From Code to Crypto: How Learning Fundamentals Empowers Security Pros – Matt Olmsted

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Jenn Gile shares insights from her hands-on security education at DEF CON's AppSec Village, where she ran a wildly successful lottery-style dependency upgrade game. She discusses the challenges developers face with remediation, the importance of empathy in AppSec, and how gamified, tangible learning experiences can bridge gaps between dev and security teams. The episode also explores how community engagement and inclusive learning can strengthen security culture.https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenngile/Jenn Gile is a tech educator and community builder with experience in AppSec, DevOps, and national security spaces. She’s a frequent speaker at security meetups and conferences, a prolific writer, and is the host of LeanAppSec - a free educational program that helps AppSec professionals be more effective without getting bigger budgets. Jenn is currently Head of Community at Endor Labs, and previously worked at F5, NGINX, and the U.S. Department of State. Outside of work, Jenn is deeply involved in the cycling community as a board member for 2nd Cycle.

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Narayan Ram Narayanan shares his journey into cybersecurity, sparked by a personal data breach and fueled by a passion for privacy and secure development. He discusses his upcoming talk on threat modeling OpenSSL applications using STRIDE and other threat models, and highlights the value of volunteering and networking at events like BSides. The conversation also explores lessons from past mistakes, favorite security tools, and advice for newcomers in the field.Links mentioned in this episodehttps://nixos.org/guides/nix-pills/10-developing-with-nix-shell.htmlhttps://asciinema.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/n2r/Narayan Ram Narayanan is passionate about Linux, cryptography, and secure SDLC. He loves digging into code, threat modeling, and breaking things (responsibly). Whether it’s hardening apps or decoding exploits. He’s all about making software safer - one commit at a time.

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Sean Juroviesky joins us to share their journey through cybersecurity, from finding community in BurbSec to giving talks at major conferences like DEF CON and BlueTeamCon. Sean dives deep into the realities of risk management, executive sign-off processes, and the critical importance of understanding business impact. The conversation also touches on the necessity of building cross-functional relationships and documenting everything to make informed, actionable security decisions.https://burbsec.com/Sean Juroviesky is a dedicated cybersecurity, risk management, and privacy advocate, speaking on those topics at conferences across the world, including DEF CON, CypherCon, CornCon, BSides Rochester, SecretCon, Sec-T, and more. Sean also acts as a cybersecurity architect for a large music streaming provider. Beyond their professional pursuits, Sean finds joy in backpacking through the mountains with their adventurous Australian Shepherd, partner, and twins, embracing the serenity of nature and the thrill of exploration.

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Dwayne McDaniel and Sankalp Kumar dive into the world of deepfakes, how they are created using transformer models and GANs, and the real-world scams they enable. They discuss current detection techniques, including physiological analysis, iris scanning, and PKI-based authentication. Sankalp also shares actionable advice for security teams to adopt existing tools and prepare for the evolving deepfake threat landscape.With over 7 years of experience working with industry giants like McAfee, Juniper, and Fraunhofer, Sankalp Kumar has consistently been at the forefront of security innovation. He has expertise in building software systems that do intrusion detection and was one of the lead engineers in building McAfee’s IPS. Today, Sankalp leads efforts for scaling, improving network software stacks, and securing software systems.Further reading for the audience:(1) News article for deep fake scams:DOJ's probe into Doppelganger: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-disrupts-covert-russian-government-sponsored-foreign-malign-influenceDeepfake CFO scam: https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/04/asia/deepfake-cfo-scam-hong-kong-intl-hnk/index.html(2) Some tools for further understanding the detection of deep fakes:Darpa MediFor: https://www.darpa.mil/research/programs/media-forensicsMicrosoft Video Authentication: https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2020/09/01/disinformation-deepfakes-newsguard-video-authenticator/

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we’re joined by Matt Gracie, a seasoned blue team expert and senior engineer at Security Onion Solutions. Matt dives deep into the architecture and practical deployment of Security Onion, a powerful open-source enterprise security monitoring tool. He also shares insights from his role as a cybersecurity educator, reflecting on how generational shifts are changing the way students learn and approach security.https://securityonionsolutions.com/Matthew Gracie is a defensive security specialist with fifteen years of Blue Team experience in higher education, manufacturing, financial services, and healthcare. He is currently a Senior Engineer on the professional services team at Security Onion Solutions, as well as an adjunct professor of Cybersecurity in the graduate school at Canisius University. Matt is also the lead organizer of Infosec 716, a monthly meetup for security enthusiasts in Western New York, and the BSides Buffalo technology conference. He enjoys good beer, mountain bikes, open source security tools, and college hockey, and can be found on Bluesky as @InfosecGoon.

