Security Unfiltered

Latest Episodes:

AI Agents Are Deleting Production. Cloud Security Has to Catch Up | Matt Lea Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

Matt Lea, founder of Schematical and an AWS consultant since 2010, joins Joe South on Security Unfiltered.
From dropping out of college to crash a startup, to calling a CEO straight from his WHOIS record, Matt explains why he bet his career on infrastructure, and why vibe coding is creating a whole new class of breaches. They get into the OpenAI agent that escaped its sandbox, model distillation, stolen API keys, an AI agent that posted environment data to Postbin, and the Terraform change that wiped a production database and its backups. Plus AWS vs Azure vs GCP, why Azure MFA took 12 checks to verify, Cloud War Games for training incident responders under pressure, the "lone wolf programmer" problem, and where to focus if you're breaking into cloud and AI security now.
Chapters
00:00 Seven months in the making (and a tornado)
01:40 Matt's path: Q Basic, a failed startup, AWS in 2010
04:03 Why infrastructure is the steady career
04:51 AI security is cloud security (for now)
05:44 Vibe coding and the mid-market security gap
06:39 "AI will take your job" vs reality
08:22 Organized crime goes cyber
12:28 Startups, scale and constant attacks
13:24 OpenAI's agent escaped the sandbox
18:02 Models are now worth stealing
19:09 Model distillation explained
23:35 Stolen API keys and vibe coding
27:00 AI agents gone wrong: Postbin and a deleted prod database
30:17 Why AWS (and when GCP)
32:03 Azure frustration vs AWS
34:37 GCP security by default
37:46 Twelve places to check MFA in Azure
39:35 Security spend vs runway
40:47 Cloud War Games: training under pressure
44:01 Tabletops, runbooks and the lone wolf programmer
48:47 Where to start learning cloud and AI security
51:50 Where to find Matt
Matt Lea / Schematical: https://schematical.com
Lone Wolf Programmer comics: https://schematical.com/comics
Tech Debt (Steam, playtesters wanted): search "Tech Debt" on Steam (verify link)
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Joe Grand: The Hardware Hack That Can Never Be Patched Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Joe Grand, aka Kingpin, hardware hacker, L0pht alum, and the engineer behind the $2M Trezor wallet recovery, joins Joe South on Security Unfiltered.
They get into how a kid with an Atari 400 ended up in the hacker underground, why the hacker mindset can't be taught, and what 23 years as an independent hacker really looks like. Joe Grand walks through learning fault injection to free a locked wallet, how he and his colleague found an attack on STM32 chips that happens before the boot ROM even runs, why a vendor that won't respin silicon leaves chips vulnerable forever, and why "they need physical access" is not a security strategy (see: the San Francisco parking meter he bought on eBay). Plus failure, burnout, full disclosure, and his new travel show exploring hacker culture around the world.
Chapters
00:00 Finally reaching Joe Grand (email still wins)
03:29 Why Security Unfiltered exists
05:36 Atari 400 to the hacker underground
10:00 The hacker mindset you can't teach
13:16 Going independent for 23 years
16:30 Keep learning or get cut
21:04 Failing thousands of times with SELinux
24:16 Hacks under pressure: cameras, customers, $66M
27:55 How the $2M Trezor wallet hack started
30:46 Learning fault injection
34:37 Boot ROMs, Ghidra and silicon you can't patch
37:04 Full disclosure and fighting for the user
43:53 Chips that stay vulnerable forever
44:34 Physical access is not security: the parking meter hack
48:02 How an independent hardware hacker finds work
52:28 Saying yes, saying no, and publishing your work
56:22 Joe Grand's new hacker culture travel show
62:57 Where to find Joe Grand
Joe Grand on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoeGrand
Joe Grand: https://joegrand.com/
Grand Idea Studio: https://grandideastudio.com/
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Securing AI at Scale: Why Your Logs Can't Read Agent Intent | Ashish Rajan Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Ashish Rajan is back on Security Unfiltered, a few years after we last recorded together at RSA. Ashish is a CISO, host of the Cloud Security Podcast and AI Security Podcast, and author of the new Wiley book AI Security Engineering.
We get into how you write a book on a field that changes every month, why agents made him rewrite his plan halfway through, and what actually matters when you have millions of agents in your environment. Ashish makes the case that logs alone can't tell you intent ("is Joe an employee?" and "can I have Joe's password?" both look like plain text), why behavior is where agent security is heading, and why no vendor is going to build the internal context layer your security team needs. We also talk open weight models vs paying for tokens, whether the government had this tech first, and why human life still comes before technology.
Chapters
00:00 Ashish is back on Security Unfiltered
02:40 Joe's dissertation: zero trust for satellites and post-quantum crypto
06:36 Ashish's new book, AI Security Engineering
07:07 Ashish's path: IAM, cloud security, Cloud Security Podcast
08:26 From media company to AI advisory and the AI Security Lab
10:19 Local compute, open weight models, Grok vs Claude
13:35 Build harnesses you can swap out
14:34 How do you write a book on a topic that changes every month?
19:05 When research gets published faster than you can cite it
20:54 Why network security is back in the conversation
21:23 Agents breaking out of a sandbox
22:57 Is the government already ahead on AI?
23:54 The Manhattan Project comparison
25:13 How cyber warfare teams test exploits
26:41 Security for AI is a new field
28:16 Human life over technology: Waymo and surgical robots
29:58 Which agent security capabilities actually work?
31:40 Make the agent explain why it pulled 10 records
32:50 Behavior and intent over logs
35:12 The internal context layer no vendor will build
38:47 Logging is legacy at AI speed
40:20 Horses vs cars: who gets left behind with AI
42:17 Wrap up
Ashish Rajan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishrajan/
AI Security Engineering (Wiley): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394387687
TechRiot: https://techriot.io
Cloud Security Podcast: https://www.cloudsecuritypodcast.tv
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Your AI Agents Will Try Every Permission You Gave Them | Nadav Cornberg Eve Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

SPONSORED EPISODE: This episode includes paid promotion. Security Unfiltered was paid by Eve Security for this sponsorship.

Joe sits down again with Nadav Cornberg (Eve Security) for the final episode in this Eve arc. They dig into agent runtime security: understanding intent inside a session, session tainting when privileges should shrink or grow, MCP connections that let tools take action in systems the author never planned for, and why static guardrails cannot keep up once agents start chaining actions on their own.

Also covered: auto-remediation in AI studios, global policy packs, and Eve's AI prevention path that pushes agentic policies into tools you already run.

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oklYF1iVLs

Eve Security: https://eve.security/

Nadav on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadav-cornberg/

Free AI risk assessment via Eve's contact form on eve.security.

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Why Antivirus Fails at File Scanning | OPSWAT CEO Benny Czarny on CDR Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

Antivirus is built to protect the device, not to judge a file. OPSWAT founder and CEO Benny Czarny explains why file scan detection lands somewhere between 5% and 40% even with AI engines, why 99.9% detection isn't good enough for a nuclear plant, and how Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) protects critical infrastructure by assuming every file is malicious and rebuilding it clean.
We get into:
- How Benny bootstrapped OPSWAT and built a common language that let antivirus, VPN, firewall, and encryption products talk to each other
- Testing every antivirus on the market with live malware, and what it showed about real-time protection vs file scanning
- Why multiscanning with 30 engines still let malware through
- How CDR rebuilds JPEG, PDF, and Office files to strip buffer overflow exploits before they land
- Data diodes, one-way optical firewalls, and securing file flow into air-gapped networks
- Offline patching, and why critical infrastructure teams need their own training (OPSWAT Academy)
Benny's book, Cybersecurity Upside Down, covers the statistics and architecture behind all of this.
Find Benny and OPSWAT:
OPSWAT: https://www.opswat.com
Benny Czarny: https://www.bennyczarny.com
OPSWAT Academy: https://learn.opswatacademy.com
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome Benny Czarny
02:22 How Benny got into cybersecurity
04:58 Big company vs small company lessons
08:20 First hires and scaling from generalists to experts
08:59 The problem that started OPSWAT
12:01 Testing every antivirus with live malware
13:42 Why antivirus file scanning fails, even with AI
17:36 Multiscanning file flow into critical infrastructure
19:45 Why 99.9% detection isn't good enough
20:09 Assume every file is infected: CDR explained
23:52 How CDR strips buffer overflow exploits
26:50 Dolly the sheep and distilled water analogies
28:16 From 15 file types to hundreds of formats
29:51 Data diodes and one-way optical firewalls
32:05 What CDR can't rebuild: executables and sandboxing
33:48 Walled gardens and unpatched networks
35:32 Offline patching and OPSWAT Academy
39:12 Where to find Benny and his book
#cybersecurity #criticalinfrastructure #OTsecurity
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100,000 OAuth Grants Later, Security Teams Still Can’t See the Risk Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

