Zero Signal

Conor Sherman
  • 5.0 (3)
  • BUSINESS

Zero Signal is a high-energy podcast for cybersecurity leaders, co-hosted by Conor Sherman and Stuart Mitchell. It uniquely blends current events with in-depth conversations featuring seasoned security executives, thinkers, and builders. The podcast addresses critical questions regarding the future of cybersecurity in an AI-driven landscape, focusing on what works, what's broken, and what's next, particularly as AI redefines trust in the digital world.

  1. 12H AGO

    Business-Driven Security: SAP on Cyber Risk & AI Security - ft. Jay Thoden van Velzen

    Episode Summary Business-Driven Security: SAP on Cyber Risk & AI Security features Jay Thoden van Velzen, Technical Advisor in SAP’s Office of the Chief Security Officer. The episode explores how cybersecurity must evolve to secure business processes, not just technology, and addresses the challenges of agentic AI, risk quantification, and the importance of human-centric controls in enterprise environments.   Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors who make this show possible. → https://hamptonnorth.com/. Hampton North is the premium US-based cybersecurity search firm. → https://www.sysdig.com/. Leader in real-time AI-powered cloud security.   Guest Introduction Jay Thoden van Velzen is a Technical Advisor in SAP's Office of the Chief Security Officer, supporting security processes, products, and partner management across cybersecurity functions. He previously led SAP cloud security operations and transformation during SAP’s rapid shift to cloud business applications and platforms.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to SAP and Its Impact02:44 The Role of Cybersecurity in Business Processes13:38 Risk Management and Business Outcomes23:02 Exploring Security in Agentic Systems27:20 Balancing Innovation and Compliance in AI31:22 The Weight of SAP: Stability vs. Innovation38:12 Future of AI and Data Sovereignty  Referenced Links & Resources SAP Community Security BlogSAP TechEd 2025: SAP launches RPT-1, AI & Security in Business Process Platforms  Call to Action For more insights on business-driven security and agentic AI, follow Jay and the SAP Security team at SAP Community.

    43 min

  2. FEB 23

    State of the Cybersecurity Market - ft. Mike Privette

    Episode Summary The episode features Mike Privette, founder of Return on Security, discussing the 2025 State of the Cybersecurity Market.   Key topics include the realities behind AI security funding, the shift from product to service models, the impact of M&A and capital flows, and how regional consolidation is shaping the industry.   Subscribe to the Return on Security Newsletter    Guest Introduction Mike Privette is the founder of Return on Security and creator of Security, Funded, a data-driven briefing on cybersecurity funding, M&A, and market trends. He is recognized for his independent, data-driven analysis and his ability to bridge the gap between boardroom strategy and operational security.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction02:46 The Role of a Market Analyst in Cybersecurity05:23 Understanding the 2025 Cybersecurity Market Report08:06 AI's Impact on Cybersecurity Investments10:52 The Shift from Products to Services in Cybersecurity13:43 Unit Economics and the Future of Cybersecurity Companies16:15 The Dynamics of Private Equity and Venture Capital in Cybersecurity24:35 The Great Bundling Era in M&A35:34 Regional Capital Flows in Cybersecurity45:35 Outro  Referenced Links & Resources 2025 State of the Cybersecurity Market: $25B Funding, $76B M&A, and What's Next

    46 min

  3. FEB 2

    Why AI’s Real Impact Lies in How Leaders Respond—Not Just What It Achieves

    Episode Summary Conor Sherman lays out the three pillars of the Zero Signal podcast’s AI philosophy: using AI as a growth engine rather than a cost-cutting tool, designing truly human-centered systems, and treating secure, observable AI as a moral obligation for leaders.   Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors who make this show possible. → Hampton North. Hampton North is the premium US based cybersecurity search firm. → Sysdig. Secure the cloud
the right way with agentic AI.   Guest Introduction Host Conor Sherman, a cybersecurity leader with fifteen years of experience building and leading security programs, walks solo through how AI is reshaping the world and what durable, responsible leadership looks like in this transition.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Zero Signal Podcast01:23 The Courage to Grow in AI05:57 Human-Centered Systems in AI10:34 Secure AI is Responsible AI  Referenced Links & Resources Stanford Digital Economy Lab – “The Turing Trap: The Promise & Peril of Human-Like Artificial Intelligence”Goldman Sachs – “Will the $1 Trillion of Generative AI Investment Pay Off?”Acemoglu & Restrepo – “Automation and New Tasks: How Technology Displaces and Reinstates Labor”MIT Sloan – “When humans and AI work best together—and when each is better alone”Stanford HAI – “A Human-Centered Approach to the AI Revolution”Daniel Miessler – “Keep the Robots Out of the Gym”MIT & Harvard study on overreliance on AI advice  Call to Action Reflect on how your organization can use AI to create new work, design human-centered socio-technical systems, and build secure, observable infrastructure that earns and keeps trust over time.

