Hacker Valley Studio

The Secret Sauce of SANS Instructors with John Hubbard

John Hubbard, SOC consultant, SANS Sr. Instructor and host of the Blueprint Podcast, joins the Hacker Valley team this week to discuss SANS, SOCs, and seeking new hobbies. As the curriculum lead for cyber defense, John breaks down what makes a good SANS instructor and how to inspire passion in students when teaching for long hours. Additionally, John gives away his life hacks for pursuing passions outside of the cybersecurity industry, including podcasting, video editing, music creation, and nutrition. 

 

Time Coded Guide:

[00:00] Instructing for SANS & what it takes to be a good instructor

[07:33] Exploring the potential of a SOC-less cyber industry

[13:38] Teaching complicated topics with clear visuals & simple comparisons 

[19:37] Podcasting his way to better SOC consulting skills 

[26:12] Finding a balance between jack of all trades & single skill master

 

Sponsor Links:

Thank you to our sponsor Axonius for bringing this episode to life!

The Axonius solution correlates asset data from existing solutions to provide an always up-to-date inventory, uncover gaps, and automate action — giving IT and security teams the confidence to control complexity. Learn more at axonius.com/hackervalley

 

What do you think are the makings of a good instructor, especially for SANS? 

Transitioning from the world of electrical and computer engineering, John’s journey to becoming a SANS instructor took over 3 years of study. Although he jokes that training to be a SANS instructor was the longest job interview ever, John is thankful for the mentorship and inspiration his training gave him. SANS courses require long hours and hard work, but John believes the best instructors bring a real love for what they do to each class. 

“The technical aspect has to be there in a very strong way. Beyond that, you have to deliver this message not only with razor sharp clarity, but also with passion and energy. People are sitting there watching you talk for hours. If you aren't excited, they're not going to be excited.”

 

Cyber defense is a pretty broad topic. What makes you feel comfortable teaching a course on cyber defense?

Cyber defense can be a topic that’s both broad and confusing for students, but John has been dedicated to building a curriculum that cuts through the confusion and inspires innovation. Teaching his students to focus on priorities, John wants to bring clarity to complex topics like SOCs, Kerberos, and related security issues. While the topics can be broad and debatable, John wants to equip his students with real world examples and simple comparable concepts.

“If there was one word I was going to summarize both of the classes I teach with, it’s ‘priorities.’ It's getting the right stuff there first, and not getting distracted by all the other details that are potentially trying to pull you in the wrong direction.”

 

Have there been unintended benefits to being a podcast host, that either helps you as an instructor, or even someone that does consulting in the SOC space?

Taking the chance to start the Blueprint podcast was inspired partly by John’s previous interest in podcasts like Security Now, but also by his pursuit of learning content creation. Starting a podcast, for John, was an exercise in testing his comfort zone. Learning the technical aspects as well as the creative aspects of content creation and podcast hosting continues to build John’s confidence in his storytelling and teaching skills. 

“For me, a lot of things have come out of podcasting. Probably one of the biggest things is just flexing that muscle of doing things that are slightly uncomfortable and scary. Any time you think, ‘I don't know if I can pull this off. Should I do it?’ The answer should always be yes.”

 

What is one piece of advice or philosophy that enables you to do more and squeeze as much as you can out of life? 

In the same way that he teaches his SANS students about priorities, John focuses on his personal priorities often in order to accomplish his well-rounded, jack of all trades lifestyle. Building new skills and cataloging new experiences feels vital for John. Taking full advantage of the time he’s been given and getting curious about expanding his comfort zone is an essential philosophy that has taught John not only about cyber defense, but about every hobby he enjoys as well.

“I try to get up as early as I can manage to get up every day, well before I start getting emails and meeting requests and all sorts of stuff like that, and try to plan out my day and ask myself, ‘How am I going to actually approach doing the things that matter the most to me?’”

