Ep. 301 - Security Awareness Series - Leadership Relationships and Becoming a CISO with Travis Farral

Ep. 301 - Security Awareness Series - Leadership Relationships and Becoming a CISO with Travis Farral

Author: Social-Engineer, LLC April 21, 2025 Duration: 30:16

Today on the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Security Awareness Series, Chris is joined by Travis Farral. Travis has been working in information security since the 90s at places such as Nokia, ExxonMobil, and XTO Energy. He is currently VP & CISO at Archaea Energy, a bp owned, renewable natural gas company based in Houston, Texas. He has spoken at events around world on topics such as Cyber Threat Intelligence, MITRE ATT&CK, and Incident Response. Notable activities during his career include everything from programming logic controllers, building and leading SOCs, driving forklifts, standing up cybersecurity teams, developing threat intelligence programs, and handling responses to incidents, among many other things over the last few decades. [April 21, 2025]

 

00:00 - Intro

00:18 - Intro Links:

-          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/

-          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/

-          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/

-          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/

-          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb

-          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/

-          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                               

02:08 - Travis Farral Intro

02:58 - A Different Path than Today

05:25 - Healthy Hacking

08:08 - Anything Can Be Weaponized

10:54 - Questionable Behavior

14:31 - Smash That Report Button!!!

18:58 - Improving Our Odds

21:00 - You Have to Keep It Simple

22:25 - Letters to a Young CISO

24:20 - Find Travis Farral online

-          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/travisfarral

25:01 - Mentors

-          Shawn Edwards

-          Jay Leek

27:02 - Book Recommendations

-          R. E. Lee: A Biography  - Douglas Southall Freeman

29:34 - Wrap Up & Outro

-          www.social-engineer.com

-          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org


At its core, The Social-Engineer Podcast examines the most complex system in any security equation: people. Hosted by the team at Social-Engineer, LLC, this series digs into the psychology, communication patterns, and inherent vulnerabilities that shape human interaction. Each episode moves beyond dry technical analysis to explore real-world stories and expert conversations that reveal how social engineers operate-the subtle cues, the persuasive language, and the manipulation of trust that can lead to a security breach. You’ll hear discussions that sit at the fascinating intersection of behavioral science and modern technology, dissecting everything from phishing attempts and pretexting to the non-verbal tells that can give us away. This isn't just about warning against threats; it's a deep dive into understanding why we make the decisions we do, both online and off. By unpacking the mechanics of influence and connection, the podcast provides listeners with a clearer lens to see their own daily interactions, ultimately fostering a more critical and aware mindset. Tune in for a thought-provoking blend of research and practical insight that makes the art of human hacking both comprehensible and compelling.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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