September is Suicide Prevention Month. CISO Ben Howard joins the show to share his story for the first time. *Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation.*

If you are feeling suicidal, call or text 988 to get help immediately.

George K and George A talk to Ben about:

🔍 The pressure CISOs face and how it impacts mental wellbeing

🧠 Breaking the stigma around mental health

🛠 Practical steps cybersecurity leaders can take to support their teams' mental health

✍ Creating a culture of openness and vulnerability

If you are struggling and feeling suicidal, call or text 988. Help is available, speak with someone today.

Breaking Mental Health Stigmas with CISO Ben Howard: Suicide Prevention Month

Tabletop exercises, a necessary evil or just a compliance snoozefest? This week, Kailee Miner sits down to talk about how she's revolutionizing cyber threat readiness training to make boring TTXs a thing of the past.

In this episode:

🥱 Why traditional tabletop exercises often fail to engage participants

🎭 How realistic simulations improve readiness vs. dry PowerPoint presentations

💰 Why companies should invest in communication skills for technical experts, not just certifications

💪 Building resilience through hands-on experience, not just theoretical scenarios

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⭐️ Submit your questions for our AMA episode! ⭐️

Send your questions to bareknucklespod@gmail.com with “AMA” in the subject line.

No subject is off the table! Win prizes if we take on your question with our mystery guest host!

Innovating Cyber Attack Simulations and Tossing Boring Tabletops with Kailee Miner!

Welcome to Season 3! This week we’re bringing you the live recording of our talk at SquadCon during Hack Summer Camp a few weeks back. Our talk was called, “Future Proof Your Career with Cyber Threat Intelligence Techniques.” Many thanks again to the Black Girls Hack [https://blackgirlshack.org/] Foundation and the SquadCon crew for having us, and to Rebekah Skeete for the killer intro!

And, we’re fast approaching episode 100 of this podcast! We’re doing an AMA with a very special guest host. 

So, what do you wanna ask us? 

Email your questions to bareknucklespod@gmail.com, with "AMA" in the subject line. If we air your question, you can expect some special swag your way!

LIVE from SquadCon: Future Proof Your Career with Cyber Threat Intel Techniques

Season 3 of Bare Knuckles and Brass Tacks is coming soon!

Same human focus in cyber. Same fire. 👊⚡️

Season 3 coming soon!

This week we're featuring a Best Of edition, packed with the gold from episodes past. We were away at Black Hat last week, and we're gearing up for the start of Season 3!

This episode features:

 * Dr. Chase Cunningham on Zero Trust
 * Sarah Breathnach on why whitepapers need to go
 * Chas Larios are connecting with practitioners
 * Adrian Wood on the securing the ML development pipeline
 * Mari Galloway on breaking into cyber
 * Reanna Schultz on life in SOC

Best of! Zero Trust, the Death of Whitepapers, AI Model Compromise, and more!

Why are so many cybersecurity company founders so bad at talking about their own products?! This week we're joined by Elliot Volkman and Doug Landis to talk about how they used storytelling training to transform one company’s message to its customers!

In this episode:

🤦‍♂️ Why so many founders are terrible at talking about their own products

🎭 The power of storytelling vs. spewing facts and stats

💰 Why companies should invest in communication skills for operators, not just technical skills.

📊 Building trust through customer stories, not flashy banners

🗣️ Practical tips for nailing your next conference presentation

Tune in for some real talk on how to cut through the noise and actually connect with your audience. No BS, just straight advice.

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🏔️We’re coming to SecureWorld Denver! Here are some exclusive discount codes:

BKBTSWC1    Conference Pass $50.00 Discount

BKBTSWO1    Open Sessions (Free)

BKBTSWP1    Plus Pass $75.00 Discount

🔥Want a little BKBT fire for your conference? Or maybe your GTM team needs a high-test dose of buyer insight at your next SKO! Drop us a line at bareknucklespod@gmail.com

Why So Many Founders Fail at Talking About Their Own Product, with Elliot Volkman & Doug Landis!

On the show this week: Reanna Schultz, SOC Team Lead and all-around badass, talks about life in the trenches of cybersecurity operations.

George K and George A talk to Reanna about:

🎯 What vendors get wrong about SOC life (hint: it's not all about alert fatigue)

🔍 The importance of integrating new tools with existing processes

🤝 Building authentic relationships in the cybersecurity community

💪 Developing communication skills for high-pressure situations

Plus, she shares her journey of finding mentors and building her career without following the typical playbook.