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Links:

Keep up with our guest John Hubbard on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube

Listen to John’s podcast on the Blueprint Blog

Learn more about John’s work on the SANS Institute website

Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter

Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter

Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop

Continue the conversation by joining our Discord

Check out Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

Creating Community for Female Security Practitioners with Larci Robertson

Larci Robertson, Sales Engineer at Cyberreason and Board President of Women of Security, brings her expertise and experience in cyber threat analysis, community building, and networking to the pod this week. Larci talks about her time in the Navy, her desire for female friends, and how the combination of those two things led to her joining Women of Security (WoSec). In this episode, Larci walks through the importance of women-led cyber spaces and how mentoring gives back to the community in a ripple effect. 

 

Timecoded Guide: 

[00:00] Searching for friendship in Women of Security spaces 

[06:56] Diving into the Dallas cyber community with WoSec 

[14:00] Finding mission-focused purpose in threat intelligence analysis 

[17:57] Transitioning from the military into security and technology 

[24:10] Encouraging women to stay motivated in the cyber industry  

 

Sponsor Links: 

Thank you to our sponsor Axonius for bringing this episode to life!

The Axonius solution correlates asset data from existing solutions to provide an always up-to-date inventory, uncover gaps, and automate action — giving IT and security teams the confidence to control complexity. Learn more at axonius.com/hackervalley

How did you get introduced to Women of Security? 

After leaving the Navy and moving to Dallas, Larci struggled to find community amongst other women in tech. She worried the women she knew outside of the industry wouldn’t understand her unique struggles, but the women she was meeting in cyber felt few and far between. Reaching out to Women of Security felt like an encounter with destiny, which inspired Larci to start her own WoSec chapter in Plano and find her voice as a community leader. 

“I wanted to find those women and get more women into security, but also have somebody to hang out with that was in the same industry, same page, we're all kind of going at the same pulse of what we've got going on in our lives.” 

 

What are the challenges for women transitioning into the technology field, whether they're coming from the military or from another industry? 

As a woman in threat defense analysis, Larci understands the hurdles and complications that come with transitioning into the field. Originally gaining her security experience in the Navy, Larci explains that she, along with many women she meets in the industry, undermine their past experiences and doubt their full potential. This often leads to less job applications from women when positions open up, perpetuating the gap for women in tech. 

“I want to tell women, and I do tell them all the time, don't look at that job title. Read through the actual like, what they want you to do, and maybe you understand it in a different way. Don't worry about that stuff. Let them tell you you're not qualified, don't do it to yourself.” 

 

What comes to the top of your mind about the power of community when thinking about WoSec? 

Community inspired Larci to be a part of WoSec, but it also left a lasting impact on her friends and her family. Not only has Larci witnessed many female friends achieve career heights they never dreamed possible, she’s also seen Women of Security inspire her own daughter. Initially believing her job was “too technical,” Larci’s daughter now better understands her own potential to succeed in cyber and tech, which has given her so much confidence in her future. 

“I'm seeing people get their first jobs in cybersecurity, and it's really exciting. And then, they'll turn around and help somebody else. I feel like that's happening a lot more. I see it because my group is doing it, I think we're all emulating each other in that way.” 

 

For any women listening right now, what would be that piece of advice that you have for them to keep them energized while they're in the field? 

Money is a motivator for many individuals transitioning into the cyber industry. While Larci understands why she meets many women looking to make more money in cyber, she also encourages those women— and anyone else listening to this week’s show— to find a purpose and passion for their work. Money motivation doesn’t last forever, and Larci wants to build a community of women who understand and enjoy their purpose in tech.  

“I feel like no matter what you do, if you have purpose in what you're doing, you're going to stay and you're going to have that drive. On top of that, you gotta have fun with this. If you're not having fun at what you're doing every day, I think you're doing it wrong.” 

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Links: 

Keep up with our guest Larci Robertson on LinkedIn and Twitter 

Learn more about Cyberreason on LinkedIn and the Cyberreason website 

Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter 

Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter 

Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop 

Continue the conversation by joining our Discord 

Check out Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio 

Securing Feelings of Worth, Value, & Belonging with Marrelle Bailey

Marrelle Bailey, Community Manager, Content Curator, and DEI Advocate, brings her multifaceted career experiences down to Hacker Valley Studio this week. Tapping into her past lives in yoga, bodybuilding, community managing, and cybersecurity, Marrelle explains the silo her career has taken into helping others find ease and peace of mind in their work. Marrelle also walks Chris and Ron through an exercise designed to help anyone feel more worthy, valuable, and like they belong.

