Phillip Wylie Show

How is AI changing penetration testing, bug bounty hunting, and offensive security?
In this episode of The Phillip Wylie Show, Phillip sits down with Herman Zubenko to explore how artificial intelligence and automation are transforming the way security professionals discover and validate vulnerabilities.
Herman shares his unconventional journey from quality assurance and software development into cybersecurity, including how having one of his own accounts compromised led him to investigate the incident with AI and eventually begin using AI for bug bounty research.
Phillip and Herman discuss AI-assisted penetration testing, continuous security testing, open and local models, the importance of keeping humans in the loop, and why AI is more likely to enhance penetration testers than replace them.
They also discuss how aspiring cybersecurity professionals can use AI to accelerate their learning while still developing the technical fundamentals needed to understand how systems, applications, and vulnerabilities actually work.
=========================
Connect with Herman Zubenko:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herman-zubenko/
Syntetisk Tech Limited website: https://syntetisk.tech/
=========================
Connect with your host, Phillip Wylie:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipwylie
X: https://x.com/PhillipWylie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillipwylie
=========================
Sponsored by Suzu Labs
=========================
All the ways to connect with @Suzulabs
https://suzulabs.com
https://x.com/suzulabs
https://www.linkedin.com/company/suzu-labs/

In this episode of The Phillip Wylie Show, Phillip welcomes cybersecurity community member Moo for an inspiring conversation about breaking into cybersecurity, building a career through persistence, and giving back to others along the way.
Moo shares his unconventional hacker origin story, from being inspired by *The Matrix* and DEF CON videos as a teenager to eventually speaking at DEF CON and earning his first National Cyber League challenge coin. Along the way, he discusses the value of internships, apprenticeships, mentorship, and exploring different areas of cybersecurity before settling on a career path.
Phillip and Moo also discuss the importance of community, continuous learning, and why cybersecurity conferences like DEF CON can be life-changing for newcomers.
Whether you're a student, career changer, or experienced security professional, this episode offers practical advice and plenty of encouragement for anyone looking to grow in cybersecurity.
=========================
Connect with Moo:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/munirmuhammad/
=========================
Connect with your host, Phillip Wylie:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipwylie
X: https://x.com/PhillipWylie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillipwylie
=========================
Sponsored by Suzu Labs
=========================
All the ways to connect with @SuzuLabs
https://suzulabs.com
https://x.com/suzulabs
https://www.linkedin.com/company/suzu-labs/
=========================
Podcast Music by Syntax976
=========================
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-prince-27a0ab51/
X: https://x.com/syntax976

In this episode of The Phillip Wylie Show, Phillip Wylie sits down with offensive security researcher, educator, and entrepreneur Casey Smith (SubTee) to discuss his journey into cybersecurity, the evolution of offensive tradecraft, and why deception technology is becoming one of the most effective defensive strategies in today's threat landscape.

Casey shares how he transitioned from systems administration into security through application testing and enterprise security projects before becoming widely recognized for his pioneering research into Living Off the Land Binaries (LOLBins). The conversation also explores how Windows security has evolved over the years, the impact of application whitelisting, and why modern defenders should be thinking differently about detection.

The discussion wraps up with Casey's latest venture, where he is helping organizations leverage deception technologies while mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

=========================
Connect with Casey Smith:
X: https://x.com/_subTee
GitHub: https://github.com/AlloySecureGroup
=========================
Connect with your host, Phillip Wylie:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipwylie
X: https://x.com/PhillipWylie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillipwylie
=========================
Sponsored by Suzu Labs
=========================
All the ways to connect with @SuzuLabs
https://suzulabs.com
https://x.com/suzulabs
https://www.linkedin.com/company/suzu-labs/
=========================
Podcast Music by Syntax976
=========================
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-prince-27a0ab51/
X: https://x.com/syntax976

Detection engineering doesn't always get the attention it deserves, but it's one of the most important parts of a mature security program.
In this episode of The Phillip Wylie Show, Phillip Wylie is joined by detection engineer and content creator Alex Hurtado to discuss why this growing specialty is becoming essential for modern security teams.
Alex shares how she went from monitoring enterprise networks early in her career to helping organizations improve their detection capabilities, tune SIEM platforms, and build stronger security operations.
She also explains what detection engineering actually involves, why it's much more than writing detection rules, and how AI is changing the way defenders work.
Phillip and Alex also discuss the importance of collaboration between offensive and defensive security teams, why custom detections outperform out-of-the-box rules, and how sharing knowledge through content creation benefits both individuals and the cybersecurity community.
Whether you're interested in blue team operations, offensive security, or simply exploring different cybersecurity career paths, this episode offers practical advice and a behind-the-scenes look at one of the industry's fastest-growing roles.
=========================
Connect with Alex Hurtado:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hurtadoalexandra/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DetectionDispatch_AlexsVersion=========================
Connect with your host, Phillip Wylie: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipwylieX: https://x.com/PhillipWylieInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillipwylie
=========================
Sponsored by Suzu Labs
=========================
All the ways to connect with @suzulabs https://suzulabs.comhttps://x.com/suzulabshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/suzu-labs/
=========================
Podcast Music by Syntax976
=========================
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-prince-27a0ab51/
X: https://x.com/syntax976

In this episode of The Phillip Wylie Show, Phillip Wylie sits down with offensive security researcher Milton Valencia, better known in the cybersecurity community as wetw0rk. Known for his exploit development research, educational content, and commitment to mentoring others, Milton shares the remarkable journey that took him from a curious student fascinated by hacking to discovering zero-day vulnerabilities and working on elite offensive security teams.
Milton discusses overcoming adversity, breaking into the industry without a traditional path, earning certifications like the OSCP, finding his first security roles, and ultimately building a career centered around vulnerability research and exploit development. Along the way, he emphasizes the importance of curiosity, persistence, and helping others succeed.
The conversation also explores the future of offensive security, the growing role of AI in reverse engineering, why exploit development remains a valuable specialty, and how aspiring researchers can get started today.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out Milton on Season 3 Episode 19 of Simply Offensive @Suzulabs.
=========================
Planning to attend Black Hat USA 2026?
Use my code PHILLIPWYLIE to receive $200 off a Briefings Pass or $100 off a Business Pass.
Register here: https://blackhat.com/us-26/registration.html?_mc=sm_social_phillipwylie
Black Hat invited me to attend this year's event and sponsored my conference pass.
=========================
Connect with Milton Valencia:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milton-wetw0rk/
Blog: https://wetw0rk.github.io/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wetw0rk7
=========================
Connect with your host, Phillip Wylie:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipwylie
X: https://x.com/PhillipWylie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillipwylie
=========================
Sponsored by Suzu Labs
=========================
All the ways to connect with @Suzulabs
https://suzulabs.com
https://x.com/suzulabs
https://www.linkedin.com/company/suzu-labs/