Cyber Threat Intelligence Podcast Season 1 - Episode 15 (Pedro Kertzman & Adam Goss)
What does it take to become a cybersecurity "unicorn"? According to Adam Goss, it's the rare combination of threat intelligence expertise with cross-domain skills that truly drives innovation in our industry.
Adam takes us on his unconventional journey from aspiring penetration tester to CTI specialist and educator, revealing the critical mindset shifts required when transitioning between security roles. Most fascinating is his comparison between SOC and CTI approaches to bias - while SOC analysts leverage bias for quick decision-making, CTI professionals must actively combat it, asking deeper questions before jumping to conclusions.
The conversation turns deeply personal when Adam shares how a seemingly successful threat detection of a Cobalt Strike beacon ultimately missed crucial indicators that led to a devastating ransomware outbreak. This painful lesson transformed his entire career trajectory, highlighting why technology alone fails without the right people and processes - ultimately inspiring him to found Craven Security to make CTI education more accessible.
For those looking to develop their own CTI expertise, Adam provides a treasure trove of resources - from hands-on platforms like TryHackMe to industry reports, conferences, and specialized books that bridge tactical and strategic intelligence needs. His recommended reading covers everything from intelligence-driven incident response to honeypot deployment and strategic analysis frameworks.
Perhaps most refreshing is Adam's closing perspective on maintaining balance in security careers. Despite the high-stakes nature of our work, he reminds us to focus on the aspects we genuinely enjoy, treat work as just work, and prioritize health and family over professional pressures - wisdom that might be the most valuable intelligence shared in the entire conversation.
Connect with us on LinkedIn at Cyber Threat Intelligence Podcast to join the conversation and recommend future guests with unique CTI perspectives to share.
Resources:
https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/intelligence-driven-incident-response/9781098120672/
https://chrissanders.org/2020/09/idh-release/
https://collegepublishing.sagepub.com/products/critical-thinking-for-strategic-intelligence-3-265236
Thanks for tuning in! If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review. Got thoughts or questions? Connect with us on our LinkedIn Group: Cyber Threat Intelligence Podcast—we’d love to hear from you. If you know anyone with CTI expertise that would like to be interviewed in the show, just let us know. Until next time, stay sharp and stay secure!