 

Timecoded Guide:

[00:00] Taking on career pivots with excitement & curiosity

[06:23] Bodybuilding & yoga’s surprising presence in her cyber career

[09:28] Finding black women in predominantly white tech communities

[14:07] Being a jack of all trades, but a master of self worth & reflection

[20:54] One key practice for feeling worthy, valuable, & like you belong

 

Sponsor Links:

Thank you to our sponsor Axonius for bringing this episode to life!

The Axonius solution correlates asset data from existing solutions to provide an always up-to-date inventory, uncover gaps, and automate action — giving IT and security teams the confidence to control complexity. Learn more at axonius.com/hackervalley

What from your past in yoga and bodybuilding has stuck with you today?

As someone who grew up feeling traumatized and uncertain, Marrelle believes that yoga genuinely saved her life. Yoga helped Marrelle feel confident and empowered, and also taught her the importance of self-reflection. Additionally, Marrelle’s continued health and wellness journey inspired her to take up bodybuilding, which has motivated Marrelle to work hard, to motivate others to engage in their health, and to recognize when she’s holding herself back.

“My clients know I'm fixated on pushing them as much as I push myself, because I know we have greatness. I know for myself, I can be the best self-sabotager in the world when it comes to pushing myself professionally. I know what it feels like sometimes to hold yourself back.”

 

What has it been like doing all these different roles and how do they stack together?

Marrelle is a true example of a jack of all trades, with experience in personal training, cybersecurity, content creation, and community management. Despite the differences, each role Marrelle has taken on has ultimately focused on compassion, authenticity, and perseverance. Marrelle never saw black women succeed in the areas she wanted to succeed, but now, she can set an example and show that she belongs in each opportunity she takes.

“I feel like each job taught me, even though they were all so different, they all taught me about gaining compassion for people. Am I being authentic to the people around me? Am I giving people the ability to be themselves and for me to be myself, to grow, to persevere, to push?”

 

How would you describe yourself, being so multifaceted and dimensioned?

Marrelle believes she is someone that just wants to help other people and support other people in their healing process and in knowing their importance. Many people, regardless of their profession, struggle with difficult feelings of unworthiness and exclusion, fearing that they won’t be taken seriously for who they are. Marrelle has struggled with these same feelings, and wants to create safe spaces for people to grow and nurture their confidence.

“I just want to bring people's lives ease and peace and remind them how valuable they are, because I think all of us at some point struggle to know our worthiness and our value, and that we belong in the spaces that we're in, because sometimes we can really feel left out.”

 

What would you recommend for anyone who wanted to start feeling worthy, valuable, and like they belong a little bit more today?

While anyone can struggle with feeling a lack of worth, value, and belonging, Marrelle wants to reassure listeners that these exist in abundance and can be built up with mindfulness exercises. An easy way to start practicing a better and more positive mindset is through inhaling the good and exhaling the bad. As you inhale deeply, think positively about who you are and who you want to be. As you exhale, get rid of negative and unfair thoughts about what makes you “not good enough” to feel worthy, valuable, and like you belong.

“You are worthy, you are valuable, and you belong where you are. No one can question it, you are where you are because you got there. No one knows your backstory, no one knows your journey, no one can walk in your shoes, but you deserve to be where you are.”

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Links:

Keep up with our guest Marrelle Bailey on LinkedIn, Twitter, and website

Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter

Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter

Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop

Continue the conversation by joining our Discord

Check out Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

Finding Your Imposter Syndrome Origin Story with Sheryl Anjanette

Sheryl Anjanette, Author, Speaker, and CEO & Founder of Anjanette Wellness Academy, comes down to Hacker Valley to discuss and promote her new book. The Imposter Lies Within covers Sheryl’s work with the intersection between business and mindset, and invites professionals to reconsider and reprogram their brains away from imposter syndrome. Using her findings personally and professionally, Sheryl walks through the origins, explanations, and potential remedies for imposter syndrome in this episode.

