The Cyber Security Matters Podcast

The Cyber Security Matters Podcast

A series of interview with key leaders through the Cyber Security industry. All brought to you by the Cyber Security team at neuco a specialist global recruitment and executive search firm.

  1. 2d ago

    Incident Response at Scale: Building Better Investigators in the Age of AI | EP 78 | Lee Sult, Binalyze

    In episode 78 of Cyber Security Matters, hosts Matt Rose and Harry Baldwin are joined by Lee Sult, Chief Investigator at Binalyze, for a fascinating discussion on the realities of modern incident response and the evolving role of cybersecurity investigators. Drawing on a career that spans law enforcement, digital forensics, incident response, entrepreneurship and product development, Lee explains why understanding attackers is just as important as understanding technology, and why incident response must evolve as cyber threats become faster, more sophisticated and increasingly AI-assisted. The conversation explores Lee's journey from investigating cybercrime within law enforcement to leading investigations into some of the world's most complex cyber incidents, before diving into how Binalyze is helping democratize digital forensics for security teams worldwide. Along the way, Lee shares practical frameworks for incident response, explains why evidence collection remains one of cybersecurity's hardest problems, and offers candid advice for aspiring investigators looking to build successful careers in the industry. Key Topics Covered ● From law enforcement to cybersecurity: How Lee's early experience as a police dispatcher and digital forensic investigator shaped his perspective on incident response and crisis management. ● Thinking like an investigator: Why curiosity, authenticity and understanding attacker behaviour are the most valuable qualities for anyone pursuing a career in incident response. ● Democratizing digital forensics: How Binalyze is making enterprise-grade investigations accessible beyond elite incident response teams by simplifying evidence collection and forensic analysis. ● The four questions every investigation must answer: Lee's practical framework for determining whether attackers remain in an environment, identifying affected systems, understanding initial compromise and assessing data exposure. ● AI as a force multiplier for attackers: Why artificial intelligence isn't necessarily creating more sophisticated attacks, but dramatically lowering the barrier to entry for less experienced threat actors. ● Using AI responsibly in cyber defense: Where AI genuinely accelerates investigations, where human expertise remains essential, and why accountability can never be delegated to machines. ● Why organisations over-invest in prevention: How the industry's focus on detection and prevention has left many organisations underprepared for responding effectively when attacks inevitably succeed. ● Building high-performing security teams: The importance of diversity of thought, mentoring future leaders and creating environments where curiosity drives innovation. ● Breaking into cybersecurity in 2026: Lee's practical advice on building a home lab, showcasing technical ability and demonstrating genuine passion to stand out during the hiring process. About Lee Sult Lee Sult is the Chief Investigator at Binalyze, where he helps organisations improve their incident response capabilities through scalable digital forensics and investigative technology. His career began in law enforcement, where he worked in digital forensics before moving into incident response, ultimately spending more than a decade investigating some of the world's most complex cyber incidents. Along the way, Lee has held roles spanning consulting, product development and entrepreneurship, including serving as a founding Forward Deployed Security Engineer at Palantir and co-founding Huirangi. Today, his focus is on helping organisations investigate cyber incidents faster, empowering security teams with better forensic capabilities, and making advanced incident response accessible beyond specialist experts. This episode is brought to you by neuco.