Whether you're a vendor trying to connect with SOC teams or an aspiring analyst looking to level up, this episode is packed with a lotta juice!

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🔥Want a little BKBT fire for your conference? Or maybe your GTM team needs a high-test dose of buyer insight at your next SKO! Drop us a line at bareknucklespod@gmail.com

What the SOC Really Thinks of Your Product, and How to Win their Trust with Reanna Schultz!

Justin Merhoff, Director of InfoSec, and Florian Beijers, a blind web developer, join the show to talk about accessibility in cybersecurity. This week the Americans with Disabilities Act turns 34!

George K and George A talk to Justin and Florian about:

🔍 The current state of accessibility in cybersecurity and the challenges faced by practitioners with disabilities

🧠 How AI and assistive technologies may help accessibility in cybersecurity tools

🛠️ Practical steps companies can take to make their security solutions more inclusive

✍️ The importance of “accessibility by design” to avoid costly retrofits

Don't miss this episode on building a more inclusive future in tech!

Go deeper:

 * RSA presentation on inclusive design in cyber https://www.rsaconference.com/library/presentation/usa/2024/balancing%20accessibility%20security%20and%20ai%20design%20inclusive%20security%20tools#

Follow Florian on

 * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@blindlycoding
 * Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/ic_null

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Support the show!

✅ Subscribe and share your fave episode on LinkedIn

⭐️ Leave us a rating

☕️ Make a donation or sustaining contribution: https://lnkd.in/ewvn_ZGx

Accessibility in Cyber, Future Solutions, and Shifting Mindsets with Justin Merhoff & Florian Beijars!

What does it really take to break into cyber? Mari Galloway jumps into the ring and brings her 15+ years of experience to bear.

George K and George A talk to Mari about:

🤔 The evolution of the cybersecurity industry and the challenges faced by women and minorities

😒 The rise of influencer culture in cybersecurity and what we’re NOT telling newcomers

🤝 The mission and growth of the Women's Society of Cyberjutsu

🎯 Practical advice for newcomers and career pivoters in cybersecurity

Further Reading:

 * Securing Our Future by The Black Women in Cyber Collective [https://www.amazon.com/Securing-Our-Future-Resilience-Brilliance/dp/1952903459/]
 * CC Certified in Cybersecurity Cert Guide (NEW!) [https://www.amazon.com/Certified-Cybersecurity-Cert-Guide-Certification-ebook/dp/B0D56YZZJP/]

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Support the show!

✅ Subscribe and share your fave episode on LinkedIn

⭐️ Leave us a rating

☕️ Make a donation or sustaining contribution: https://lnkd.in/ewvn_ZGx

Breaking into Cyber, Standing Out, and Creating Spaces for People to Thrive with Mari Galloway!

CEO Carolina Ruiz jumps into the ring to talk about leading cyber consultancy, the value of diverse skill sets, and how she memorized ISO 27001 in a weekend! 😳

George K and George A talk to Carolina about:

🤔 The evolving threat landscape and its impact on cybersecurity strategies

🎓 Addressing the skill shortage in cybersecurity and innovative ways to tackle it

📜 The implications of new legislation and regulations in different markets

🌎 The growth and potential of the cybersecurity industry in Latin America

📚 Recommended reading:

 * Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch: The Secret of Extraordinary Results, Igniting the Passion Within [https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Eats-Strategy-Lunch-Extraordinary-ebook/dp/B00G00I826]
 * The Culture Map [https://erinmeyer.com/books/the-culture-map/]

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Support the show!
✅ Subscribe and share your fave episode on LinkedIn
⭐️ Leave us a rating
☕️ Make a donation or sustaining contribution: https://lnkd.in/ewvn_ZGx

Diverse Skill Sets, Cultures, and Why Cyber is Overlooking Latin America with Carolina Ruiz!

Hosted by two guys named George on either side of the divide, this is a cybersecurity podcast that tackles the relationship between vendors and their customers. George Kamide is on the security vendor side, and George Al-Koura is a CISO on the customer side. Vendors gotta sell, and companies need tooling to protect their data. Tune in to hear real conversations from opposing sides of the pitch about cybersecurity marketing, sales, and go to market strategies. We go after these topics and bad practices with bare knuckles, then it’s down to brass tacks to look for solutions. Tune in to hear from guests from either side, including CISOs, SMEs, sales leaders, frontline account managers, and more!

George Kamide

Shows