Welcome back to the show! Hacker Valley Studio podcast features Host Ron Eddings, as he explores the world of cybersecurity through the eyes of professionals in the industry. We cover everything from inspirational real-life stories in tech, to highlighting influential cybersecurity companies, and we do so in a fun and enthusiastic way. We’re making cybersecurity accessible, creating a whole new form of entertainment: cybertainment.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
AI agents aren't just reacting anymore, they're thinking, learning, and sometimes deleting your entire production database without asking. The real question isn't if your AI agent will be hacked, it's when, and whether you'll have the right hooks in place to stop it before it happens.
In this episode, Ron breaks down the ChatGPT Atlas vulnerability that shocked researchers, revealing how malicious prompts can turn AI assistants against their own users by bypassing safeguards and accessing file systems. He presents his new talk "Hooking Before Hacking," introducing a framework for applying EDR principles, prevention, detection, and response, to AI agents before they execute unauthorized commands. From pre-tool use hooks that catch malicious intent to one-time passwords that put humans back in the loop, this episode shares practical security controls you can implement today to prevent your AI agents from going rogue.
Impactful Moments:
00:00 - Introduction
02:00 - ChatGPT Atlas vulnerability exposed
04:00 - AI technology outpacing security guardrails
05:00 - Guardrail jailbreaks and prompt injection
06:00 - AI agents deleting production databases
07:00 - EDR principles for AI agents
09:00 - Pre-tool use hooks catch intention
11:00 - User prompt sanitization prevents leaks
14:00 - One-time passwords for agent workflows
16:00 - Automation mistakes across 10 years
Links:
Connect with Ron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronaldeddings/
Check out the entire article here: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/cybersecurity-experts-warn-openai-chatgpt-101658986.html
GitHub Repository: https://hackervalley.com/hooking-before-hacking
See Ron's "Hooking Before Hacking" presentation slides here: http://hackervalley.com/hooking-before-hacking-presentation
Check out our website: https://hackervalley.com/
Upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional: https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
What if your security team never missed a single alert and actually had time to think strategically?
In this episode, Ahmed Achchak, CEO and Co-Founder of Qevlar AI, reveals how autonomous SOCs are reshaping security operations worldwide. From tackling alert fatigue to empowering analysts with intelligent AI-driven investigations, Ahmed shares the inside story of building a system that can act on threats faster than any human alone. Learn how Qevlar’s innovative approach is giving organizations clarity, control, and measurable ROI while freeing security teams to focus on what truly matters.
Impactful Moments
00:00 - Introduction
01:30 - Founding Qevlar AI by chance
03:30 - Inefficiency of current SOCs
05:00 - Augmenting analysts, not replacing them
08:00 - AI investigating alerts at scale
11:30 - How autonomous agents handle phishing
14:30 - Why tackling all alerts maximizes ROI
17:30 - Graph technology as investigation backbone
25:00 - Limitations and randomness of LLMs
30:30 - Advice for testing AI in SOCs
Links
Connect with our guest Ahmed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-achchak-872554109/
Check out Qevlar’s website: https://www.qevlar.com/
Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Who said cybersecurity had to be serious? The future of cyber is creative, human, and even a little sexy.
In this special 400th episode, Ron Eddings celebrates six incredible years of Hacker Valley Studio with one of cyber’s most creative voices, Maria Velasquez, Co-Founder of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society and Co-Host of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. Together, they discuss how bold storytelling, authentic community, and a touch of fun are reshaping the way we connect in cybersecurity. Maria opens up about turning burnout into purpose, building a 4,000-strong global movement, and why the next frontier in cyber might just be entertainment.
Impactful Moments:
00:00 - Introduction
02:00 - CISA layoffs and collaboration fragility
04:00 - Welcoming Maria Velasquez
06:00 - How loneliness sparked a global community
08:00 - Why collaboration fuels cybersecurity growth
10:00 - When cybersecurity marketing was “boring”
12:00 - The rise of creativity and brand power
14:00 - Story behind Torque’s “Kill the S.O.A.R” campaign
15:00 - Making cybersecurity emotional and human
17:00 - Maria’s advice for bold marketing leaders
18:00 - The next big thing: experiential marketing
20:00 - Inside Cyber Marketing Con 2025
24:00 - Final reflections on community and creativity
27:00 - Ron’s takeaways: connection drives innovation
Links:
Connect with Maria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-vepa/
Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
To defend like a human, you first have to think like a hacker.
In this episode, Ron Eddings sits down with Chris Dale, Co-Founder and Chief Hacking Officer at River Security, to explore the human side of hacking, where curiosity, persistence, and vigilance meet defense. Chris shares how the traditional idea of penetration testing has evolved into a continuous journey of discovery, and why reconnaissance and storytelling are critical tools for modern defenders. From real-world breach stories to lessons on trust and responsibility, this episode reveals how thinking like a hacker, and acting like a human can transform the way we approach cybersecurity.
Impactful Moments
00:00 - Introduction and massive breach overview
03:00 - Trusted systems become exposure points
05:00 - Meet Chris Dale of River Security
07:00 - The problem with traditional pen testing
08:30 - Continuous reconnaissance and real-world risk
10:00 - Knowing yourself as a security principle
13:00 - The meaning of continuous vigilance
15:00 - Turning cybersecurity lessons into stories
18:00 - Storytelling and mindset in defense
19:30 - Final takeaways on fundamentals and vigilance
Links:
Connect with our Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisad/
Read the Tech Radar article here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/f5-breach-fallout-over-266-000-instances-exposed-to-remote-attacks
Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
Friday Oct 24, 2025
Friday Oct 24, 2025
When code meets intuition, innovation gets personal. But what happens when we let AI vibe with our ideas?
In this episode, Ron Eddings covers the rise of AI-driven development from Vibe Coding, where natural language shapes real code, to the emerging Model Context Protocols (MCPs) that redefine how apps talk to AI. He breaks down the recent Figma MCP vulnerability to discuss how creativity and security now collide in surprising ways. With hands-on insights using Raycast and practical steps for building responsibly, Ron takes you inside a new era where human intuition and machine intelligence truly build together.
Impactful Moments
00:00 - Introduction
01:00 - The Figma vulnerability explained
03:00 - Why MCP security matters
05:00 - What vibe coding really means
07:00 - Writing with intention and context
08:00 - The power of structured prompting
10:00 - How MCP connects everything
12:00 - Why adoption is skyrocketing
15:00 - Setting up an MCP server
17:00 - Agents, actions, and security trust
19:00 - The real takeaway: curiosity with caution
30:00 - Predictions on OpenAI’s upcoming browser
33:00 - The profit battle between OpenAI and Microsoft
35:00 - Windsurf’s rollercoaster of acquisitions
Links:
Connect with our Ron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronaldeddings/
Check out the Hacker News article here:
https://thehackernews.com/2025/10/severe-figma-mcp-vulnerability-lets.html?m=1
Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/