 

Timecoded Guide:

[00:00] Discovering imposter syndrome’s origin story 

[05:04] External triggers vs the inner critic

[13:59] Imposter syndrome & Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)

[21:11] Reprogramming your brain to heal from the imposter phenomenon

[27:34] Fearing firing as an unrealistic response to the inner critic

 

Sponsor Links:

Thank you to our sponsors Axonius and Uptycs for bringing this episode to life!

The Axonius solution correlates asset data from existing solutions to provide an always up-to-date inventory, uncover gaps, and automate action — giving IT and security teams the confidence to control complexity. Learn more at axonius.com/hackervalley

Uptycs, analytics for the modern attack surface, observability for the modern defender. Check out Uptycs by visiting them at uptycs.com

 

What is the origin of imposter syndrome? 

Defined and named in the early 1970s, imposter syndrome impacts each person in different ways depending on a variety of personal experiences, including gender, upbringing, and income status. Despite the experience varying from person to person, Sheryl explains the set of symptoms still remains strikingly similar, no matter who is suffering from imposter syndrome. This has made the phenomenon relatively easy to identify with, as many struggle with a lack of belonging, self worth, and self confidence.

“In the early ‘70s…researchers called it the imposter phenomenon, but they had only studied women. For quite a long time, people thought only women experienced feeling like an imposter, but recent studies have shown that men and women experience this almost equally, just differently.”

 

Do you see imposter syndrome as a negative construct of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)?

Outside of the office, Sheryl incorporates Integrated Hypnotherapy in a large majority of her coaching work and explains that a large majority of that has involved delving into NLP, or Neuro Linguistic Programming. NLP emphasizes the importance of what people tell themselves. What someone actively lets themselves think has the power to become true to their brain. When someone thinks they are an imposter at work, they end up accidentally using aspects of NLP, which causes their brain to believe they are an imposter. 

“Our conscious mind is only 10% of our reality, 90% is below the surface. When we can start to make the unconscious conscious, when we can do the deep dive and go back in and look at our programming, we can see where the code went bad and change that.”

 

What are the steps of reprogramming your mind away from these imposter thoughts?

Reprogramming someone to actively deny and work against imposter syndrome thoughts requires a deep dive into emotions and an understanding of an internalized past. Sheryl explains that being present, taking deep breaths, and allowing your perspective to shift out of your head and into your body are all steps that need to be taken in this reprogramming process. This process is powerful and new, but Sheryl promises it doesn’t have to be difficult or uncomfortable. 

“Get very, very present in the moment and then, just feel yourself drop into your heart. Feel yourself drop into your heart, it's only an 18-inch journey, but it's something we generally don't do very often. Get out of our head and into your heart.”

 

For anyone that's dealing with imposter syndrome, is there anything that you would want to tell them to help them understand the power within?

Sheryl sees a large majority of professionals struggle specifically around the idea of not being good enough at work and being an imposter at risk of being fired. Imposter syndrome can convince anyone of this idea because it doesn’t rely on experience as evidence, according to Sheryl. Instead, someone suffering from imposter syndrome has to acknowledge that the idea of not being good enough and being fired is just an idea, not reality. 

“As you go into your heart and into your observer role, ask yourself: Is this real? Where's this coming from? And then, tell yourself a different story. ‘I'm good. Everything will work out. I think that's just a pattern that I've had for a long time. I'm going to assume the best.’”

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Links:

Keep up with our guest Sheryl Anjanette on her website, LinkedIn, or via email: hello@sherylanjanette.com

Purchase Sheryl Anjanette’s book, The Imposter Lies Within, on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter

Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter

Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop

Continue the conversation by joining our Discord

Check out Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

Beers, Tears, & Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing with Gianna Whitver & Maria Velasquez

In this special episode, Hacker Valley community members and hosts of the Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing podcast, Gianna Whitver and Maria Velasquez, tell all about the ups and downs of cyber marketing. As podcast hosts and founders of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society, Gianna and Maria eat, sleep, and breathe cybersecurity marketing. This week, Gianna and Maria share the history behind the Society and explain why they decided to host their CyberMarketingCon2022 conference in person.

