From Fish Tanks to AI Agents: Why the Words “We’re Secure” Means Nothing Without Proof | A Black Hat USA 2025 Conversation with Viktor Petersson | On Location Coverage with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli

When security becomes more than a checkbox, the conversation shifts from “how much” to “how well.” At Black Hat USA 2025, Sean Martin, CISSP, Co-Founder of ITSPmagazine, and Viktor Petersson, Founder of an SBOM artifact platform, unpack how regulatory forces, cultural change, and AI innovation are reshaping how organizations think about security.

Viktor points to the growing role of Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs) as not just a best practice, but a likely requirement in future compliance frameworks. The shift, he notes, is driven largely by regulation—especially in Europe—where security is no longer a “nice to have” but a mandated operational function. Sean connects this to a market reality: companies increasingly see transparent security practices as a competitive differentiator, though the industry still struggles with the hollow claim of simply being “secure.”

AI naturally dominates discussions, but the focus is nuanced. Rather than chasing hype, both stress the need for strong guardrails before scaling AI-driven development. Viktor envisions engineers supervising fleets of specialized AI agents—handling tasks from UX to code auditing—while Sean sees AI as a way to rethink entire operational models. Yet both caution that without foundational security practices, AI only amplifies existing risks.

The conversation extends to IoT and supply chain security, where market failures allow insecure, end-of-life devices to persist in critical environments. The infamous “smart fish tank” hack in a Las Vegas casino serves as a reminder: the weakest link often isn’t the target itself, but the entry point it provides.

DEFCON, Viktor notes, offers a playground for challenging assumptions—whether it’s lock-picking to illustrate perceived versus actual security, or examining the human factor in breaches. For both hosts, events like Black Hat and DEFCON aren’t just about the latest vulnerabilities or flashy demos—they’re about the human exchange of ideas, the reframing of problems, and the collaboration that fuels more resilient security strategies.

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Guest:

Viktor Petersson, Founder, sbomify | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vpetersson/

Hosts:
Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com

Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine | Website: https://www.marcociappelli.com

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Episode Sponsors

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Resources

Learn more and catch more stories from our Black Hat USA 2025 coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/bhusa25

ITSPmagazine Webinar: What’s Heating Up Before Black Hat 2025: Place Your Bet on the Top Trends Set to Shake Up this Year’s Hacker Conference — An ITSPmagazine Thought Leadership Webinar | https://www.crowdcast.io/c/whats-heating-up-before-black-hat-2025-place-your-bet-on-the-top-trends-set-to-shake-up-this-years-hacker-conference

Catch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverage

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KEYWORDS

black hat usa 2025, sean martin, viktor petersson, sbom, compliance, ai, guardrails, iot, defcon, regulation, event coverage, on location, conference

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