Cybersecurity Mentors Podcast

In this episode of the Cyber Security Mentors Podcast, we discuss the critical role of soft skills in the cybersecurity field. We emphasize that while technical skills are essential, soft skills such as communication, empathy, adaptability, critical thinking, and teamwork are equally important for career growth and success. We provide insights on how to improve these skills and their relevance in various cybersecurity roles. We also introduce a new networking course aimed at helping individuals build meaningful professional relationships.Networking is King CourseConnect with us and leave us feedback:Cybersecurity Mentors Podcast SwagSign up for our NewsletterMentorship - Sign up for a FREE sessionJoin us on DiscordFollow our LinkedIn pageCheck out our YouTube channel for more contentTCM Affiliate LinkSend us fan mail via text

Can a cybersecurity mentor or coach really help you break into or grow your career? In this episode, we break down the difference between mentorship and coaching, why investing in guidance matters, and what a structured 6-month mentorship journey looks like.We also share real success stories from our mentees—and why going it alone might be slowing you down.Plus, we’re running a limited-time offer: Get our coaching Plus Plan ($119/month) for the price of the Starter Plan ($69/month) for six months—available to the first 10 sign-ups. Sign-up link provided below. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Connect with us and leave us feedback:● Cybersecurity Mentors Podcast Swag: https://the-cybersecurity-mentors-pod.myspreadshop.com ● Mentorship - Sign up for a FREE session: https://www.cyberprofessionalservices.com/scheduling-free-consultation● Sign up for our Newsletter: https://sendfox.com/lp/m2vx85 ● Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/g4yRKjnD78● Follow our LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cybersecurity-mentors-podcast● Check out our YouTube channel for more content: https://www.youtube.com/@CybersecurityMentorsPodcast● TCM Affiliate Link: https://certifications.tcm-sec.com/?ref=198===========================================================================Episode Resources: ● Mentorship and Coaching Promotional Sign Up #FIRST10  Link: https://www.cyberprofessionalservices.com/first-10 ● CPS Mentorship/Coaching Pricing PlansLink: https://www.cyberprofessionalservices.com/pricingSend us fan mail via textCheck out our Networking is King Course: How to Build a Career Through Real Connections

In Part 3 of our Mastering Cybersecurity series, we explore why learning how to hack isn’t just for red teamers — it’s a critical skill for defenders, too. Understanding offensive tactics can sharpen your defensive abilities, improve threat detection, and help you shift from reactive to proactive security.Plus, having both offensive and defensive skills makes you more marketable in today’s cybersecurity job market, especially for roles that value versatility and hands-on experience.We’ll also share practical ways to start learning these skills safely using your own home lab — no red team experience required.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Connect with us and leave us feedback:● Cybersecurity Mentors Podcast Swag: https://the-cybersecurity-mentors-pod.myspreadshop.com ● Mentorship - Sign up for a FREE session: https://www.cyberprofessionalservices.com/scheduling-free-consultation● Sign up for our Newsletter: https://sendfox.com/lp/m2vx85 ● Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/g4yRKjnD78● Follow our LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cybersecurity-mentors-podcast● Check out our YouTube channel for more content: https://www.youtube.com/@CybersecurityMentorsPodcast● TCM Affiliate Link: https://certifications.tcm-sec.com/?ref=198++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Episode Resources:Recommended CertificationsPEH – Practical Ethical HackingWhy recommend it:Covers the full pentesting pipeline—network scanning, exploitation, privilege escalation, and more—with hands-on tools and labs.Enroll here: https://certifications.tcm-sec.com/practical-ethical-hacking/?ref=198 PNPT – Practical Network Penetration TesterWhy recommend it:TCM’s flagship certification simulates a real-world pentest engagement—from external recon to internal exploitation—and includes a full report and video walkthrough.Enroll here: https://certifications.tcm-sec.com/pnpt/?ref=198 Hands-On Practice PlatformsTryHackMe – Offensive Path Learn offensive security with guided, hands-on labs. Link: https://tryhackme.com/Hack The Box Pentesting labs and real-world CTF challenges for all skill levels. Link: https://www.hackthebox.com/Tools to ExploreKali Linux A Linux distro made for penetration testing. Link: https://www.kali.org/Metasploit Framework A powerful framework for exploitation and post-exploitation. Link: https://docs.rapid7.com/metasploit/NmapPowerful network scanning toolLink: Send us fan mail via textCheck out our Networking is King Course: How to Build a Career Through Real Connections