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, software engineer and newly minted CISSP Matt Olmsted joins us to explore cryptographic fundamentals and why understanding them matters for anyone in security. From explaining symmetric vs. asymmetric encryption to the real-world implications of side-channel attacks, Matt delivers practical insights for blue teamers and developers alike. Plus, we dive into his journey in InfoSec, his unique use of podcasting tech to distribute ocarina music, and even enjoy a live performance to close the show.https://mattthetall.site/https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-olmsted/Matt Olmsted has worked professionally in software engineering for over a decade, and been interested in infosec his entire career. In 2024 he decided to go for the CISSP as his first infosec cert and passed the exam at the minimum number of questions after only studying two weeks. He's something of a polymath and renaissance man, the latter in both a literal and figurative sense.

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Johnny Xmas shares the grassroots story and philosophy behind BurbSec, a unique InfoSec meetup network focused on genuine community and consistent in-person engagement. He dives into the evolution from IRC to Discord, detailing how digital platforms have helped expand and sustain their hyperlocal connections. Johnny also discusses the broader social impacts of tech culture, the value of assuming breach in security strategy, and the dangers of oversimplified advice like "just patch your stuff."https://burbsec.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyxmas/Johnny Xmas, a prominent figure in the Information Security community since 2002, has been a dedicated contributor to public forums, sharing his extensive research and knowledge. Most notably recognized for being the showrunner of the BurbSec Infosec Meetup Network, his pivotal role in exposing the American TSA Master Key leaks (2014-2018), uncovering Venmo stalking vulnerabilities (2018), and being an overall nuisance. Currently, he is the Global Head of Offensive Security for a Fortune 200 food manufacturing company. Before that, he spent many years in the field as a penetration tester, security engineer for a global Fortune 500 corporation, and Mainframe auditor and Systems Engineer for several IT asset recovery firms.

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we meet Christian Pinkston, a cybersecurity student and car culture enthusiast who's become a recognizable figure in the hacker community. Christian shares his unique journey into cybersecurity—from early experiments with hacking tools to volunteering at major conferences and running mesh networks with Meshtastic and LoRa. He also offers insightful advice on how to get involved in security through local meetups, hands-on projects, and staying curious.https://www.meetup.com/oc2600/https://www.irvineunderground.org/https://www.nuccinc.org/Christian Pinkston aka “Itz.Ghriz” is a niche internet personality blending cybersecurity, car culture, and humor across platforms like Instagram, Threads, and YouTube.a self-described "Local Hacking Legend and General Sex Icon." His profile indicates he's a cybersecurity student and car enthusiast, with a flair for humor and a strong online persona.

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, we sit down with Matt Glaman, a veteran developer in the Drupal community, to explore the role of static code analysis in maintaining secure, performant, and upgrade-ready PHP applications. We dive into tools like PHPStan and DrupalCheck, and how they help identify deprecations and prevent security risks. Matt also shares insights on mentoring in open source, the impact of AI on contributions, and lessons from surviving Drupalgeddon.https://mglaman.dev/https://bsky.app/profile/mglaman.bsky.socialhttps://www.drupal.org/node/3343181Matt Glaman is an experienced software engineer and a prominent member of the Drupal community. With over a decade of experience in web development, he has gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the field. He is the author of several books, including "Drupal 8 Development Cookbook" and "Drupal 10 Development Cookbook," which provide a comprehensive guide to building and customizing Drupal sites.As an active member of the Drupal community, Matt is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others. He regularly contributes to Drupal projects and is passionate about helping others develop their skills and become more proficient in Drupal development.

In this episode of the Security Repo Podcast, Manoj Viswanathan shares his unconventional journey into cybersecurity, from a personal phishing incident to mastering Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions and interning at Toshiba. The conversation dives deep into the community-driven value of groups like BurbSec, the practical benefits of hands-on experience over certifications, and the evolving path from student to professional. Manoj also offers candid reflections on the importance of mentorship, curiosity, and perseverance for those entering the field.https://www.linkedin.com/in/manojvisw/https://burbsec.com/https://chibrrcon.com/Manoj is a recent cybersecurity graduate from Illinois Institute of Technology, where he gained hands-on experience as a Product Security Intern at Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions.Passionate about staying ahead in the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape, Manoj is an avid attendee of security conferences, finding them an excellent resource for keeping up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements.