BSides Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island Security Research Society

BSides Vancouver Island eatures conversations with cybersecurity researchers, practitioners and community leaders from the BSides Vancouver Island community. Each episode explores the ideas behind security research and conference talks, from threat detection, incident response, network and infrastructure security and AI to the practical lessons that help defenders understand an evolving threat landscape. Produced by the Vancouver Island Security Research Society, this series is part of BSides Vancouver Island: a community-driven security conference built around sharing knowledge, developing skills, and making cybersecurity more accessible. Explore conference talks and speaker interviews at bsidesvi.com. Follow along and join the conversation with #bsidesvi.

  1. Sep 24

    In the Media: Jason D'Souza host of All Points West speaks with Steven Pellerin

    Steve Pellerin joins Jason D’Souza, host of CBC’s All Points West, for a timely conversation about cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the practical steps we can all take to stay safer online. From AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic voices to increasingly convincing phishing and financial scams, the online threat landscape is changing quickly. Steve explains why awareness, strong account security, and local community connections matter more than ever—for individuals, families, businesses, and public institutions. They also discuss the value of building a stronger local cybersecurity community and preview BSides Vancouver Island, the annual community-driven cybersecurity conference bringing together security professionals, students, researchers, and curious newcomers on Vancouver Island. In this interview, you’ll hear about: How AI is making scams, deepfakes, and impersonation attempts more convincingWhy “community is your first line of defense” against emerging cyber threatsPractical ways to protect your accounts, including enabling multi-factor authenticationHow local meetup groups and security communities can improve cyber awarenessWhy organizations need to invest in people, training, and a stronger human firewallWhat to expect from BSides Vancouver IslandIf you take only one action after watching: turn on multi-factor authentication now—especially for your email, banking, and social-media accounts. 🎟️ Get your ticket now at bsidesvi.com and join Vancouver Island’s cybersecurity community for a full day of practical, community-driven security research and conversation. Follow BSides Vancouver Island for conference updates, community content, and future interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@BSidesVancouverIsland https://www.linkedin.com/company/26519449 https://www.instagram.com/bsidesvi #Cybersecurity #OnlineSafety #ArtificialIntelligence #Deepfakes #ScamAwareness #MFA #BSidesVI #BSidesVancouverIsland #VancouverIsland #CyberSecurityConference

  2. Sep 24

    In the Media: Gregor Craigie host of CBC's On the Island speaks with Ryan Smith

    Our very own Ryan Smith joined CBC On the Island host Gregor Craigie for a quick look at our upcoming BSides Vancouver Island conference and his upcoming talk, The Control Plane Awakens: How Attackers Are Taking Over Network Edge Infrastructure. Attackers are no longer just trying to get through the firewall or VPN—they are turning network-edge infrastructure into a long-term operational foothold. Ryan shares why this matters, how adversaries exploit these critical control points, and what defenders can do to detect and respond. See Ryan’s full presentation live at BSides Vancouver Island 2026 on Friday, September 25 at the Victoria Conference Centre.  🎟️ Get your ticket now at bsidesvi.com and join Vancouver Island’s cybersecurity community for a full day of practical, community-driven security research and conversation.  #BSidesVI #Cybersecurity #NetworkSecurity #InfoSec #VictoriaBC

  3. Sep 23

    Speaker Highlights - BSides Vancouver Island 2026

    Get a rapid fire preview of the ideas, people and conversations coming to BSides Vancouver Island 2026. In this final speaker-highlight compilation, hear from researchers, defenders, builders and community leaders tackling the issues shaping cybersecurity today: AI and agentic systems, identity, network defence, software supply-chain risk, emerging threats and the practical work of keeping organizations secure. But BSidesVI is about more than the talks. It is a grassroots, community-driven event where security professionals, students, researchers, technology leaders, and people who are simply curious can learn, connect, share experience, and help strengthen the cybersecurity community on Vancouver Island and beyond. A huge thank-you to every speaker, volunteer, attendee, organizer and sponsor helping make this conference possible. Your support is what turns BSidesVI from a conference into a community. Join us this Friday, September 25, at the Victoria Conference Centre. Come hear the full talks, meet the speakers, reconnect with colleagues, make new connections and be part of the conversation. 🎟️ Tickets, schedule, and event details: http://bsidesvi.com #BSidesVI #Cybersecurity #InfoSec #VictoriaBC #VancouverIsland #SecurityResearch #AISecurity #CyberSecurityCommunity

  4. Sep 16

    Speaker Spotlight: Michael Argast - Building a world class security harness

    Our volunteer Director at Large, Steven Pellerin, explores the use of AI in cybersecurity and the concept of a security harness with Michael Argast. It delves into the challenges of implementing AI, the importance of human-in-the-loop controls, and the role of community events in learning and sharing knowledge. Takeaways Security harness: AI requires a structured approach to ensure predictable and reliable outcomes.Human-in-the-loop: Human oversight and controls are essential for AI to work with sensitive client data.Community learning: Participation in community events and learning from experts is valuable for small organizations in the cybersecurity space. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Cybersecurity01:37 B-Sides Vancouver Island 2026 Conference03:00 The Concept of a Security Harness06:05 Human-in-the-Loop Controls for AI15:27 AI in Small Organizations