  2. 6d ago

    Why You Can't Ship Vulnerable Code Anymore | Ep 77 | Scott Gainey, Checkmarx

    In episode 77 of the Cyber SecurityMatters podcast, hosts Matt Rose and Harry Baldwin sit down with Scott Gainey, Chief Marketing Officer at Checkmarx, for a wide-ranging conversation on marketing transformation, leadership, and the seismic shift AI is forcing onapplication security. With nearly three decades leading marketing at companies like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks and SentinelOne, Scott brings a rare blend of go-to-market craft and deep security-category expertise and a clear-eyed viewof why AppSec has suddenly become one of the most urgent problems in cyber. Key topics covered: How Scott fell into security, marketing, and leadership, none of which he originally set out to doThe leadership lessons that shaped him: Chris Young, West Point's Thayer program, and ROI rigour under private-equity ownership at KKRWhy conference marketing is won before the event, not on the show floorThe "go local" community trend emerging alongside the big conferencesHow the CMO role has changed: AI, frontier models, and a buying committee that's - 70% through its decision before sales is involvedWhat separates great marketers: intellectual curiosity, self-drive, and field credibilityThe biggest shift in application security: AI's "two-front problem": more code and more vulnerabilities on one side, adversaries weaponising those same models on the otherWhat Checkmarx does, and why deterministic and probabilistic (AI) scanning need to work togetherCareer advice for anyone entering cybersecurity Guest bio: Scott Gainey is Chief Marketing Officer at Checkmarx, the application security company. He brings over twodecades of marketing leadership across Palo Alto Networks, SentinelOne, Cisco Security, NetApp and Nile, and has studied leadership at Stanford GSB and West Point's Thayer Leadership Development Group. Connect with Scott on LinkedIn About neuco:  neuco is a Global Specialist Recruitment and Executive Search firm based in Brighton, UK. We help recruit for mid-seniorhard-to-fill roles in Cyber Security, Satellite, Space & Defence and Media & Sports Technology sectors. If hiring or talent is on the radar now or in the future, get in touch for an initial conversation today via hello@neuco-group.com.

  3. Jul 15

    AI Hype vs Reality | Matthew Holland, Field Effect | EP 76

    In episode EP 76 of Cyber Security Matters, hosts Harry Baldwin and Matt Rose are joined by Matthew Holland, Founder and CEO of Field Effect, for a masterclass in building mission-driven cybersecurity companies. Matt takes us from his early days at Canada's Communications Security Establishment (CSE), where a summer job turned into a seven-year career in Tailored Access Operations, through co-founding and selling Linchpin Labs to L3 Harris, to his current mission: making enterprise-grade managed detection and response (MDR) accessible and affordable to small and medium-sized businesses. The conversation explores what it takes to compete against billion-dollar incumbents with a team of 165, why small high-performing teams consistently outperform bureaucratic giants, and the real story behind AI in cybersecurity - separating genuine innovation from marketing hype. Matt shares hard-won lessons on customer focus, the power of consistency across a 25-year career, and why solving "insanely hard problems" is both the challenge and the reward of entrepreneurship. Key Topics Covered: • From PhD plans to CSE: How a summer job at Canada's Communications Security Establishment changed Matt's career trajectory and introduced him to operating system internals and intelligence tradecraft • The Matrix generation: Early 2000s security research, breaking security boundaries, and building deep technical expertise before Google existed • The power of small teams: Why focus, mission-driven culture, and removing barriers consistently beat bureaucracy and layers of management • Building Linchpin Labs: Co-founding and scaling a privatised intelligence company, the "beer and pizza problem-solving method," and competing against Lockheed Martin and British Aerospace • Field Effect's mission: Making enterprise-grade MDR accessible and affordable to SMBs and mid-market organisations — "an insanely hard problem" • Competing with giants: Strategic lessons from going up against NSA, multi-billion dollar defence contractors, and today's trillion-dollar cybersecurity vendors About Matthew Holland: Matthew Holland is the Founder and CEO of Field Effect, a Canadian cybersecurity company headquartered in Ottawa that delivers managed detection and response (MDR) services to small and medium-sized businesses and mid-market organisations. Matt's career began at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Canada's national cryptologic agency, where he spent seven years in the Tailored Access Operations Group as a leading security researcher specialising in intelligence tradecraft and technology for top-secret Five Eyes projects. In 2007, Matt co-founded Linchpin Labs, growing it into a leader in the privatised intelligence industry before its acquisition by L3 Harris in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has built a reputation for tackling complex technical challenges, competing successfully against much larger competitors, and building high-performing teams united by mission focus and work ethic. Today, Field Effect operates with approximately 165 employees, delivering enterprise-grade cybersecurity to underserved markets at scale. About neuco: neuco is a global specialist recruitment and executive search firm, helping organisations find senior and specialist talent across Satellite, Space & Defence; Media & Sports Technology; and Cyber Security. Find out more at www.neuco-group.com, or explore our Cyber Security sector.

  4. Jul 9

    Rethinking Security Culture & Risk - Podcast EP 75 - Valentina Flores, Red Sentry

    Valentina Flores, Co-Founder and CEO of Red Sentry, joins hosts Harry Baldwin and Matt Rose for another fantastic edition of The Cyber Security Matters Podcast. Valentina shares her unconventional journey from cybercrime detective investigating human trafficking and child exploitation cases to building a penetration testing company focused on real-world attacker simulation and practical risk reduction. The conversation dives into why cybersecurity is fundamentally about people and psychology rather than just tools, the critical importance of diversity of thought and background in building effective security teams, and how organisations can move beyond checkbox compliance to proactive, human-centred security practices. Valentina emphasises starting simple, prioritising real risks, and fostering a culture where security is everyone’s responsibility. Key Topics Covered Valentina’s path from SVU detective to cybercrime investigations and the surprising normalcy of hacker motivationsWhy cybercrime is “just like every other crime” - victim psychology, criminal psychology, and real-world attacker behaviourBuilding Red Sentry: pivots, funding, and a non-sales-focused approach centred on teaching and simplificationDiversity beyond gender/race: the value of neurodiversity, unique backgrounds (including carnival life and law enforcement), and curiosity-driven hiringHuman-led penetration testing, tabletop exercises, and why third-party ethical hackers uncover what internal teams missSecurity culture in practice: integrating security into every department, honest adoption of tools, and avoiding tool fatigueAdvice for new cybersecurity professionals: avoid putting yourself in a box and learn every side of the businessAbout Valentina Flores Valentina Flores is the Co-Founder and CEO of Red Sentry, a penetration testing and vulnerability management company that delivers human-led offensive security services to help organisations identify and remediate real risks before attackers exploit them. With a background as a cybercrime detective on a federal task force, she gained firsthand insight into how real-world attackers operate. Valentina is a regular speaker on hacker psychology, security culture, neurodiversity, and why organisations must prioritise understanding risk over simply buying more tools. She is also a TEDx speaker. This episode is brought to you by neuco.

  5. Jun 29

    Prepare, Don't Just Prevent: How Adaptive Crisis Simulation Is Transforming Cyber Incident Response - Episode 74 - Marlow Bryant, Reflex Security

    Join hosts Harry Baldwin and Matt Rose in episode 74 of Cyber Security Matters as they sit down with Marlow Bryant, co-founder and CEO of Reflex Security. This engaging conversation explores the evolution from static tabletop exercises to dynamic, AI-powered crisis simulations that adapt in real-time to team decisions. Marlow brings a unique perspective to cybersecurity, having spent nearly a decade in venture capital as VP at Marsh Capital and Clear Sky Security Fund, where he invested in cybersecurity and AI companies including XL, Spy Cloud, Mitigate, Accurate, and Together AI. His diverse background includes an unexpected stint in stand-up comedy, providing valuable insights into reading audiences and adapting communication styles. Key Topics Covered: • The journey from venture capital to founding a cybersecurity startup • Building early-stage teams and adapting roles as companies grow • Why organizational response matters as much as technical prevention • The limitations of traditional tabletop exercises and simulation gaps • How AI is transforming incident response and crisis preparation • The future evolution of the tabletop exercise market • Career advice for cybersecurity industry newcomers About Marlow Bryant: Marlow Bryant is co-founder and CEO of Reflex Security, an adaptive crisis simulation platform that replaces static tabletop exercises with AI agent-driven simulations. Before founding Reflex, he spent nearly a decade in venture capital, investing in cybersecurity and AI companies. He brings a unique perspective to the industry, combining technical expertise with experience in comedy and audience engagement. This episode is brought to you by neuco.

  6. Jun 23

    AI, Patch Management & Endpoint Security: Mike Walters on the Future of Cyber Security – Episode 73

    In this episode of Cyber Security Matters, brought to you by neuco, we speak with Mike Walters, President and Co-Founder of Action1. Mike explores why patch management remains one of the most critical, and often overlooked, areas of cyber security, how AI is transforming vulnerability management, and what organisations need to do to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats. Mike reflects on the journey from co-founding Netwrix to launching Action1, sharing lessons on entrepreneurship, leadership, hiring, and building a founder-led business with long-term vision. The conversation also examines the future of autonomous patching and why endpoint security is becoming an even greater priority as AI accelerates both cyber attacks and defence. Key topics covered: How Mike’s first computer at the age of nine sparked a lifelong passion for technology and cyber securityThe entrepreneurial influence of the founders behind Veeam and the belief that building a global success story was possibleBootstrapping Netwrix through determination and execution without outside investmentWhy maintaining focus became the most valuable lesson carried into Action1The advantages of remaining founder-led and making decisions with a long-term perspectiveBuilding high-performing teams by hiring for curiosity, adaptability, and passion over specific domain expertiseWhy endpoints remain one of the most vulnerable attack surfaces for organisationsThe importance of effective patch management and why it is often neglected despite its critical role in reducing cyber riskHow customer demand established patching as Action1’s core use caseThe impact of AI-powered vulnerability discovery and attackers operating at machine speedThe future of autonomous patch testing, with AI dramatically reducing deployment timelinesMike’s advice for cyber security professionals on continuous learning and adapting to an AI-driven landscape Guest Bio: Mike Walters is President and Co-Founder of Action1, an autonomous endpoint management platform trusted by thousands of organisations managing millions of endpoints worldwide. A serial cyber security entrepreneur, he previously co-founded Netwrix, helping grow the business into a global leader before its acquisition by TA Associates. At Action1, Mike leads product strategy and go-to-market initiatives while championing innovation through founder-led leadership. Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cyberwalters About neuco: neuco is a global executive search and recruitment partner specialising in Cyber Security, Media & Sports Technology, and Satellite, Space & Defence. By combining deep sector expertise with an extensive international network, neuco helps organisations secure exceptional leadership and technical talent while providing market insights through industry-focused content, events, and the Cyber Security Matters podcast.

  7. Jun 10

    AI Agent Authentication & the Future of Identity Security – Ep. 72 – Brian Bell, FusionAuth

    In this episode of Cyber Security Matters, brought to you by neuco, hosts Harry Baldwin and Matt Rose sit down with Brian Bell, CEO of FusionAuth, to explore why customer identity has evolved from a back-office IT function into mission-critical infrastructure, and what the rise of AI agents means for the future of authentication and access management. Key Topics Covered How Brian's career across Japan, BCG, and consumer products shaped his approach to leadership and customer-centricityWhy identity sits at the unique intersection of security, user experience, and revenue growthThe evolution of CIAM from back-office IT utility to critical digital infrastructureLessons from leading Split Software through its acquisition by Harness - balancing customers, employees, and investorsWhat Brian looks for when hiring at growth-stage companies: the "say, do, say" framework and the Japanese concept of Shoshin (beginner's mind)How the talent landscape has shifted toward mission, culture, and leadership quality over compensationWhat drew Brian to FusionAuth: real business problem, massive market, developer-first architecture, and strong unit economicsFusionAuth's European expansion and traction in regulated industries including US government agenciesThe next frontier: non-human identity, AI agent authentication, and why CIAM is the critical infrastructure layer for agentic AIWhy businesses should own and control their identity infrastructure rather than being locked into multi-tenant SaaS platformsAbout Brian Bell Brian Bell is CEO of FusionAuth, the developer-first Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) platform and the only enterprise-grade hybrid deployment solution in the market. With over 20 years of experience scaling enterprise software companies through IPOs, PE deals, and strategic acquisitions, Brian previously led Split Software through its acquisition by Harness, and served as CMO at Ping Identity and Zuora. Connect with Brian on LinkedIn. About neuco This podcast is brought to you by neuco, the specialist recruitment and executive search firm for the cyber security industry. With deep sector expertise and a global network spanning 60+ countries, neuco connects the world's leading cyber security businesses with the talent they need to grow — from specialist hires to C-suite leaders. Whether you're scaling a security product company or building out a new market, neuco's dedicated cyber security recruitment team understands your world. Explore neuco's cyber security recruitment services.