Joe and Danielle discuss how AI has accelerated an already messy SaaS security problem, especially as employees connect more tools, more agents, and more data without centralized oversight. The conversation focuses on why traditional block or allow controls are breaking down, and how security teams can use agentic automation to reduce risk without slowing the business
00:00 - Why AI adoption is moving faster than cloud and SaaS ever did
01:20 - The professional pressure to skill up on AI now
03:19 - How cloud security and SaaS security lagged behind adoption
06:13 - Why organizations can’t simply say no to AI tools
08:30 - The difference between cloud-era experimentation and today’s browser-based AI
10:37 - Why AI security and SaaS security are becoming the same problem
12:31 - Why traditional onboarding and vendor review processes don’t scale
14:43 - The Salesforce example that exposed hidden risk in a large enterprise
17:00 - Why most third-party risk programs only cover part of the estate
19:07 - How decentralized tech adoption bypasses security workflows
20:31 - Why OAuth grants and third-party integrations are a major attack path
22:25 - Why attackers usually go after credentials and tokens, not zero days
23:19 - How AI lowers the barrier to entry for attackers
26:55 - Why defenders need agentic capabilities too
28:16 - The scale of unmanaged OAuth grants inside enterprises
30:26 - Why no one can hire enough people to review every grant manually
31:53 - How agents can analyze risk and recommend revocation at scale
33:33 - The reality check from customer conversations about AI visibility
35:24 - How security people think when told they can’t do something
38:16 - Reactance theory and why employees work around controls
40:25 - Incentives matter more than policy slogans
41:48 - Why binary block or allow controls create shadow IT
43:30 - How Nudge Security approaches SaaS and AI as one workforce problem
46:14 - Why a workforce edge model matters more than network or identity alone
48:26 - What just-in-time policy decisions could look like in the browser
50:10 - Why policy experience is as important as policy enforcement
52:08 - Danielle on Nudge Security’s free trial and LinkedIn presence
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Why AI Is Making Vulnerability Management Worse Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Joe talks with Dominik Richter, co-founder of Mondu, about how AI is changing security work, vulnerability management, and the expectations placed on technical teams. The conversation digs into why so many security workflows still produce noise instead of action, and why speed without quality creates more problems than it solves. They also explore what this means for hiring, junior talent, and the skills that will matter most as AI becomes embedded in day-to-day work.
00:00 The Evolution of AI and Its Impact
06:16 Challenges in Vulnerability Management
13:00 The Role of AI in Security
20:19 The Future of Work in an AI-Driven World
21:09 Enhancing Productivity with AI
29:41 The Evolving Role of Security Professionals
40:16 Navigating the AI Landscape in Security
48:52 Adapting to a Rapidly Changing Tech Environment
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The Real Innovation Wasn't Face Recognition - It Was Liveness Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Joe talks with Andrew Bud, founder of iProov, about how an engineer’s career across mobile communications, payments, and identity led to one of the early liveness technologies for secure remote authentication. The conversation ranges from entrepreneurship and resilience to deepfakes, digital identity wallets, and why proving a real human is present is becoming central to cybersecurity.
00:00 The Importance of Family and Presence
03:44 Andrew Bud's Journey in Technology
09:40 The Entrepreneurial Mindset and Necessity
15:28 Conviction vs. Delusion in Entrepreneurship
23:11 Innovating Trust: The Birth of iProve
27:55 Discovering the Core Problem
29:17 The Rise of Authentication Technology
30:26 Deepfakes and the Evolution of Threats
35:19 The Challenge of Deepfake Detection
38:56 Attribution and Accountability in the Digital Age
44:51 Identity as a Defense Mechanism
49:22 Cybersecurity and National Defense
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The Real Reason Iran, Iraq, and America Keep Colliding Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