  5. Sep 14

    Speaker Spotlight: Gabrielle Comeau - The Theodosian Walls, Defense in Depth in an Agentic World

    The conversation explores the challenges and risks associated with agentic AI and the need for a multi-layered defense approach, drawing parallels to the Thedosian Walls of Constantinople. It delves into the rise of non-human identities, the uniqueness and risk of AI agents, and the complexities of securing agentic AI in organizations. Takeaways Defense in depth is crucial for securing agentic AIUnderstanding and controlling AI agents is essential for organizational security Chapters 00:00 The Thedosian Walls of Constantinople01:37 Introduction to B-Sides Vancouver Island 202603:22 The Rise of Non-Human Identities04:51 The Uniqueness and Risk of AI Agents05:40 Risks and Challenges of Agentic AI09:48 The Thedosian Walls of 2026: Defense in Depth10:13 Building Thedosian Layers for AI Security13:34 Detecting and Understanding Deployed AI Agents

  6. Sep 10

    Speaker Spotlight: Chris Brown - Have you ever Onboarded an AI Employee?

    The conversation delves into the challenges of AI governance and accountability, highlighting the story of Agent B and the implications for managing AI agents. It explores the trust boundaries and decision-making processes in the context of agentic systems, providing valuable insights for organizations deploying AI agents. Takeaways AI GovernanceAccountability Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI Governance00:57 The Story of Agent B03:19 Managing AI Agents10:07 Trust Boundaries and Decision Making

  7. Sep 9

    Speaker Spotlight: David Brunsdon - Your TV, My Exit Node - Inside the Residential Proxy Economy

    The conversation explores the topic of residential proxies and their impact on cybersecurity, focusing on the research and insights shared by threat researcher David Brunsdon. It delves into the use of residential proxies, their risks, and the implications for enterprise environments. Takeaways Residential proxies enable traffic to appear as though it comes from a normal home or business connection, posing significant risks to organizations.The use of residential proxies in cyber attacks, ad fraud, and botnet activities highlights the need for organizations to address this threat in their security policies. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Residential Proxies04:40 Understanding Residential Proxies and Their Functionality07:00 The Usefulness of Residential Proxies to Attackers09:05 Real-World Risks of Residential Proxies in Enterprise Environments11:33 Addressing Residential Proxies in Security Policies JOIN US AT BSIDES VANCOUVER ISLAND 2026 BSides Vancouver Island is a community-driven, grassroots cybersecurity conference bringing together security practitioners, researchers, students, and technology enthusiasts to learn, connect, and share knowledge. Friday, September 25, 2026 Victoria Conference Centre — Victoria, BC This year marks our fifth anniversary*, with *two talk tracks for the first time. 🎟️ Tickets and conference details: https://bsidesvi.com

  8. Sep 2

    Speaker Spotlight: Amy Tom - Building the Local Cybersecurity Community: Meet Up by Meet Up

    The conversation explores the importance of community in cybersecurity, highlighting the isolation of the profession, the power of community, building professional relationships, belonging in the community, participating in the community, low-pressure participation, panel discussion preview, the role of community in cybersecurity, and joining the cybersecurity community. Takeaways Community is essential in cybersecurityBelonging in the community is valuable for career growth Chapters 00:00 The Isolation of Cybersecurity02:12 The Power of Community03:00 Building Professional Relationships04:20 Belonging in the Community06:22 Participating in the Community07:25 Low-Pressure Participation08:15 Panel Discussion Preview09:22 The Role of Community in Cybersecurity12:12 Joining the Cybersecurity Community Panelists:  Ryan Clarke, Principal Incident Response Consultant, Mandiant (Google Cloud) — representing ISACA Vancouver Chapter, DC604, and VancitySec Roberto Salgado, Co-Founder and CEO, Websec — representing OWASP Victoria Parisa Saqib, Cybersecurity Analyst, BCIT — representing DMZ604  JOIN US AT BSIDES VANCOUVER ISLAND 2026 BSides Vancouver Island is a community-driven, grassroots cybersecurity conference bringing together security practitioners, researchers, students, and technology enthusiasts to learn, connect, and share knowledge. Friday, September 25, 2026 Victoria Conference Centre — Victoria, BC This year marks our fifth anniversary*, with *two talk tracks for the first time. 🎟️ Tickets and conference details: https://bsidesvi.com

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About

BSides Vancouver Island eatures conversations with cybersecurity researchers, practitioners and community leaders from the BSides Vancouver Island community. Each episode explores the ideas behind security research and conference talks, from threat detection, incident response, network and infrastructure security and AI to the practical lessons that help defenders understand an evolving threat landscape. Produced by the Vancouver Island Security Research Society, this series is part of BSides Vancouver Island: a community-driven security conference built around sharing knowledge, developing skills, and making cybersecurity more accessible. Explore conference talks and speaker interviews at bsidesvi.com. Follow along and join the conversation with #bsidesvi.

Information

  • Creator
    Vancouver Island Security Research Society
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Vancouver Island Security Research Society
  • Show Website
    BSides Vancouver Island