 

Timecoded Guide:

[02:41] Creating the Cybersecurity Marketing Society

[06:29] Transitioning CyberMarketingCon2022 from virtual to in-person

[10:50] Combating the difficulty of growth marketing to cybersecurity practitioners

[18:34] Examining ROIs for attendees of conferences like Black Hat and RSA

[28:15] Finding the one thing they would instantly change about cyber marketing

 

Sponsor Links:

Thank you to our sponsors Axonius and Uptycs for bringing this episode to life!

The Axonius solution correlates asset data from existing solutions to provide an always up-to-date inventory, uncover gaps, and automate action — giving IT and security teams the confidence to control complexity. Learn more at axonius.com/hackervalley

Uptycs, analytics for the modern attack surface, observability for the modern defender. Check out Uptycs by visiting them at uptycs.com

How did the Cybersecurity Marketing Society come to exist?

Gianna and Maria initially met and bonded over how the cybersecurity marketing world is constantly changing and evolving, for better or worse. They would get together to chat, as well as share strategies and insights. They quickly realized, through their friendship, that there was potential for a solid community in cybersecurity marketing. They started a Slack channel, just to put something out there. The channel grew from 10 participants into a bustling community of over 1500 people. Now, the Society is growing every day and hosting online events.

“It's always really nice to look back at the start, and it humbles you, right? As you continue this hustle of just growth and ongoing things happening, it's nice to take a step back and say, ‘Wow, look at where it all started.’ It seemed like just a crazy idea then.” –Maria Velasquez

What inspired the leap to host an in-person conference for CyberMarketingCon?

Back in 2020, while everyone was experiencing the height of the pandemic, members of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society were still interested in making connections with other professionals in the industry. Gianna and Maria decided the best option available was hosting virtual conferences in 2020 and 2021. Later, they branched into in-person chapter meetups in cities around the world. An in-person CyberMarketingCon2022 seemed like the next natural step in the process to cement those community connections.

“We started planning on a spreadsheet, basically. What's the theme? What do we want to cover in terms of topics? We looked to our members within the Society to hear what they'd like to learn at the conference and the speakers they'd like to see.” –Maria Velasquez

 

What makes it so difficult to market to cybersecurity practitioners?

Cybersecurity practitioners are notoriously skeptical. Their purview is full of phishing links and threat actors, and their guards are always up. Practitioners also often have a revolving door of folks wanting them to try demos, which makes it harder for someone to stand out. Maria and Gianna explain that you have to create a different kind of connection to build a relationship with practitioners, and advise marketers to avoid the cringeworthy commercial buzzwords.

“We're here to make sure that together, as an industry, cybersecurity marketers default to the best practices in marketing to practitioners, and that we're not bothering our target audience. We're doing great marketing, so that we can help everyone be more safe.” –Gianna Whitver

 

What did the ROIs look like for attendees of Black Hat and RSA?

In general, according to Gianna and Maria, the return on investment seemed higher for attendees at Black Hat, rather than at RSA. For marketers, RSA is less about selling and more about brand awareness and meeting with investors. In contrast, those who attended Black Hat reported that, even though the quantity of traffic at their booths was lower, the quality of the connections was higher, and there is a lot of optimism about opportunities to connect next year becoming more frequent.

“We're going to keep doing this every year. We're going to keep expanding the survey, we're going to have better data. I'm really looking forward to next year's debrief on Black Hat and RSA, seeing how things changed and how companies perceive their ROI.” –Gianna Whitver

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Links: 

Grab your ticket to the CyberMarketingCon2022

Follow Gianna on LinkedIn

Catch up with Maria on LinkedIn

Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter

Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter

Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop

Continue the conversation by joining our Discord

Check out Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio