[RERELEASE] ShowMeCon: What does Jayson E. Street, Dave Chronister, Johnny Xmas, April Wright, and Ben Brown think about security?

In this epic episode of the Exploring Information Security podcast Jayson E. Street (@jaysonstreet), Dave Chronister (@bagomojo), Johnny Xmas (@J0hnnyXm4s), April Wright (@aprilwright), Ben Brown (@ajnachakra), and surprise guests Adrian Crenshaw (@irongeek_adc) and Kevin Johnson (@secureideas)all join me to discuss various security related topics.

ShowMeCon is one of my favorite security conferences. The organizers are awesome and take care of their speakers like no other conference. The venue is fantastic. The content is mind blowing. I can't say enough good things about the even that Dave and Renee Chronister put on every year in St. Louis, Missouri. They know how to put on a conference.

Regular listeners of the podcast will note that I recorded an episode with Dave on ShowMeCon several weeks ago. After that recording he asked if I was interested in doing a recording at the conference. I said yes and thus the birth of this epic episode. This format is experimental. First, it is marked as explicit, because there is swearing. Second, It's over 90 minutes long. I didn't think breaking it up into four or five pieces would serve the recording well. Send me your feedback good or bad on this episode, because I'd like to do more of these. I would really like to hear it for this episode.

In this episode we discuss:

  • Certificates

  • Hiring

  • Interviewing

  • Where to get started

  • Soft skills

  • ShowMeCon and other conferences

  • Community and giving back

  • Imposter syndrome

  • Irongeeks impact on those in attendance

HallwayCon from the floor of ShowMeCon 2024

Summary:

In this off-the-cuff episode, Timothy De Block brings a mic to the floor of ShowMeCon for the first-ever HallwayCon podcast episode. He walks around with a mic and recorder, engaging in spontaneous conversations with random attendees. Timothy highlights the immense value of attending security conferences, emphasizing that these real, impromptu conversations with professionals are crucial for expanding knowledge and building relationships within the industry. This unique approach captures some just some of the many conversations going on at security conferences.

Key Topics Discussed:

  1. Importance of Networking:

    • Knowing your target employers and daily tasks.

    • Overcoming the fear of talking to strangers.

  2. Effective Techniques:

    • Asking engaging questions.

    • Volunteering and getting involved.

  3. Conference Culture:

    • Evolution of conference attire.

    • Balancing business and casual environments.

  4. Career Challenges:

    • Job market difficulties for younger and older professionals.

    • Role of networking in career advancement.

  5. Humorous Stories:

    • Conference experiences and unique attire.

    • Creative uses of business cards.

  6. Management Insights:

    • Effective management and hiring practices.

    • Importance of structured onboarding.

  7. Impact of AI:

    • AI’s role in security and deepfake technology.

    • Future relevance in cybersecurity.

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

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What's Happening at ShowMeCon 2024?

Summary:

In this dynamic episode, host Timothy De Block engages in a lively conversation with Joey Smith, Tim McLaren, and Ben Miller live from the floor of Show Me Con 2024. They discuss various topics including the importance of trust in vendor relationships, the evolution of security roles, and the innovative approaches being adopted in the food industry.

Episode Highlights:

Conversations with Industry Experts:

  • Spontaneous discussions about the importance of genuine interactions at conferences.

  • Joey's perspective on the value of treating vendors with respect and professionalism.

Insights from Tim McLaren:

  • Tim shares his experience transitioning from a vendor-specific role to a broader consultancy position.

  • Discussion on the importance of having diverse solutions and the role of trust in customer relationships.

Ben Miller's Take:

  • Ben emphasizes the need for critical thinking and continuous learning in security roles.

  • Reflections on how past experiences shape current practices in cybersecurity.

Vendor Relationships and Trust:

  • The group discusses the significance of building long-term, trust-based relationships with vendors.

  • Examples of how trust influences decision-making and security practices.

Innovations in Security:

  • Conversations on how emerging technologies and innovative solutions are reshaping the cybersecurity landscape.

  • Joey's insights on the latest advancements and their implications for the industry.

Key Quotes:

  • "Trust is between two people. I don't trust the business or a line of questioning; I trust the individuals behind it." - Joey Smith

  • "Critical thinking and adaptability are essential in the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity." - Ben Miller

Recommended Resources:

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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Catching up with Mental Health Hackers Founder Amanda Berlin at ShowMeCon

Summary:

In this relaxed and engaging episode recorded from air loungers at Show Me Con, Timothy De Block catches up with Amanda Berlin from Mental Health Hackers during Mental Health Awareness Month. They discuss the importance of mental health in the IT security industry, which is often fraught with stress and high demands.

