Madhav Nakar — AI Security Researcher and Documentarian of Spirituality and Play

No Password Required Season 7: Episode 3 - Madhav Nakar

Madhav Nakar is a Security Researcher at BeyondTrust specializing in identity threats, endpoint security, and cloud attack paths. With a background in theoretical mathematics, his current research focuses on analyzing attacker behavior to build practical systems of detection.

In this episode, Madhav shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career, including his first experience witnessing a nation-state attack unfold in real time from his seat in a SOC. He explains how mathematical thinking sharpens security strategy and why strong research is rooted in exploration, not predetermined outcomes.

Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, joined by co-host Kayley Melton of the Cognitive Security Institute, welcomes Madhav for a conversation on modern cyber defense. From AI-driven attacks and agentic systems to privilege escalation risks in role-based access environments, Madhav breaks down what teams are getting wrong about AI and why defending against AI increasingly requires AI-powered tools.

The conversation turns to Madhav’s philosophy of “serious play,” where curiosity, experimentation, and failure fuel better research and resilience. He also shares insights from his spiritual and philosophy project, The Fire of Knowing, exploring consciousness and belief through a neutral lens.

In the Lifestyle Polygraph, Madhav pitches a cybersecurity documentary, debates growth versus comfort, and reflects public dancing experiments.

Follow Madhav Nakar here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhav-nakar/

Follow "The Fire of Knowing" on Instagram and Youtube!

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction with Kayley and Jack

08:08 Transition from Theoretical Math to Cybersecurity

16:13 Exploring Spiritual Traditions and Madhav’s Documentary

19:48 The Intersection of Art and Science in Content Creation

25:20 The Lifestyle Polygraph: Challenging Perspectives on Security

No Password Required: Next Gen – Ep. 1 - Michelle McAveety

Michelle McAveety- Cyber Competitions, Crowd Surfing & Main-Character Energy

Welcome to our new spinoff series, No Password Required: Next Generation. Where we go behind the scenes and interview up-and-coming young professionals in cybersecurity!

Whether you’re trying to figure out your career path, looking for a little inspiration, or just want to have a laugh while learning about the industry, this show is for you.

Real stories. Real journeys. Next Gen Cyber.

About this episode:

Michelle McAveety is a Computer Engineering and Math student at USF and the Team Captain of the CyberHerd, the university’s cybersecurity competition team.

We get into the chaos and adrenaline of competition life, what it’s like leading in a high-pressure cyber environment, and how she balances it all without losing herself. Spoiler: the answer includes crocheting, blasting heavy metal, going to concerts, and possibly crowd surfing if the vibe is right.

Michelle also drops some real advice opening up about the pressure to compare yourself in competitive fields and why staying grounded and focused on your own path is the real win.

Follow Michelles journey on linked in! https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcaveety/

Chapters:

00:39 - Who is Michelle?

00:54- Being in Cyberherd

01:38- Hobbies that bring Michelle Joy!

02:51- Comparison and Growth

Sue Serna - Social Media Security and Governance Leader and Lover of All Beagles

No Password Required Season 7: Episode 2 - Sue Serna

Sue Serna is the CEO and Founder of Serna Social and the former head of global social media at Cargill. She brings more than two decades of experience at the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and security.

In this episode, she shares her journey from business reporter to leading her own consultancy serving companies around the world on social media strategy.

Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, P.A, joined by guest co-host Rex Wilson of Cyber Florida, welcomes Sue for a candid discussion about the realities of enterprise social media. From managing more than 150 Facebook pages for a single company, to navigating internal politics, agency relationships, and regulatory pressure, Sue explains why social media is far from “free” and why most organizations still under-resource it.

Sue dives deep into the gap between social media teams and cybersecurity departments. She outlines how personal account compromises can escalate into enterprise-level incidents, why governance frameworks matter, and how large organizations can regain control of sprawling digital footprints. Drawing from real-world examples, she argues that social media must be treated like finance or HR, a core business function requiring structure, ownership, and accountability.

The episode wraps with the Lifestyle Polygraph, where Sue reveals her love of Apollo-era space history, debates iconic Philadelphia traditions, and imagines what magical talent her beagle would bring to Hogwarts.

Follow Sue at SernaSocial.com or connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sueserna/

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and First Impressions

02:45 The Evolving Role of Social Media in Corporations

04:58 Transitioning from Journalism to Social Media

11:11 Building Social Media from Scratch

13:00 Becoming a CEO and Founder

16:28 The Importance of Networking

16:54 Bridging the Gap Between Social Media and Cybersecurity

20:51 Real-World Social Media Security Incidents

28:35 Navigating Internal Conflicts in Social Media

30:32 The Lifestyle Polygraph Begins

31:17 Nerd Things That Expose Sue: Space and Harry Potter!

35:16 Sue’s Love For Beagles

37:50 Wreckless Intern or Overconfident Executive?

40:42 Hogwarts and Magical Beagles