Exploring Information Security - Exploring Information Security

Summary:

In this episode, host Timothy De Block dives into the often overlooked but critically important world of physical security with Josh Winter. Josh shares his unique journey from serving in combat infantry with the 82nd Airborne Division to running executive protection for high-net-worth individuals and conducting physical penetration testing for major corporations. They discuss the glaring differences between corporate security and residential security, how to spot the illusion of safety (like unplugged cameras and empty lobby desks), and why human behavior is always the most unpredictable variable in any security plan.

Key Topics Discussed

Josh's Background: How Josh transitioned from military service (82nd Airborne, PSD work in Afghanistan) to state security, executive protection for a wealthy family in San Diego, and eventually physical pen testing for a major firm.

Corporate vs. Residential Security: The stark contrast between the static, often complacent environment of a corporate office and the highly dynamic, unpredictable nature of securing a private residence.

The "Illusion of Security": Why lobby attendants without actual access control or security training are merely "decorations" and how unmonitored or broken cameras create a false sense of safety.

Physical Pen Testing Tactics: Josh explains how simple confidence, observation, and exploiting human nature (like tailgating or holding the door) are often more effective than sophisticated hacking tools.

The "Catch Me If You Can" Approach: How acting like you belong—much like Frank Abagnale Jr.—is the most powerful tool for bypassing physical security measures.

Practical Security Upgrades on a Budget: Why $500 spent on motion-activated lighting, a simple ring camera, and upgraded door hardware is far more effective than a multi-million dollar system that isn't properly maintained.

The Insider Threat: The reality that disgruntled employees, not shadowy hackers, often pose the greatest physical threat to an organization, and how to assess that risk.

Security Culture: How to shift an organization's mindset so that challenging an unknown person in the hallway is seen as a sign of respect and vigilance, rather than rudeness.

Derek (@dth0m) has a lot of experience with SIEM and can be found on Linkedin participating in discussions on the technology. I had the opportunity to hang out with Derek at DerbyCon in 2015 and I came away impressed with his knowledge of SIEM. He seemed to be very passionate about the subject and that showed in this interview. We discuss: How to pronounce SIEM; what it is; how to use it; the biggest challenge; how to tune; and more.

Wolfgang has presented at many conference on the topic of threat modeling. He suggests using a much similar method of threat modeling that involves threat paths, instead of other methods such as a threat tree or kill chain. You can find him taking long walks and naps on Twitter (@jwgoerlich) and participating in several MiSec projects and events. In this interview Wolfgang covers: what threat modeling is; what needs to be done to get started; who should perform it; resources; and the lifecycle of a threat model.

Justin is a security and privacy research currently working on a project titled, "Mackerel: A Progressive School of Cryptographic Thought." You can find him on Twitter (@JustinTroutman) discussing ways in which crypto can be made easier for the masses. In the interview Justin talks about: what cryptography is; why everyone should care; some of its applications; and how to get started with cryptography.

Rafal Los is the Director of Solutions Research at Accuvant. He produces the Down The Security Rabbithole podcast and writes the Following the Wh1t3 Rabbit security blog. On several occasions he's tackled the CISO role within an organization on both his podcast and blog. I would highly recommend both if you're in the infosec field or looking to get into it. In the interview Rafal talks about: what a CISO is; the role of a CISO; the skills; and different types of CISOs.