In this episode, we chat with Carson Sallis, Senior Offensive Security Engineer and Vulnerability Researcher at NVIDIA. Carson walks us through a day in the life of a pentester and shares actionable advice for anyone looking to break into offensive security. He also gives a live demo of fuzzing with AFL (American Fuzzy Lop) and explains how tools like this are used in real-world vulnerability research.Whether you're just starting out or looking to sharpen your red team skills, this episode is full of insights you won’t want to miss.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Episode Resources:GitHub: https://github.com/cybersecmentors/season_3_ep_6Guest: Carson Sallis Follow Carson and connect for updates, demos, and career insights.LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/carson-sallis/Fuzzing Tools & Resources· AFL (American Fuzzy Lop) The fuzzing tool featured in Carson's demo. Link: https://lcamtuf.coredump.cx/afl/· AFL++ An advanced fork of AFL with modern features. Link: https://github.com/AFLplusplus/AFLplusplus· Fuzzing: Brute Force Vulnerability Discovery (Book) A foundational guide for learning fuzzing. Link: https://nostarch.com/fuzzing++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Connect with us and leave us feedback:Cybersecurity Mentors Podcast Swag: https://the-cybersecurity-mentors-pod.myspreadshop.com Mentorship - Sign up for a FREE session: https://www.cyberprofessionalservices.com/scheduling-free-consultationSign up for our Newsletter: https://sendfox.com/lp/m2vx85 Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/g4yRKjnD78Follow our LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cybersecurity-mentors-podcastCheck out our YouTube channel for more content: https://www.youtube.com/@CybersecurityMentorsPodcastTCM Affiliate Link: https://certifications.tcm-sec.com/?ref=1Send us fan mail via textCheck out our Networking is King Course: How to Build a Career Through Real Connections

In this episode, Steve and John dive into why securing systems is a must-know skill in cybersecurity. Learn the basics of system hardening, access control, and logging, plus practical tools and labs to get hands-on. They also explore how AI can boost your defense game — and why thinking like both an attacker and defender will set you apart.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Episode Resources:Hands-On Labs & PlatformsTryHackMe Labs: Intro to Windows, Hardening, Linux Privilege Escalation, Pre-Security PathGreat for learning system hardening and exploitation from both Red and Blue perspectives.Link: https://tryhackme.comHack The Box Academy Modules on Windows/Linux fundamentals, Active Directory hardening, and network security.Link: https://www.hackthebox.com/Cyber Defenders Real-world challenges with system logs, hardening tasks, and detection engineering.Link: https://cyberdefenders.org/Security Benchmarks & GuidesCIS Benchmarks Free hardening guidelines for Windows, Linux, macOS, network devices, and cloud platforms.Link: https://www.cisecurity.org/cis-benchmarksMicrosoft Security Baselines Microsoft’s official security settings for Windows 10/11, Server, Office, and more.Link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/windows-security-baselinesTools & ScriptsWindows Hardening Guide by Debloat WindowsOpen-source PowerShell scripts to harden Windows easily.Link: https://github.com/ChrisTitusTech/win10scriptLynis (Linux Hardening Audit Tool)CLI tool that scans Linux systems and gives a security score with suggestions.Link: https://cisofy.com/lynis/Ansible Lockdown RolesPrebuilt automation scripts for applying CIS hardening via Ansible.Link: https://github.com/ansible-lockdown/++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Connect with us and leave us feedback:Cybersecurity Mentors Podcast Swag: https://the-cybersecurity-mentors-pod.myspreadshop.com Mentorship - Sign up for a FREE session: https://www.cyberprofessionalservices.com/scheduling-free-consultationSign up for our Newsletter: https://sendfox.com/lp/m2vx85 Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/g4yRKjnD78Follow our LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cybersecurity-mentors-podcastCheck out our YouTube channel for more contentSend us fan mail via textCheck out our Networking is King Course: How to Build a Career Through Real Connections

