Hard Target

Latest Episodes:

Built From Necessity: Matteo Tomasini on Breach Data, Exposure, and Building District 4 Labs Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

Matteo Tomasini, founder of District 4 Labs, joins Ben and Chris for a conversation that starts in Middle East policy circles and ends in the deep and dark web. Matteo walks through his unconventional path, think tank work on Israel-Palestine issues, NGO advocacy, a stalled national intelligence background check that pushed him into private intelligence at K2, and the growing realization that structured public records investigations were missing what actually mattered: the unstructured data live on forums, message boards, and the open internet. That gap led him to teach himself Python and start building his own tools, eventually founding District 4 Labs to give investigators the breach and dark web data he wished he'd had.

The back half of the episode digs into what actually makes someone a hard target in 2026. Matteo breaks down why breach data tends to be higher-fidelity than data broker information, since people aren't expecting it to be exposed, and walks through how exposure isn't just what an executive posts, it's what their kids, their assistant, or their family puts online too. He and Chris trade notes on the practical playbook: understand your exposure, remove what can be removed, accept what can't, and build in mitigation and disinformation strategies for the rest. The thread that ties it together: nobody gets to zero risk, but understanding your exposure and working it down deliberately is what separates a hard target from an easy one.

Converged and Confused: Bridging Physical and Cyber Security with Ryan Clarque Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Hard Target, hosts Ben Barrontine and Chris Wingfield welcome Ryan Clarque, Chief Security Officer at Black Rifle Coffee Company, for a wide-ranging conversation on what true security convergence looks like in practice.

Ryan walks through his unconventional career path; from an early military commission, to a security job at Disney that led him into counter-surveillance and insider threat investigations, to building cyber threat intelligence from the ground up at Levi Strauss & Co., to landing at Black Rifle and constructing a converged security function from little more than a one-page DHS concept. Four years later, that program spans physical security, cybersecurity, CTI, privacy, brand protection, crisis management, and safety a broader scope than most peer organizations, including within his own ISAC community.

The back half of the conversation turns to how AI is reshaping the threat landscape. Ryan argues that trying to track every adversary TTP is a losing strategy, since attackers increasingly outsource their tradecraft, and even their imagination, to AI tools. He makes the case that defenders are better served focusing on behavioral anomalies rather than chasing a moving target. Ben and Ryan also discuss the growing bridge between digital compromise and physical danger to individuals, from targeted CISOs to AI-enabled social engineering that's collapsed years of required skill into minutes of effort.

The group digs into why physical and cyber security teams still operate in silos at most companies, often due to old trust breakdowns, mismatched vocabulary, and reluctance to step outside one's lane, and what it actually takes to build shared training, tabletop exercises, and mutual respect between Cyber/CTI and Physical security teams Ryan closes with grounded career advice for anyone entering the field, plus one blunt personal security tip that has nothing to do with AI at all.

People, Process, Systems and Owning Mistakes: Pat McMahon Part 1 of 2 Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Hard Target, Ben Barrontine and Chris Wingfield engage in a deep conversation with Pat McMahon, a seasoned professional in the executive protection industry. They explore various themes including the realities of executive protection, the importance of leadership, the challenges faced in the field, and the significance of building trust within the security industry. The discussion also touches on personal insights, the non-traditional paths to success in security, and valuable advice for newcomers entering the industry.

Grit, Mentors, and the Founder's Load: Bryan Flannery Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

Grit, Mentors, and the Founder's Load: Bryan Flannery

Season 2 opens with a shift: less about tools, more about the people doing the work. Ben Barrontine and new co-host Chris Wingfield sit down with Bryan Flannery, founder of Foresight Security and one of the oldest friends of the show.

Bryan left an 18-year pension two days after his 42nd birthday to build Foresight, now 55 employees across nine states. The three get into behavioral threat assessment, the difference between people who build and people who run what is already built, and the real weight of leadership. Why being a founder is the loneliest job Bryan has ever had. The provider hat versus the recipient hat, and why the founder only wears one. Why a mentor beats a school and why communication is the highest-leverage skill a leader has.

Grit and resilience get you in the door. People keep you standing.

Guest: Bryan Flannery, Founder, Foresight Security Consulting https://foresight-sc.com/
Hosts: Ben Barrontine and Chris Wingfield, 360 Privacy

New episodes of Hard Target drop every other week. We are going behind the scenes with the men and women actually making things happen.

The Security Convergence: Blending Physical, Digital, and Medical Protection Feb 25, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Hard Target, Ben Barrontine interviews Will Aker from Crisis24, discussing the evolving landscape of security, the importance of medical training in executive protection, and the convergence of physical and digital security. Will shares insights from his military background and how it shaped his approach to security, emphasizing the need for adaptability and continuous learning in the industry. The conversation also touches on the importance of soft skills and the changing expectations of clients in the security space.

Deepfakes & Digital Identity: Fighting Online Impersonation Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Hard Target, Benjamin Barrontine speaks with Luke Arrigoni, from Loti, about the importance of protecting personal images and videos online. They discuss the challenges posed by deepfakes, impersonation, and the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats. Luke shares insights into Loti's technology that helps identify and remove unauthorized use of personal likenesses, as well as practical tips for individuals to safeguard their online presence. The conversation also touches on the future of cybersecurity legislation and the need for a balanced approach to bio-metric data protection.

Demystifying Cybersecurity: MSPs, MSSPs, and Human Behavior with Justin Kane Jan 19, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Hard Target, host Ben Barrontine speaks with Justin Kane from DoubleChecked, Cyber Security about the evolving landscape of cybersecurity. They discuss the importance of understanding the differences between Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), the challenges faced by small and medium businesses (SMBs) in securing their operations, and the critical role of human behavior in cybersecurity. The conversation also touches on emerging threats, the impact of AI, and practical advice for individuals and businesses to enhance their security posture.

A Journey through Protective and Threat Intelligence: Olivia Arnauts Nov 20, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Hard Target, host Ben Barrontine speaks with Olivia Arnauts, co-founder of ZFIS, a protective intelligence company. They discuss Olivia's unique background, including her military experience and the founding of ZFIS, which focuses on global due diligence and risk assessments. The conversation delves into the challenges of privacy in the age of social media, the impact of emerging technologies like AI on security, and the importance of partnerships in the intelligence sector. In this conversation, Olivia Arnauts discusses the importance of privacy and consent management in the digital age, emphasizing the need for a holistic security approach. She shares real-world case studies from her work in threat intelligence, highlighting the significance of proactive measures in preventing security breaches. The discussion also covers the evolving role of global security teams, the challenges of human trafficking and fraud, and the intersection of threat intelligence and digital privacy. Looking ahead, Olivia outlines future trends in the industry and offers valuable advice for individuals transitioning into security roles.

The Role of Digital Privacy in Security: Chris Wingfield Nov 01, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Hard Target Oct 31, 2024

Show notes

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected