The cyber weekly

Welcome back to The Cyber Weekly! In this episode, Deo sits down with Kago Ezekiel Setshogo, a SOC Analyst at Augmenta Cybersecurity. Kago brings a rare and fascinating perspective to the table: combining Lean Six Sigma process engineering with hands-on SOC analysis to eliminate operational noise and streamline triaging. Whether you're a seasoned security professional looking to optimize your team's workflow, or an aspiring analyst trying to break into the industry, Kago shares actionable insights on building virtual labs, mastering frameworks like NIST and ISO, and understanding your own strengths through psychometric testing. Make sure to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode! ⏳ Timestamps: 00:00  Intro: Meet Kago Ezekiel Setshogo 02:22  Transitioning from System Administrator to SOC Analyst 05:38 The hardest barrier when moving to a SOC role 10:31 What is Lean Six Sigma and how does it apply to cybersecurity? 15:32 Process Engineering in a SOC context explained 20:02 Integrating NIST, ISO, and other frameworks into daily operations 24:29 Advice for breaking into the cyber industry: Homelabs & Portfolios 29:48 Future projects, mentorship, and final advice 🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned: Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/T0wHoyta1xk Connect with Kago Ezekiel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kago-ezekiel-setshogo/ NIST Cybersecurity Framework: https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework ISO/IEC 27001: https://www.iso.org/isoiec-27001-information-security.html Lean Six Sigma Resources: https://asq.org/quality-resources/six-sigma Microsoft Azure Training: https://learn.microsoft.com/training/azure/ AWS Training and Certification: https://aws.amazon.com/training/ SANS Institute Training: https://www.sans.org GIAC Cybersecurity Certifications: https://www.giac.org ISC2 Entry-Level Certification: https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cc Hashtags: #TheCyberWeekly #CyberSecurity #SOCAnalyst #ProcessEngineering #LeanSixSigma #InfoSec #TechCareer 💼 LinkedIn Title: Why do most security breakdowns stem from process failures, rather than technology? 🤔 Body: Installing a firewall doesn't automatically make you secure. In our latest episode of The Cyber Weekly, we explore how the real secret to a robust defense lies in process engineering. I had a fantastic conversation with Kago Ezekiel Setshogo, who transitioned from a System Administrator to a SOC Analyst. He brought an incredible framework with him: Lean Six Sigma. We discussed: 🔹 How to eliminate operational noise in a SOC. 🔹 Mapping daily workflows to NIST and ISO frameworks. 🔹 Why building virtual labs is the best way to land your first cyber role. If your security operations feel chaotic, you need to hear Kago’s breakdown of how to automate and optimize your incident response from step A to Z. 📺 Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/T0wHoyta1xk What processes in your daily workflow do you think could benefit from a "Lean" overhaul? Let me know below! 👇 #CyberSecurity #InformationSecurity #SOC #LeanSixSigma #ProcessEngineering #TheCyberWeekly #TechCareers

Can you trust a digital forensics tool simply because it displays results on a dashboard? Not according to digital forensics professional Julian Derry. In this episode of The Cyber Weekly, Julian joins Deo Okello to explain why investigators must go beyond graphical interfaces and independently validate digital evidence. 🔍 In this episode, you'll discover: ✅ Why digital forensics tools can produce misleading results. ✅ How to validate evidence using raw data and multiple tools. ✅ How to investigate timestamp manipulation and anti-forensics. ✅ Why hands-on virtual labs are essential for learning. ✅ How to build a cybersecurity portfolio without expensive certifications. ✅ Why AI assistants and cloud platforms matter in future investigations. ✅ The practical tools, habits, and communities that help digital forensics professionals grow. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and guest introduction 02:02 Why digital forensics? The missing left shoe story 👟 04:23 From bank hardware support to security 06:45 Breaking into forensics beyond the textbooks 11:16 Why you can't trust the GUI 13:23 Case study: when the MFT tool misbehaved 17:17 Detecting time stomping (anti-forensics) 19:53 Android, iOS, macOS and Linux: same principles 21:08 Why forensics is reactive 21:42 Standing out without expensive certifications 25:59 Emerging evidence: AI assistants and the cloud ☁️ 28:08 Quick fire: 5 tools every analyst needs 33:07 Where to follow Julian's work (X, GitHub, Hive Consult) 38:02 Closing 💡 Julian's advice to aspiring professionals: Build your skills, document your findings, and show your work publicly. 🎙️ Whether you're a cybersecurity student, SOC analyst, digital forensics enthusiast, or experienced investigator, this conversation will challenge how you think about digital evidence. 👍 Like, comment, and subscribe to The Cyber Weekly for conversations that make cybersecurity careers and expertise easier to understand. 💬 QUESTION:Have you ever encountered a tool that produced unexpected results? What did you do? #TheCyberWeekly #DigitalForensics #CyberSecurity #DFIR #DigitalEvidence #CyberSecurityCareers

