Episode 129: The Attacker Mindset: Maxie Reynolds on Red Teaming, Underwater Data Centers, and Human Nature

In this OODAcast episode, host Matt Devost sits down with Maxie Reynolds, author of The Art of the Attack, to explore the evolution of her unique career from offshore oil rigs to elite red teaming and cybersecurity innovation. Maxie shares how her unconventional path, working a decade in oil and gas, earning degrees while on remote rigs, and eventually breaking into cybersecurity at PwC, shaped her approach to physical and digital security. Her journey led to the creation of a company that builds underwater data centers, a novel fusion of her industrial and red teaming experiences. She discusses the rising interest in submerged infrastructure, particularly after China's moves in the space and the demands of modern AI-driven cooling systems.

The conversation dives deep into what it means to adopt an "attacker mindset", seeing opportunities where others see obstacles and using architecture, human psychology, and environment as vectors for access. Maxi outlines how her social engineering engagements hinge on understanding perception, psychology, and pretext creation rather than just technical exploits. She offers real-world stories of infiltrating secure facilities and engaging high-stakes targets using layered personas and misdirection. Through it all, she emphasizes the role of self-awareness, stress management, and emotional discipline in high-pressure operations, often drawing parallels between red teaming and stoicism.

Maxie and Matt also examine how to responsibly deliver red team results to leadership, balancing candor with empathy to ensure organizations grow stronger without shame or defensiveness. They reflect on the future of AI in security, the persistence of physical threats, and the irreplaceable value of human judgment. The episode wraps with a powerful reading list and a shared love of books, highlighting titles that explore geopolitics, materials science, and the ungoverned world of the open ocean. This episode is packed with insight, storytelling, and practical wisdom for cybersecurity professionals, technologists, and leaders looking to understand how adversaries think—and how to outsmart them.

Additional Links:

The Art of Attack: Attacker Mindset for Security Professionals by Maxie Reynolds

Maxie on Twitter/X

Book Recommendations:

How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going by Vaclav Smil

The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier by Ian Urbina

Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World by Tim Marshall

Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology by Chris Miller

Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World by Mark Miodownik