Is Zero Trust Security Enough Protection in 2025?

In this unfiltered and eye-opening fireside chat, three seasoned cybersecurity professionals—Richard Avery, Paul Barau, and Steve Simons—take the main stage to reveal what really happens during a penetration test and how ethical hackers break into networks.

🔐 From real-world breaches to advanced social engineering tactics, these experts explain the most common entry points hackers exploit—like unpatched printers, shared credentials, and human error—and how organizations unknowingly leave the door wide open to cyberattacks.

They expose:

Why zero trust and least privilege access are more essential than ever.

How hackers use the dark web and open-source tools to identify vulnerable users.

The rise of AI-driven threats, deep fakes, and their implications for the future of cybersecurity.

The biggest mistakes IT leaders make—overconfidence and underestimating penetration testers.

With gripping real-life stories (like hiding in a toilet to breach an office!), this video is a must-watch for IT pros, CISOs, MSPs, and cybersecurity enthusiasts looking to understand the evolving landscape of cyber threats.

Whether you’re in enterprise IT or running a small business, this session will give you the tools and mindset to better protect your organization from both internal and external threats.

00:00 - Intro: Welcome to the Hacker Panel
01:00 - What Pen Testers Look for in a Breach
01:50 - Real Story: ThreatLocker Stops a Hacker Cold
02:40 - Defining Zero Trust Security
04:00 - Social Engineering Tactics in Pen Tests
05:00 - Why Human Error is Behind Most Breaches
06:20 - Overconfidence in Security Posture
08:00 - Why Even Small Businesses Are at Risk
09:40 - Underappreciated Role of Penetration Testers
11:00 - Common Exploits & Favorite Attack Vectors (e.g., Printers!)
12:00 - Targeting the Most Vulnerable Employees
14:00 - Cybersecurity Culture & Accountability
15:40 - The Importance of Skill & Humility in Security Roles
17:00 - The Arms Race: New Hacking Tools & Defense Gaps
19:00 - The Inevitable Breach: It's Just a Matter of Time
21:00 - Why ThreatLocker Is a Game-Changer
22:30 - The AI Threat: Deepfakes, Machine Learning & Cybercrime
25:00 - Why These Experts Chose a Career in Hacking
28:00 - Hacktivism & Its Dangers
29:00 - Wrap-Up: Final Thoughts & Announcements

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