What does it take to build one of DEF CON's largest and most popular villages?In this episode of Simply Offensive, Phillip Wylie sits down with Rachael Tubbs, PhD, Research Director at Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) and one of the leaders behind IoT Village, to discuss the evolution of one of the cybersecurity community's favorite DEF CON attractions.From Bluetooth-enabled toilet seats and connected litter boxes to IoT security research, hacker psychology, and advice for first-time DEF CON attendees, this conversation offers an inside look at how IoT Village has grown into a global educational initiative that helps thousands of security professionals develop hands-on skills every year.Whether you're attending DEF CON for the first time or you're an experienced hacker looking for your next challenge, this episode highlights why IoT Village continues to be a must-visit destination.Connect with Rachael Tubbs:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rachael-tubbs-1a1085135/IoT Village: https://iotvillage.org/=========================Connect with your host, Phillip Wylie:LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipwylieYouTube: https://youtube.com/@PhillipWylie=========================Presented by Suzu Labs=========================All the ways to connect with @Suzulabshttps://suzulabs.comhttps://x.com/suzulabshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/suzu-labs/
Artificial intelligence is transforming offensive security, but does that mean traditional penetration testing skills are becoming obsolete? In this episode of Simply Offensive, Phillip Wylie is joined by offensive security researcher Milton "wetw0rk" Valencia and Suzu Labs offensive security practitioner Jacob Krell for an in-depth discussion about the future of penetration testing, exploit development, and the role AI is playing in modern offensive security. Drawing from decades of combined experience, the conversation explores why understanding the underlying fundamentals remains essential—even as AI dramatically accelerates many offensive security workflows. From exploit development and malware research to certifications, training philosophies, and the economics of cybersecurity consulting, the panel examines what the next generation of ethical hackers needs to succeed. Milton shares insights from years of exploit development and red team operations, including lessons learned at IBM, Immunity, and HPE, while Jacob discusses his research into AI-assisted penetration testing and how large language models are changing the speed and scale of offensive security work.========================= Connect with Milton Valencia:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milton-wetw0rk/Blog: GitHub: https://wetw0rk.github.io/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ @wetw0rk7 =========================Connect with Jacob Krell:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-krell/X: https://x.com/hackerfren=========================Connect with your host, Phillip Wylie:LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipwylieYouTube: https://youtube.com/@PhillipWylie=========================Presented by Suzu Labs=========================All the ways to connect with @Suzulabshttps://suzulabs.comhttps://x.com/suzulabshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/suzu-labs/
In this episode of Simply Offensive, Phillip Wylie welcomes Katherine (Kat) McNamara, Technical Solutions Architect at Cisco and holder of two prestigious Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certifications. Kat shares her remarkable journey from overcoming significant personal challenges to becoming one of the industry's leading networking and security professionals.The conversation explores the evolution of cybersecurity careers, the value of certifications versus degrees, today's hiring landscape, and the growing influence of AI on offensive and defensive security. Phillip and Kat also examine why organizations continue to struggle with AI security, the dangers of "vibe coding," and how organizations can avoid repeating the same mistakes made during the early cloud adoption era.Whether you're an aspiring cybersecurity professional or an experienced practitioner navigating AI-driven security challenges, this episode delivers practical insights, honest perspectives, and plenty of thought-provoking discussion.=========================Connect with KatherineMcnamara:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinermcnamara/X: https://x.com/kmcnam1=========================Connect with your host, Phillip Wylie:LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipwylieYouTube: https://youtube.com/@PhillipWylieX: https://x.com/phillipwylie=========================Presented by Suzu Labs=========================All the ways to connect with @Suzulabshttps://suzulabs.comhttps://x.com/suzulabshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/suzu-labs/
In this episode of Simply Offensive, Phillip Wylie sits down with longtime friend, former coworker, and cybersecurity professional Darin Fredde. The conversation traces Darin's journey from computer-aided design and telecommunications to becoming a CIO, security architect, penetration tester, and AI advocate. Along the way, Darin shares lessons learned from decades in technology, how curiosity helped him succeed in offensive security, and why embracing AI is essential for today's cybersecurity professionals. In this episode of Simply Offensive, Phillip Wylie sits down with longtime friend, former coworker, and cybersecurity professional Darin Fredde. The conversation traces Darin's journey from computer-aided design and telecommunications to becoming a CIO, security architect, penetration tester, and AI advocate. Along the way, Darin shares lessons learned from decades in technology, how curiosity helped him succeed in offensive security, and why embracing AI is essential for today's cybersecurity professionals.=========================Connect with Darin Fredde:https://www.linkedin.com/in/darinfredde/=========================Connect with your host, Phillip Wylie:LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipwylieYouTube: https://youtube.com/@PhillipWylie=========================Presented by Suzu Labs=========================All the ways to connect with @Suzulabshttps://suzulabs.comhttps://x.com/suzulabshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/suzu-labs/
In this episode of Simply Offensive, Phillip Wylie sits down with longtime cybersecurity professional Jim Nitterauer to discuss his unconventional journey from environmental microbiology researcher to entrepreneur, infrastructure engineer, security leader, and CISO. Jim shares lessons learned from building one of the early web hosting companies in the Southeast, helping scale security services at AppRiver, leading compliance and security programs through acquisitions, and navigating the rapidly evolving world of AI.The conversation explores practical AI adoption, security leadership, DNS fundamentals, career resilience, and why cybersecurity professionals should focus on mastering the basics before chasing the latest technology trends.Connect with Jim Nitterauer:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jnitterauer/=========================Connect with your host, Phillip Wylie:LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipwylieYouTube: https://youtube.com/@PhillipWylie=========================Presented by Suzu Labs=========================All the ways to connect with @Suzulabshttps://suzulabs.comhttps://x.com/suzulabshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/suzu-labs/