Craig Sheffield, a cybersecurity analyst from Taiwan with a background in teaching and the arts, shares his compelling journey into cybersecurity. He discusses how his musical skills translated surprisingly well into this tech field. Craig dives into his experiences with the TryHackMe Security Analyst Level 1 certification, emphasizing the blend of motivation and community support. He also weighs the pros and cons of various training methods, highlighting the significance of practical experience and the pivotal role of certifications in career advancement.

In this episode, we delve into the often-overlooked yet fundamental importance of learning how to "build" systems, networks, and applications for cybersecurity professionals. Coining the philosophy "Build, Secure, Hack," we explore why hands-on experience in building provides an essential foundation for effectively securing and ultimately understanding how to hack those environments. We discuss the pitfalls of skipping these foundational IT skills, highlight the immense value of setting up a home lab for practical learning, and offer concrete examples of what to build to enhance your cybersecurity expertise and career prospects in today's job market.Check out our new merch shop! https://the-cybersecurity-mentors-pod.myspreadshop.comYouTube ResourcesNetworkChuck - https://www.youtube.com/c/NetworkChuckTechno Tim - https://www.youtube.com/c/TechnoTimLive LearnLinuxTV - https://www.youtube.com/c/LearnLinuxTV The Coding Train - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCodingTrain Professor Messer - https://www.youtube.com/@professormesserVirtualization PlatformsVirtualBox – Free and easy to use. - https://www.virtualbox.org/VMware Workstation Player – Personal use version of VMware.Proxmox VE – Advanced, self-hosted hypervisor.Lab Design IdeaspfSense as your firewall/routerLinux and Windows VMs for practiceAdd vulnerable VMs from VulnHub to practice attack/defend - https://www.vulnhub.com/Add Security Onion to practice detection - https://securityonionsolutions.com/Automation / DevOpsAnsible – Infrastructure as code for deploying and managing servers - https://www.ansible.com/Docker – Build and run isolated containers (great for web apps or SOC tools) - https://www.docker.com/HomelabOS – Build an entire lab with one command - https://homelabos.com/Cloud OptionsAWS Free Tier - https://aws.amazon.com/free/Google Cloud Free Tier - https://cloud.google.com/freeMicrosoft Azure for Students - https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/students/Send us fan mail via textCheck out our Networking is King Course: How to Build a Career Through Real Connections

Doug Burks, founder and CEO of Security Onion Solutions, shares his inspiring journey from computer enthusiast to cybersecurity innovator. He highlights how accessible network monitoring tools help defenders fight cyber threats effectively. The conversation dives into the importance of setting up home labs for practical skills, the excitement of responding to cyber challenges, and the complexities of open-source communities. Burks also emphasizes the ongoing evolution of network security amidst emerging technologies like encryption and AI.

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of cyber deception—from classic honeypots to canary tokens and more. Learn how deception isn't just a defense tactic, but a skill every aspiring cybersecurity analyst should master. We'll explore real-world stories, ethical considerations, and how strategic deception can give you the upper hand against attackers.Episode Resources:Offensive Countermeasures BookCanary TokensHoneyport - Powershell ScriptCheck out our new merch shop! https://the-cybersecurity-mentors-pod.myspreadshop.comSend us fan mail via textCheck out our Networking is King Course: How to Build a Career Through Real Connections

This episode delves into the current state of the cybersecurity job market and offers essential strategies for breaking into the industry. Kelly Belding, an experienced IT recruiter, discusses hiring trends, the importance of relevant skills and certifications, and the significant role of networking for career advancement.• Overview of the changing IT job market dynamics • Discussion on entry-level versus mid-senior level positions • Importance of skill sets and certifications in job applications • Insights on current salary expectations for new graduates • Networking's vital role in securing job opportunities • The impact of AI on hiring practices and operational rolesSend us fan mail via textCheck out our Networking is King Course: How to Build a Career Through Real Connections