To defend like a human, you first have to think like a hacker.

In this episode, Ron Eddings sits down with Chris Dale, Co-Founder and Chief Hacking Officer at River Security, to explore the human side of hacking, where curiosity, persistence, and vigilance meet defense. Chris shares how the traditional idea of penetration testing has evolved into a continuous journey of discovery, and why reconnaissance and storytelling are critical tools for modern defenders. From real-world breach stories to lessons on trust and responsibility, this episode reveals how thinking like a hacker, and acting like a human can transform the way we approach cybersecurity.
 
Impactful Moments
00:00 - Introduction
01:00 - The shocking discovery of 266,000 exposed systems
03:30 - Why even trusted systems can become attack points
05:00 - Meet Chris Dale: hacker, educator, and human defender
07:30 - The truth about pen testing and real-world attacks
10:00 - Mapping your digital footprint, what most companies miss
13:00 - How continuous vigilance changes everything
16:00 - The hacker mindset vs. compliance checklists
18:00 - When hacking helps: becoming a company’s “criminal best friend”
21:00 - Storytime: hacking Sketchers and getting free shoes
24:00 - The journalist hack that exposed a bigger issue
28:00 - Building trust through transparency in cybersecurity
31:00 - Lessons from hacking, teaching, and staying human
 
Links:
Connect with our Chris on LinkedIn: <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisad/'>https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisad/</a>

Read the Tech Radar article here: <a href='https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/f5-breach-fallout-over-266-000-instances-exposed-to-remote-attacks'>https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/f5-breach-fallout-over-266-000-instances-exposed-to-remote-attacks</a>
Check out our upcoming events: <a href='https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams'>https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams</a>
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
<a href='https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio'>https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio</a>
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Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: <a href='https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/'>https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/</a>

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