Episode Highlights:

  1. Personal Stories of Mental Health: Timothy and Amanda share their personal experiences with mental health challenges, emphasizing the common struggles many face in the IT security field.

  2. Impact of Alcohol: The discussion explores the impact of alcohol on mental health, particularly how it affects sleep and stress levels. They touch upon efforts to create event spaces that offer alternatives to alcohol-centric activities.

  3. Mental Health Hackers: Amanda talks about the work of Mental Health Hackers, a group that attends various conferences to provide spaces for people to relax and decompress.

  4. Fundraising and Awareness: Mention of Mental Health Hackers' new t-shirt campaign designed to promote mental wellness, with proceeds supporting their activities at conferences. You can get T-Shirts here: https://www.customink.com/fundraising/mental-health-awareness-for-mhh

Key Quotes:

  • "It’s really about awareness... paying attention to how habits like drinking can impact our mental state and sleep." - Timothy De Block

  • "We need to create environments at events where drinking isn’t the main focus, allowing people to enjoy without the pressure of alcohol." - Amanda Berlin

Additional Resources:

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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ShowMeCon: How AI will impact Cybersecurity Enhancements and Threats with Jayson E. Street

Summary:

Jayson E. Street

In this engaging episode Jayson E. Street, a renowned cybersecurity expert, joins me to discuss the return of ShowMeCon, the impact of AI in cybersecurity, and innovative strategies for enhancing security and combating threats. Jayson shares his excitement for ShowMeCon, insights on utilizing AI for security enhancements rather than traditional attacks, and offers practical advice for users, executives, and information security professionals.

This podcast sponsored by ShowMeCon.

Episode Highlights:

  • ShowMeCons return

  • Utilizing AI in Cybersecurity

  • Creative Use of AI for Security

  • Practical Security Tips Across the Board

  • The Future of AI in Security

Guest Information:

Jayson E. Street referred to in the past as: A "notorious hacker" by FOX25 Boston, "World Class Hacker" by National Geographic Breakthrough Series and described as a "paunchy hacker" by Rolling Stone Magazine.

He however prefers if people refer to him simply as a Hacker, Helper & Human.

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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ShowMeCon: Azure Vulnerabilities with Scott Miller

Scott Miller

Summary:

Scott Miller, a fresh voice in the cybersecurity arena, joins me to discuss the intricacies of hacking Azure services. Scott shares his journey from a recent college graduate to becoming a speaker at cybersecurity conferences, along with valuable insights into Azure AD (Active Directory), vulnerabilities within cloud services, and the art of escalation.

This episode sponsored by ShowMeCon.

Episode Highlights:

  • Scott's Entry into Cybersecurity

  • Focus on Azure AD

  • Exploring Vulnerabilities

  • Methodology and Tools

  • Learning and Resources

  • The Importance of Entry-Level Accessibility

Scott Miller Penetration Tester at Accenture

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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ShowMeCon: Unraveling the Cybersecurity Fabric of Space and SCADA Networks with Paul Coggin

Paul Coggin

Summary:

In this captivating episode of the "Exploring Information Security" podcast, cybersecurity expert Paul Coggin discusses the intricate world of threat hunting in SCADA networks and the emerging frontier of space cybersecurity. From the inspiration drawn from Transformers movies to the sophisticated attacks like Stuxnet, Coggin delves deep into how monitoring physical indicators could revolutionize our approach to cybersecurity in both terrestrial and extraterrestrial domains.

This podcast is sponsored by ShowMeCon.

Episode Highlights:

  • The significance of ShowMeCon in filling the void left by other conferences.

  • Paul's historical involvement and contribution to the naming of ShowMeCon and DerbyCon.

  • The Internet of Military Things

  • Initiating Threat Hunting in New Domains

  • Case Studies and Practical Applications

  • Looking Ahead: Cybersecurity in Space

Guest Information:

Paul Coggin is a Cyber SME at nou Systems, Inc.

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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ShowMeCon: Talking with the Iceland Viking Arnar

Summary:

Arnar is not a speaker this year at ShowMeCon but he will be in attendance. He doesn’t work in the security field but he’s doing some really advanced stuff with cooling in cloud environments. We get into a little bit of everything around what he’s doing as well as talk about AI. Surprise!

This podcast is sponsored by ShowMeCon.

Episode Highlights:

  • What Arnar is looking forward to at ShowMeCon

  • Some of the cool things he’s doing with his company

  • AI

Guest Information:

Arnar

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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ShowMeCon: Talking Sysmon with Amanda Berlin

Amanda Berlin

Summary:

Amanda Berlin is Lead Incident Detection Engineer at Blumira, where she leads the development of new detections for the Blumira platform, based on threat intelligence and research. In this episode I catch up with her to talk about Sysmon and ShowMeCon. Sysmon is such a great tool for getting more information out of your systems. The best part is it’s free.