    15 min

  4. JAN 26

    The Rise of Agentic AI: Transforming Software Development - ft. Adam Arellano

    Episode Summary Zero Signal hosts Conor Sherman and Stuart Mitchell sit down with Adam Arellano, former VP of Cybersecurity at PayPal and now Field CTO at Harness, to unpack the rise of agentic AI in software delivery and what it means for software engineers, security leaders, and the broader tech economy. They dig into real-world data on AI-generated code, the new attack surface created by agent skills, and how security and engineering teams can partner to ship faster while reducing risk.   Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors who make this show possible. → Hampton North. Hampton North is the premium US based cybersecurity search firm. → Sysdig. Secure the cloud
the right way with agentic AI.   Guest Introduction Adam Arellano is the Field CTO at Harness, focusing on AI for DevOps and automation, and previously served as VP of Cybersecurity at PayPal. In this episode he brings both security and engineering leadership perspectives to the rapid shift toward agentic coding and AI-augmented software delivery.   Referenced Links & Resources Adam Arellano – LinkedInAI Coding Becomes a Risky Norm as Use of AI Coding Assistants Takes Off and More Than 80% of Organizations Ship Vulnerable Code – BusinessWireGenerative AI Adoption and the Impact on Junior Employment – Harvard studyAgent Skills in the Wild: An Empirical Study of Security Vulnerabilities at ScaleGitHubArcanum-Sec/sec-context

    48 min

  5. JAN 19

    Moody’s 2026 Outlook: AI Attacks, Deepfakes & The New Cyber Risk Economy

    Episode Summary Conor Sherman and Stuart Mitchell break down Moody’s 2026 cybersecurity outlook through four lenses: AI agents outperforming most human pen testers, n8n’s “Ni8mare” CVSS 10.0 RCE and what it says about AI-era patching, Claude Code’s ability to recreate a complex agent orchestration system in an hour, and how always-on recording devices change the risk surface.   Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors who make this show possible. → Hampton North. Hampton North is the premium US based cybersecurity search firm. → Sysdig. Secure the cloud
the right way with agentic AI.   Guest Introduction This episode features an in-depth conversation between Conor Sherman and Stuart Mitchell, using real research and market signals to frame how AI agents, cloud concentration, and emerging tooling are reshaping the work of senior cybersecurity leaders.   Chapters 00:00 Intro + Banter02:34 AI Agents vs. Human Penetration Testing13:12 N8N Vulnerability Disclosure and Its Impact17:17 AI Productivity in Software Engineering27:35 Moody Rating Agency's 2026 Cybersecurity Outlook36:36 The Ethics of AI Recording Devices  Referenced Links & Resources Comparing AI Agents to Cybersecurity Professionals in Real-World Penetration Testingn8n Security AdvisoryJaana Dogan on Claude Code and distributed agent orchestrationMoody’s 2026 Cybersecurity & AI OutlookUnderwriting Superintelligence – AI risk & insurance

    42 min

  6. JAN 12

    Zero Signal: 2026 Predictions Unveiled

    Episode Summary Hosts Conor Sherman and Stuart Mitchell break down 2026 cybersecurity predictions from leading voices across AI, identity, supply chain, and security talent. Google SlideZero Signal | 2026 Predications   Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors who make this show possible. → Hampton North. Hampton North is the premium US based cybersecurity search firm. → Sysdig. Secure the cloud
the right way with agentic AI.   Chapters 00:00 Holiday Reflections and Podcast Introduction01:40 Madison Horn's Insights on AI and Infrastructure07:29 Nicole Kerrigan on Agentic AI as Insider Risk13:04 Greg Notch on Automated Exploits and Incentives18:52 Crystal Morne on Supply Chain Risks25:03 Daniel Measler's Predictions for Security Talent31:30 James Berthoty's Predictions36:37 Stuart Mitchell's Predictions46:28 Conor Sherman's Predictions  Referenced Links & Resources Madison Horn – 2026 Cybersecurity PredictionsAndres Andreu – Cybersecurity Predictions for 2026Nicole Carignan – AI & Cybersecurity Trends to Watch in 2026Greg Notch – Cybersecurity Predictions 2026Crystal Morin – Top 10 Ways to Get Breached in 2026Shai-Hulud Worm AnalysisAnand Singh – Top 5 AI Predictions for 2026James Berthoty – The 5 Security Features That Will Lead in 2026Daniel Miessler – How AI Changes Cybersecurity in 2026

    55 min

  7. 12/01/2025

    Creator of CVE-Genie, How AI will Transform Agentic Vulnerability Remediation - ft Saad Ullah

    Episode Summary Saad Ullah, PhD student and founder of CVE-Genie, joins to explain how AI is changing vulnerability management and why defenders need to rethink their approach as threat actors adopt these tools. You’ll hear how his research is shaping the future of cybersecurity and what it means for staying ahead of attacks.   Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors who make this show possible. → Hampton North. Hampton North is the premium US based cybersecurity search firm. → Sysdig. Secure the cloud
the right way with agentic AI.   Guest Bio Saad Ullah is a PhD student at Boston University, a founder of CVE-Genie, and a key member of the Shellfish team for DARPA's cyber reasoning challenge. His work focuses on advancing AI-driven vulnerability management and has made a significant impact in the cybersecurity research community.   Chapters 00:00 Banter 02:24 Guest Intro: Saad Ullah 05:08 AI in Cybersecurity: The Emergence of Threats 07:41 CVE Genie: Revolutionizing Vulnerability Management 10:13 The Asymmetry of Defense: Challenges Ahead 15:49 The Future of Vulnerability Remediation 18:20 The Role of Security Engineers in an AI-Driven World 20:40 Building Trust in AI Systems for Cybersecurity 23:13 Passion and Evolution in Cybersecurity Careers 26:22 Collaboration and Support in Research 33:06 Exploring Vulnerabilities: The Journey Begins 36:25 Building a Comprehensive Benchmark for Vulnerabilities 39:33 Future of Vulnerability Management and Remediation 42:39 Looking Ahead: Conferences and Future Projects 44:52 Reflecting on Season One Highlights 48:26 Outro   Resources & Links Github CVE-GenieDARPA Cyber Reasoning ChallengeShellphishArtiphishellPrompt||GTFO  Call to Action If you found this episode useful, please share it and subscribe! → Apple Podcasts → Spotify. → YouTube → Website   Follow You Hosts: → Conor Sherman: LinkedIn → Stuart Mitchell: LinkedIn

    49 min

  8. 11/21/2025

    Trust, Talent, and Transformation- ft. Amelia Forrest Kaye (AFK)

    Episode Summary Amelia Forrest Kaye (AFK) joins to break down how security and tech leaders can turn crises into opportunities to build trust, navigate the fast-changing risks of AI, and why building strong relationships across teams—and your own personal brand—matters more than ever. Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors who make this show possible. → Hampton North. Hampton North is the premium US based cybersecurity search firm. → Sysdig. Secure the cloud
the right way with agentic AI. Guest Introduction Amelia, or AFK as many know her, is a Fractional Chief Customer Officer and Executive Advisor who has spent nearly two decades shaping the post-sales and customer success engines at companies like Expel, Salt Security, and Tanium. Chapters 00:00 Welcome 01:44 Crisis Management and Customer Trust 12:43 Bermuda Triangle of AI, Security & Market Forces 25:09 Understanding Customer Patience and Expectations 25:36 Customer Retention in the Age of AI 27:47 Ignition Metrics: The Key to First Value 34:42 Transformative CISOs: Building Cross-Departmental Relationships 44:21 The Importance of Personal Branding for Security Leaders 55:27 Monday Morning Advice Referenced Links & Resources Anthropic November Threat Report Cybersecurity budgets tighten as economic anxiety risesOver 40% of agentic AI projects will be scrapped by 2027, Gartner saysHouse of Lies (TV Show) Call to Action If you found this episode useful, please share it and subscribe! Conor Sherman — LinkedIn | Website | Sysdig;Stuart Mitchell — LinkedIn | Website.Add subscription links: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Website.

    59 min
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5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Zero Signal is a high-energy podcast for cybersecurity leaders, co-hosted by Conor Sherman and Stuart Mitchell. It uniquely blends current events with in-depth conversations featuring seasoned security executives, thinkers, and builders. The podcast addresses critical questions regarding the future of cybersecurity in an AI-driven landscape, focusing on what works, what's broken, and what's next, particularly as AI redefines trust in the digital world.

Information

  • Creator
    Conor Sherman
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Conor Sherman
  • Show Website
    Zero Signal