Ditch the Spreadsheets: Smarter Crypto Security with Michael Klieman
Still tracking certificates in a spreadsheet? You’re not alone—and there’s a better way.
In this special episode from RSA 2025, Ron sits down with Michael Klieman, Global Vice President of Product Management for Digital Security Solutions at Entrust, to discuss how leading organizations are rethinking cryptographic security. From simplifying certificate management to preparing for a post-quantum future, this conversation covers real-world risks, surprising breach stories, and practical steps for bringing order to crypto chaos—without the stress.
Impactful Moments:
00:00 – Introduction
04:00 – Three major problems with crypto today
06:45 – Certificates often missing from inventories
08:30 – Managing EV charging infrastructure with spreadsheets
11:00 – The two biggest certificate-related risks
12:50 – Expired certs can tank brand trust
14:45 – Automation usually comes after spreadsheets
16:30 – Why quantum risk grows every year
18:15 – Start with a cryptographic inventory
20:30 – Nation-state threats and critical infrastructure
22:15 – AI could fast-track quantum breakthroughs
24:45 – Entrust’s new unified crypto security platform
26:35 – One question every CISO must answer in 2025
Links:
Connect with our guest, Michael Klieman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mklieman/
Learn more about Entrust at: https://entrust.com/csp
Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
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29:48
Protecting People, Not Just Perimeters with Andrey Suzdaltsev
AI is reshaping the cybersecurity battlefield, and cyber adversaries are getting smarter.
In this episode, Ron Eddings welcomes Andrey Suzdaltsev, Co-Founder and CEO of Brightside AI, for a look into the evolution of social engineering, AI’s role in personalized phishing, and how Brightside is turning the tables with automation and human-centric protection. From offensive AI simulations to family-inclusive cyber safety, Andrey shares how his team secures both professional and personal perimeters before cybercriminals can strike.
Impactful Moments
00:00 Cyber criminals get a theatrical glow-up
01:47 AI models + personal data = mass fraud
03:42 Brightside’s 3-part solution explained
07:32 Why security must get personal
11:16 Ron’s reaction to Brightside’s realism
13:16 AI research tools now used by hackers
19:33 Why deepfake detection may fail
15:16 Automating attacks with AI agents
37:34 Protecting families = smarter security
41:56 Brightside’s vision for defending human risk
Links
Connect with our guest, Andrey Suzdaltsev: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ndrey
Learn more about Brightside: www.brside.com
Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
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45:21
Digital Clutter and the Death of Passwords with Collin Sweeney & Chase Cunningham
Passwords are the original digital clutter—messy, overstuffed, and way too easy to forget. Like a junk drawer full of old keys and cables, we keep tossing more into them, hoping they’ll somehow keep working. But what if it’s time to throw the whole thing out?
In this episode, Ron Eddings is joined by Collin Sweeney of ZKX Solutions and Dr. Chase Cunningham, a.k.a. “Dr. Zero Trust,” for a bold conversation on the future of authentication. From the failures of MFA to the promise of zero-knowledge proofs, the crew breaks down how we got stuck with broken access systems—and what it’ll take to finally fix them. Whether it’s SIM swapping, face IDs, or security keys on the battlefield, this is the real talk on identity security you don’t want to miss.
Impactful Moments:
00:00 – Introduction
03:45 – ZKX’s origin: voice verification breakthrough
06:45 – Collin’s “oh crap” SolarWinds realization
09:15 – Why MFA still fails in practice
13:15 – Zero-knowledge proofs explained with a coin
15:30 – How ZKPs reduce identity attack surfaces
17:45 – Making MFA faster, smarter, more human
20:00 – MFA fatigue and ice skating uphill
24:00 – Why people still cling to passwords
30:54 – Quantum fears vs real-world encryption limits
Links:
Connect with Collin Sweeney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-sweeney-6ab6a5176/
Check out ZKX Solutions new product, Helix:
zkxsolutions.com/helix
Connect with Chase Cunningham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-chase-cunningham/
Grab a copy of Chase Cunningham's book “vArIable: A Novel in the gAbrIel Series” here: www.amazon.com/vArIable-gAbrIel-Dr-Chase-Cunningham-ebook/dp/B0DVMWCWCD?ref_=ast_author_mp
Check out Hacker Valley’s upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
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43:26
What Most Cybersecurity Advice Misses—And How to Fix It with Robert Hansen
What if the biggest threat to cybersecurity isn’t attackers—but the defenders themselves? Why are we still building tools for experts in a world where technical skills are fading fast?
In this episode, Ron Eddings sits down with legendary hacker and investor Robert Hansen (aka RSnake) to talk about startup strategy, LLM-powered workflows, and the uncomfortable truth about skill decline in security teams. You’ll hear how he built an AI-powered threat intel engine, why most cybersecurity advice is outdated, and his hard-earned wisdom on surviving—and thriving—in a landscape built to break you.
Impactful Moments:
00:00 - Introduction
01:30 - Meeting RSnake at Hacker Hoedown
04:50 - AI-powered newsletter curation
08:15 - Ranking news by global impact
13:00 - Keeping LLM costs under 25 cents/day
16:10 - Paths to revenue for cybersecurity pros
24:00 - Why venture capital often kills innovation
33:20 - Cloud migration and the crocodile problem
37:00 - Decline in practitioner technical skill
40:00 - Designing tools for non-experts
Links:
Connect with our guest, Robert “RSnake” Hansen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberthansen3/
Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
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0:36
Hackers Have HR Now? featuring Christopher Budd
The internet once came this close to crashing—and Microsoft was on the front line.
In this episode, cybersecurity veteran Christopher Budd takes us inside the Microsoft Security Response Center during one of the most chaotic cyber events in modern history. From the Nimda worm of 2001 to ransomware turf wars, and the weird future where threat actors post job ads for ransom note writers, Christopher lays it all out with perspective only decades in the game can bring. If you think AI or ransomware is the endgame, you’re not seeing the whole board.
Impactful Moments:
00:00 - Introduction
04:35 - Breaking down the Nimda attack
07:00 - “We carried 90% of the internet”
10:37 - Ransomware gangs fighting for headlines
15:26 - Secure perimeter is officially dead
17:31 - AI as your cybernetic exosuit
24:00 - Filtering 100,000 security emails with AI
27:05 - Privacy tension in AI-powered defense
32:00 - The inevitable swing back to local control
35:31 - “You will”: when sci-fi became real
Links:
Connect with our guest, Christopher Budd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherbudd/
Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
Welcome back to the show! Hacker Valley Studio podcast features Host Ron Eddings, as he explores the world of cybersecurity through the eyes of professionals in the industry. We cover everything from inspirational real-life stories in tech, to highlighting influential cybersecurity companies, and we do so in a fun and enthusiastic way. We’re making cybersecurity accessible, creating a whole new form of entertainment: cybertainment.
Listen to Hacker Valley Studio, The AI Daily Brief (Formerly The AI Breakdown): Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app