This podcast is sponsored by ShowMeCon.

Episode Highlights:

  • What is Sysmon

  • How to use Sysmon

  • ShowMeCon

Guest Information:

Amanda Berlin is Lead Incident Detection Engineer at Blumira

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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ShowMeCon: Couch to Compromise with Johnny Xmas

Summary:

Veteran conference speaker Johnny Xmas joins me to discuss ShowMeCon and his talk Couch to Compromise the 2024 edition. His talk is an update from previous years which goes over the latest attacks impacting organizations.

Episode Highlights:

Johnny Xmas with a not a flamethrower

Guest Information:

Johnny Xmas: The Most Interesting Man in Information Security

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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ShowMeCon: Bypassing MFA with Brandon Potter

This is a sponsored podcast by ShowMeCon which is May 13th & 14th. Tickets are still available! They’re also still looking for sponsors. Don't miss out on this opportunity to be part of the cybersecurity event of the year! Whether you're looking to learn, network, or elevate your brand, ShowMeCon is the place to be.

Summary:

Brandon Potter Chief Technology Officer of ProCircular, Inc.

Brandon Potter joins me to discuss the different ways he’s seeing MFA bypassed as part of his companies work. Attackers are using old and new techniques to discover creative ways to bypass MFA. This is a result of more companies getting onboard with MFA. Unfortunately, that means attackers are going to start to find more ways to bypass MFA. A lot of what Brandon is seeing is coming down to misconfiguration with how MFA is implemented and attackers are starting to use browser in the middle to hijack sessions. Finally, we go over how AI is going to impact MFA.

Episode Highlights:

  • ShowMeCon one of the few conferences in the Midwest to attend

  • Bypassing MFA

  • Misconfigurations in MFA

  • Browser-in-the-middle

  • Where is MFA being bypassed?

  • How is AI going to impact bypassing MFA

Guest Information:

Brandon Potter (CISSP, GSEC, GCIH, CCFP, GWAPT) is the Chief Technology Officer of ProCircular, Inc.,

Brandon Potter LinkedIn

ProCircular Website

ProCircular LinkedIn

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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ShowMeCon: Kevin Johnson and whatever he wants to talk about

This is a sponsored podcast by ShowMeCon which is May 13th & 14th. Tickets are still available! They’re also still looking for sponsors. Don't miss out on this opportunity to be part of the cybersecurity event of the year! Whether you're looking to learn, network, or elevate your brand, ShowMeCon is the place to be.

Summary:

Kevin Johnson CEO of Secure Ideas

Kevin Johnson the Chief Executive Officer of Secure Ideas joined me to discuss ShowMeCon and his keynote presentation on the infosec community rising from the ashes like a phoenix. It’s been a while since I’ve had the opportunity to catch up with Kevin but we got right into it and had a lot of great laughs. It’s a little all over the place with talk about ShowMeCon, reincarnation, and John Wick as a romantic comedy. Also, there is an EXPLICIT tag on this podcast.

Check the episode highlights below for a jingle on the topic.

Episode Highlights:

(Verse 1)
🎶 In the world of cyber, there's a place to be,
ShowMeCon's the event, in the tech sea.
Kevin Johnson's leading, with a tech-savvy crew,
Bringing folks together, showing what they can do. 🎶

(Chorus)
🎵 ShowMeCon, ShowMeCon, where the tech minds meet,
Diving deep in cyber streets, where challenges and passions greet.
From the ashes, we will rise, like a phoenix, bold and wise,
ShowMeCon, the stage is set, for a tech adventure you won't forget. 🎵

(Verse 2)
🎶 Imagine John Wick, with a softer side,
In a rom-com twist, where love and action collide.
He's hacking through the heart, with a smile so wide,
At ShowMeCon, where worlds of tech and romance abide. 🎶

(Bridge)
🎵 Rising from the ashes, with the phoenix's flight,
We'll conquer cyber battles, in the neon light.
Kevin Johnson guides us, through the digital night,
At ShowMeCon, we'll learn, we'll grow, and take our dreams to height. 🎵

(Chorus)
🎵 ShowMeCon, ShowMeCon, where the future's bright,
Join us in the journey, in the quest for cyber might.
From the ashes, we will rise, with our hearts and minds entwined,
ShowMeCon, where dreams take flight, and every moment's a delight. 🎵

Guest Information:

Kevin Johnson is the Chief Executive Officer of Secure Ideas. Kevin has a long history in the IT field including system administration, network architecture and application development. He has been involved in building incident response and forensic teams, architecting security solutions for large enterprises and penetration testing everything from government agencies to Fortune 100 companies. In addition, Kevin is a faculty member at IANS and was an instructor and author for the SANS Institute.