  8. Jun 3

    Fix It, Don't Just Find It: How AI Is Finally Solving Vulnerability Management – Episode 71 – Dominik Richter, Mondoo

    In Episode 71 of Cyber Security Matters, hosts HarryBaldwin and Matt Rose sit down with Dominik Richter, Co-Founder and CPO of Mondoo, the agentic vulnerability management platform that doesn't just findsecurity flaws, it actually fixes them. Dom's journey into cybersecurity started with the 1995 film Hackers (and yes, Angelina Jolie may have played a part), which sent him down a path of learning to break into computers, reading Phrack magazine, and exploring bulletin boards. From there, he built a career spanning Deutsche Telekom, Chef Software, and Google before founding Mondoo. About the Guest Dominik Richter is a founder, coder, and hacker who hashelped shape the DevOps and security space through projects like Chef InSpec and dev-sec.io. He co-founded VulcanoSec (acquired by Chef Software in 2015),headed security for Deutsche Telekom's first OpenStack Cloud, and worked at Google Cloud before co-founding Mondoo in 2021. At Mondoo, he leads product asCPO, building an AI-native platform that helps organisations prioritise and remediate vulnerabilities across cloud, on-prem, SaaS, endpoints, and the SDLC. Key Topics Covered ●     How the 1995 film Hackers sparked Dom'scybersecurity career ●     Lessons from building at Deutsche Telekom, ChefSoftware, and Google and the moments that inspired him to go the startup route(twice) ●     The qualities Dom looks for when hiring in startups: noego, comfort with ambiguity, willingness to be wrong and learn ●     How the hiring process has evolved at Mondoo especiallyfor engineers in the AI era, where interviews now include coding with andwithout AI agents ●     The biggest learning curve: hiring salespeople ●     The origin of the Mondoo name (German for"moon" tied to their extensible security graph concept) ●     How AI is accelerating both attack and defence morecode, more vulnerabilities, more automation on both sides ●     Where AI falls short: companies rushing to adoptwithout considering security, particularly around AI agent skills and supplychain risks ●     Why coding skills changed "overnight" but theneed for people who understand customer problems is greater than ever ●     What Mondoo does: agentic vulnerability managementfocused on prioritisation and remediation, not just scanning and reporting ●     How Mondoo uses AI agents for prioritisation (businesscriticality, blast radius, exploitability) and remediation (producingautomation code for tools like Terraform, Chef, Ansible) ●     Dom's advice: don't be afraid jump into AI, explore,and learn how to solve real problems with modern tools   About neuco: neuco Group is a global specialist recruitment and executive search firm focused on the Cyber Security, Media & Sports Technology, and Satellite, Space & Defence industries. We help organisations hire niche specialist talent at mid-to-senior and executive levels, connecting businesses with professionals who possess the expertise needed to drive growth and innovation in highly competitive markets. Whether you're hiring now, planning future growth, or simply looking for expert talent market advice, we'd be delighted to help. Get in touch: hello@neuco-group.com

Ratings & Reviews

1
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

A series of interview with key leaders through the Cyber Security industry. All brought to you by the Cyber Security team at neuco a specialist global recruitment and executive search firm.

You Might Also Like