The conversation covers Mark's journey to the CIA, his language training, overseas assignments, and the challenges and unpredictability of his career. Mark shares insights into the preparation, language proficiency, and stress associated with overseas assignments, as well as the different roles and responsibilities within the CIA. The conversation delves into the impact of language training on CIA officers, the challenges of post-9/11 operations, the Iraq war and WMDs, and the historical context of Iran's relations with global powers. The discussion provides insights into the complexities of intelligence operations and geopolitical dynamics. The conversation delves into the history of Iran, focusing on the rise and fall of the Shahs and the country's pursuit of nuclear weapons. It explores the Shah's attempts to modernize Iran, the overthrow of Mossadegh, and the impact of the Iran-Iraq war. Additionally, it discusses the development of Iran's nuclear program and the decision-making process behind Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Takeaways

Language training is a crucial part of CIA preparation
Overseas assignments require extensive preparation and adaptation to real-time language use Language training is crucial for CIA officers
Post-9/11 operations reshaped CIA priorities and focus
The Iraq war and WMDs had significant intelligence implications
Iran's historical context shapes its relations with global powers The complex history of Iran's political landscape and the role of the Shahs in modernizing the country.
The motivations and implications of Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and the challenges it presents to global security.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
01:00 Journey to the Agency
03:10 Applying to the Agency
04:04 Joining the Agency
05:16 Challenges and Qualifications
06:09 Language Training and Assignments
07:26 Specializing in Farsi
08:36 Roles in the CIA
09:23 Senior Roles and Responsibilities
10:20 Career Impact and Unpredictability
11:08 Preparation for Overseas Assignments
12:05 Language Training and Deployment
13:45 Preparation for Denied Areas
14:14 Cover and Role Preparation
16:00 Language Learning and Proficiency
17:17 Adapting to Real-Time Language Use
18:14 Language Training and Stress
19:30 Preparation for Overseas Assignments
21:16 Language Training and Deployment
22:50 Language Requirements for Different Countries
24:26 Preparation for Overseas Assignments
25:43 Language Training for Denied Areas
26:58 Preparation for Overseas Assignments
28:17 Language Proficiency and Role
29:07 Adapting to Real-Time Language Use
30:39 Language Learning and Proficiency
31:57 Language Training and Adaptation
36:00 Post 9/11 Operations and Iraq
40:21 Impact of 9/11 on Operations
47:36 Iraq and WMDs
01:03:59 Iran's Historical Context
01:08:13 The History of Iran
01:18:28 Iran's Pursuit of Nuclear Weapons

The Hidden Security Risks of Agentic AI Moving Beyond Traditional Defenses Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Nudge Security: https://www.nudgesecurity.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-spitler/

In this episode, Joe chats with Russell Spitler from Nudge Security about the evolving landscape of AI, SaaS, and cybersecurity. They explore how rapid technological advancements are reshaping security challenges and solutions, especially with AI's increasing capabilities and integrations.

00:00 - Russell’s cybersecurity origin story and early influences
04:24 - The industry’s rapid expansion and current security workforce trends
08:05 - How organizations struggle to manage SaaS security and AI integrations
12:49 - The shared responsibility model in SaaS and AI platforms
19:13 - How Nudge secures AI and SaaS ecosystems through API and browser insights
22:39 - Challenges with agentic AI: delegation, access, and risk mitigation
24:34 - The rise of agentic AI capabilities and security implications
27:23 - The potential for AI to democratize security and development
32:08 - Future of security automation and behavioral engagement strategies
36:58 - Building secure, scalable AI security solutions compared to container security
41:17 - The next phase: automation, policy enforcement, and behavioral redirects

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