Adventures of Alice & Bob

In today's episode, host James welcomes Anna Aslanishvili, the visionary founder and CEO of Pine Risk Management. Anna takes us behind the scenes of high-stakes security assessments, from testing executive protection during a CEO's morning jog to uncovering faulty panic buttons—and even dealing with the threat of mailed anthrax. With captivating stories and expert insights, Anna reveals how pushing the limits in real-world scenarios leads to safer environments for everyone.

Today, Marc and James have the pleasure of sitting down with Omar Aviles, a seasoned expert in DFIR, threat hunting, and malware analysis. Omar takes us on a journey through his early days of dismantling computers out of sheer curiosity to the high-stakes world of battling ransomware in real-time. He delves into the growing dangers of corporate espionage, nation-state attacks, and the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity. Throughout the conversation, Omar’s passion for protecting the digital world shines brightly, as he shares his favorite hacking techniques, insights on hunting and neutralizing threats, and invaluable advice for those looking to break into the cybersecurity field.

This episode follows the fascinating journey of Gary Bowser, a tech industry veteran whose life has been shaped by his passion for hacking and modding. From his early days tinkering with Texas Instruments computers to becoming a key figure in the controversial world of game console hacking, Gary's story is one of innovation, legal battles, and personal redemption. Host James Maude explores Gary's evolution from a curious teenager to a prominent figure in the modding community, culminating in a high-profile legal case brought by Nintendo. Gary candidly shares his experiences, including his arrest in the Dominican Republic, his challenging time in the US prison system during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the eventual resolution of his case.

In this episode, Greg Pickett takes Marc on a thrilling journey from his early days of war dialing and hacking a bank (complete with hiding under a desk to avoid detection!) to exposing credential misuse on bulletin boards and uncovering a massive security breach tied to the Chinese military—all while tackling the challenges of corporate security and internal politics.