🎙️ Welcome to The Cyber Weekly Podcast! In this episode, Deo Okello sits down with Venuste Niyodusenga, Senior Network Engineer at the National Bank of Rwanda. He holds CISSP, CCSP, CCNP, PMP and AWS Solutions Architect Professional credentials and has a Master's from Carnegie Mellon University Africa. He has 10+ years across IT, SCADA and industrial systems, and cybersecurity consulting. 🔥 In this episode you'll learn: ✅ Why perimeter-only security fails against stolen credentials and session cookies ✅ What identity-driven defense in depth looks like: MFA, least privilege, just-in-time access, device posture and AAA ✅ How to handle unpatched critical systems in a bank without causing an outage ✅ The biggest architectural shift African financial institutions must prepare for (hint: fighting AI with AI) ✅ How to break the "experience trap" and get into cybersecurity without waiting for permission

Ever feel stuck in a help desk role, wondering if cybersecurity is even reachable without a degree or years of "experience"? Grant Hughes was exactly there — until he sent one cold email that changed his career forever. In this episode of The Cyber Weekly Podcast, Grant Hughes (CISO at The Nascent Group, Founding President of the ISC2 Cape Town Chapter) breaks down: How he went from desktop support to CISO with zero security certs The exact conversation that got him his first break in security Why most security awareness training fails — and what actually works The real reason you don't need 5 years of experience to break in The one skill every newcomer needs right now 🔗 Connect with Grant Hughes: Portfolio: https://granthughes.co.za/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-hughes-52196569/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@granthughes4989 🌍 African Tech Talent Support Project: https://isc2capetownchapter.com/africa-tech-talent-support-project/ 🏢 ISC2 Cape Town Chapter: https://www.linkedin.com/company/isc2-cape-town-chapter/ 💼 The Nascent Group: https://nascent.group/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nascent-group-global/ Chapters 00:53  Meet Grant Hughes: From help desk to CISO 02:05  The one takeaway Grant wants you to leave with 03:12  What pulled him from IT support into cybersecurity 04:56  The cold email that changed his life 08:39  What 6 years on the front lines taught him 10:40  Why the basics keep evolving 11:26  What security culture really means 16:44  Handling employee pushback and busy schedules 19:34  Why explaining "why" makes training stick (the password story) 20:15  No certs, no experience? Here's your path in 24:11  The power of networking (and why it beats applying blind) 26:14  AI, soft skills, and what's next for cybersecurity 30:00  Where to find Grant + the African Tech Talent Support Project

🚨 Most CISOs can explain every control on their stack but ask them what the business actually sells, and they go quiet. In this episode of The Cyber Weekly, Deo sits down with Jake Bernardes CISO at Gambit Security, ex-pen tester, chartered accountant, and a guy who learned Chinese and German before ever touching cybersecurity. We get into: 💰 The "Minimum Viable Business" framework for justifying security spend 🧩 Why GRC is broken (and how to fix the forgotten "R") 🤖 Which security roles AI will kill and which ones it can't touch 📜 Why Jake thinks certifications are mostly pointless 🌐 Why your network matters more than your CISSP 🎙️ Building leadership on transparency, vulnerability, and authenticity   Here the links Random Access Memories: https://randomaccessmemories.io Jake Bernardes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakeleobernardes/ Random Access Memories on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RandomAccessMemoriesPod   If you're in GRC, trying to break into cybersecurity, or leading a security team through the AI shift this conversation will change how you think about your career. 00:00 Intro: The Intersection of Chinese & Cybersecurity 01:19 Who is Jake Bernardes? 03:18 How Accounting Creates Better CISOs 04:14 The "Minimum Viable Business" & Proving ROI 08:26 Why GRC is Broken (And How to Fix It) 13:02 The Future of GRC Engineering & Automation 17:32 Why Cyber Certifications Are "Pointless" 19:24 AI is Killing Tier 1 SOC Jobs: What to do next 22:43 The 3 Pillars of True Leadership #TheCyberWeekly #CISO #Cybersecurity #GRC #RiskManagement #CyberCareers #InfoSec #CyberLeadership 🔐🎙️📈