8th Layer Insights, Episode 18: Fun and Games: Lock Picking, Capture the Flag Contests, Simulations, and More

What images come to mind when you see or hear the word 'Cybersecurity?' That word probably evokes mental images of people hunched over keyboards launching cyberattacks at each other. Or maybe you picture someone picking a lock or stealing a badge to slip into a building. In other words, most people picture the battle... or what some might think of as "the fun parts." But, here's the thing. Not everyone gets to participate in these aspects of cybersecurity and, in many cases, finding safe and legal ways to practice these skills can be challenging. So where can curious minds turn?

That's where gamification can really help. There are a ton of really fun and engaging ways to learn these skills without fear of being arrested or breaking something. These are also great ways to level-up cybersecurity skills and help bring new people into the field. In this episode, we explore the "fun and games" of cybersecurity: lock picking, (CTFs) capture the flag competitions, simulations, and even pickpocketing and magical (sleight of hand and misdirection) thinking.

Host Perry Carpenter's guests are:

• Alethe Denis (social engineer and DefCon 2019 Social Engineering CTF winner)
• Deviant Ollam (penetration tester, lock picking guru, and Board Member of The Open Organization of Lockpickers)
• Chris Kirsch (DefCon 2017 Social Engineering CTF winner)
• Gerald Auger (Founder of Simply Cyber, Director of Cybersecurity Education & Cybersecurity Program Manager at ThreatGEN)