Resources and Mentions:

Secure Ideas

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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What is ShowMeCon 2024?

Summary:

Dave Chronister the organizer of ShowMeCon joined me to discuss the revival of the conference. ShowMeCon is one of my favorite conferences. I had the pleasure of going to it from 2016-2018. I had plans to return in 2020 but the world event that we shall not speak of happened. I’m happy to see it return in 2024 and I will be there!

We get into a variety of topics around the conference including sponsorship, who attends, the venue, and the theme for 2024. The conference is still looking for sponsors and they’re about to do a second round of call for papers for speakers. If you’re looking to attendee the early bird price ends January 14th, 2024. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Episode Highlights:

  • ShowMeCon is still looking for sponsors

  • Who comes to the conference

  • The origins and venue of ShowMeCon

  • The theme for ShowMeCon 2024

Guest Information:

Dave Chronister organizer of ShowMeCon and CEO of Parameter Security

Resources and Mentions:

  • ShowMeCon

  • For questions reach out to info@showmecon.com

Contact Information:

Leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form on the site, email [timothy.deblock[@]exploresec[.]com, or reach out on LinkedIn.

Check out our services page and reach out if you see any services that fit your needs.

Social Media Links:

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ShowMeCon 2018 Live

In this panelist episode of the Exploring Information Security podcast, the first ever podcast panel at ShowMeCon 2018!

Amanda Berlin (@InfoSystir), Wik (@jaimefilson), David Cybuck (@dpcybuck), April Wright (@aprilwright), and Dave Chronister (@bagomojo) join me on the live EIS panel at ShowMeCon, June 7, 2018. This is the first panel I've ever done for the podcast. It went so well, I hope to do more in the future. We cover a variety of topics and have a few laughs.

YouTube version

In this episode we discuss:

  • What's coming back in vogue

  • What to do with master ID

  • What our thoughts are on new password policies from NIST

  • How to handle best practices

What does Jayson E. Street, Dave Chronister, Johnny Xmas, April Wright, and Ben Brown think about security?

In this epic episode of the Exploring Information Security podcast Jayson E. Street (@jaysonstreet), Dave Chronister (@bagomojo), Johnny Xmas (@J0hnnyXm4s), April Wright (@aprilwright), Ben Brown (@ajnachakra), and surprise guests Adrian Crenshaw (@irongeek_adc) and Kevin Johnson (@secureideas)all join me to discuss various security related topics.

ShowMeCon is one of my favorite security conferences. The organizers are awesome and take care of their speakers like no other conference. The venue is fantastic. The content is mind blowing. I can't say enough good things about the even that Dave and Renee Chronister put on every year in St. Louis, Missouri. They know how to put on a conference.

Regular listeners of the podcast will note that I recorded an episode with Dave on ShowMeCon several weeks ago. After that recording he asked if I was interested in doing a recording at the conference. I said yes and thus the birth of this epic episode. This format is experimental. First, it is marked as explicit, because there is swearing. Second, It's over 90 minutes long. I didn't think breaking it up into four or five pieces would serve the recording well. Send me your feedback good or bad on this episode, because I'd like to do more of these. I would really like to hear it for this episode.

In this episode we discuss:

  • Certificates
  • Hiring
  • Interviewing
  • Where to get started
  • Soft skills
  • ShowMeCon and other conferences
  • Community and giving back
  • Imposter syndrome
  • Irongeeks impact on those in attendance

What is ShowMeCon?

In this show me episode of the Exploring Information Security podcast, Dave Chronister managing partner at Parameter Security (@ParameterHacker) and organizer discuss ShowMeCon.

I can't say enough good things about Dave (@bagomojo). Last year was my first opportunity to attendee and speak at ShowMeCon (@ShowMeConSTL). He and the organizers did a tremendous job taking care of the speakers and attendees. There was great content, activities, food, parties, and the venue was top notch. This is one of the most well run and classiest conferences I've had the opportunity to attendee. I am excited to have the opportunity to speak again at the conference.

The conference has a different feel than other security conferences. It has more of a business feel. Which is a nice change of pace. This gives businesses in St. Louis an opportunity to tap into the vast knowledge of infosec community. It gives speakers of the infosec community an opportunity to show businesses how deep the infosec rabbit hole goes. I highly recommend (and often do) this conference to everyone in IT security.

ShowMeCon is June 8 and 9, 2017, at the Ameristar Casino and Resort. Tickets are available until May 15, 2017.

Other Details:

If you need to contact the organizers of ShowMeCon their phone number is 314-442-0472. If you would like to volunteer send an email to info[@]showmecon[.]com

In this episode we discussed:

  • What is ShowMeCon
  • How the conference got started
  • Who should attend ShowMeCon
  • What can attendees expect
  • A Saturday morning cartoon party