in hours, and why precision in security matters more than ever. He also

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413 results

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