Security Cocktail Hour

In part 2 of our discussion, John Strand tells us how the cybersecurity industry has turned stagnant, with a lack of innovation and an investment model that isn't going to turn that around any time soon. We explore why venture capital funding hasn't led to the breakthrough products the industry needs, and what's holding back real innovation. John also highlights the leaders in the security industry who are actively giving back to the community, and he and Adam try to one-up each other over who's stayed in the most disgusting hotel room.

00:00 Intro
00:12 Security is Ripe for Disruption
06:19 Better Investors = Better Security Products
10:22 Security is Awesome
12:43 Scaling Conference Talks
15:54 John's Advice on Guests
17:30 A Great Set of People
23:18 Bad Hotels, Good People
29:10 Wrapup
29:54 Outro

This is Part 2 of our conversation with John Strand.

Website: https://securitycocktailhour.comNewsletter: https://securitycocktailhour.com/newsletterLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/security-cocktail-hourTwitter/X: @SecCocktailHour

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John Strand isn't interested in fixing the broken security education system—he's tearing it down and rebuilding it. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, the founder of Black Hills Information Security explains why scholarships don't solve the real problem, how American universities are losing ground to European programs, and the unexpected places where he's finding the next generation of security talent.

What We Cover:

Why scholarships preserve a broken system instead of fixing it
The barriers that actually matters: Not what you expect
American universities vs. European programs: who's winning and why
Career changers bringing new perspectives to the industry.
AI's "fallow period" in hiring and what comes next
The standardization of mediocrity: how AI is making everything "blah"

00:00 Introduction
00:50 Rethinking Cyber Education
07:01 Diversity Brings Amazing People into Security
09:53 Changing Lives
11:42 Giving Back to the Community
14:33 The Strand Family of Companies
17:02 Security's AI Mistake

Part 2 coming soon

Website: https://securitycocktailhour.com
Newsletter: https://securitycocktailhour.com/newsletter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/security-cocktail-hour
Twitter/X: @SecCocktailHour

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Keeping your Flipper Zero's firmware updated is critical for security and performance—but the update process isn't always smooth. In this episode, we'll walk you through every step of updating your Flipper Zero firmware, including how to work through a snag you might encounter.

Whether you're a security professional, pentester, or hardware enthusiast, regular firmware maintenance is essential for keeping your tools secure and functional. This guide shows you what it takes for the popular Flipper Zero.

00:00 Introduction to Flipper Zero
02:30 Laptop connection and app
06:20 Begin Update
07:23 This doesn't look right
09:40 Definitely not right
10:27 Success
12:57 Next steps

Catch up with the previous episode in this series when we unboxed the Flipper Zero:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1rU2o8B5cd9MYZ4uQSB3VG?si=cce55d68cdc048b6
And our episode on the ethics of 'hacking' devices:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0olsN2LKLn09wOLpnxqeIH?si=adf4b00394714209

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👉 https://securitycocktailhour.com/newsletter/

🔗 Connect With Us:
Website: https://securitycocktailhour.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/security-cocktail-hour/
Twitter: @SecCocktailHour

Curious about the Flipper Zero, one of the most talked-about `gadgets` out there? We give you a quick look as we unbox a new one.

This is a companion to one of our earliest episodes, where we talked about the ethics and proper use of hacking tools. https://youtu.be/BVca3X8wE_c

📧 Subscribe to Our Newsletter: Get exclusive cybersecurity insights, episode updates, and career tips delivered to your inbox.
👉 https://securitycocktailhour.com/newsletter/

🔗 Connect With Us:
Website: https://securitycocktailhour.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/security-cocktail-hour/
Twitter: @SecCocktailHour

Job scams are getting scary good. We're talking AI deepfakes, fake recruiters, and cryptocurrency traps that are fooling even tech-savvy professionals. In this Security Cocktail Hour holiday special, Joe and Adam break down four of the most dangerous job scams hitting people right now—because nothing says "Happy Holidays" quite like protecting yourself from scammers, right?
If you're job hunting (or know someone who is), grab a drink and settle in. We're covering everything from deepfake video interviews to the bizarre world of "lucky order" scams that'll drain your crypto wallet faster than you can say "I got the job!"

What You'll Learn:
✅ How scammers use real-time deepfake technology to impersonate legitimate recruiters
✅ The malware delivery tactics hidden in "competency tests" and coding exercises
✅ How to spot fake job postings before sharing personal information
✅ The "lucky order" scam that tricks workers into depleting their own accounts

00:00 Intro: Job Scams for the Holidays
01:08 AI Enhanced Interview Fraud
11:26 Packaging and Processing Scams
17:23 Mystery Shopper Scam
24:30 Gamify/Task Scams
28:48 Help Spread Awareness
29:40 Wrapup and Happy Holidays
30:58 Bonus Bloopers!

Key Takeaways:
🚩 Red Flag #1: Any job asking for money upfront (deposits, equipment fees, background check fees)
🚩 Red Flag #2: Payment exclusively in cryptocurrency for employment
🚩 Red Flag #3: Requests for excessive personal information before an interview
🚩 Red Flag #4: Downloading special software for interviews or tests
🚩 Red Flag #5: "Too good to be true" easy money for simple tasks

Protect Yourself:
✓ Always verify recruiters through official company websites (not LinkedIn alone)
✓ Never give MFA/2FA codes to anyone—even for "deposits"
✓ Be wary of video interviews that seem glitchy (could be deepfakes)
✓ Research the company independently before sharing personal data
✓ Use multi-factor authentication on all financial accounts

📧 Subscribe to Our Newsletter: Get exclusive cybersecurity insights, episode updates, and career tips delivered to your inbox every week.
👉 https://securitycocktailhour.com/newsletter/

🔗 Connect With Us:
Website: securitycocktailhour.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/security-cocktail-hour/
Twitter: @SecCocktailHour

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