Ep.0 - Chris "REal0day" Magistrado

10/02/24 • 65 min

Welcome to the 0 episode of "Hackers to Founders"! Join Chris Magistrado, aka REal0day, as he dives into his unique journey from gaming glitches to becoming a cybersecurity expert, business enthusiast, and podcast host. In this inaugural episode, Chris self-interviews, sharing personal stories, career advice, and essential insights for aspiring cybersecurity professionals.

Connect with Us:
Twitter - https://x.com/HackerToFounder
Instagram - https://instagram.com/hackerstofounders
TikTok -- https://www.tiktok.com/@hackerstofounders
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/105189100
Discord - https://discord.gg/2TnH6hkuTG
Website - https://HackersToFounders.com
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5BgjVtDJc7xoyiQlbhKmL6?si=af728a2b3cb74d8b

In This Episode:
Bypassing Windows Defender: Chris discusses the latest class and offers practical tips.
Career Advice: Experiment, read books, watch Defcon talks, and set up a home lab or virtual machines for hands-on learning.
Hacking: The importance of hacking in a controlled, legal environment.
Success Qualities: Resilience and networking are key in the cybersecurity community.
Networking Events: Opportunities at Defcon, Black Hat, local hacker meetups like BSides, and Europe's CCC.
Personal Journey: Chris recounts his college experience, challenges, and pivotal moments that led to his cybersecurity career.
Recruiting: Transitioning to a recruiter and operating TopCleared Recruiting, focusing on elite cybersecurity talent.
Cloud Computing Impact: How AWS and cloud services revolutionized the tech and cybersecurity landscape.
AI in Cybersecurity: The growing role of AI in identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities.
Personal Security Tips: Recommendations for antivirus software, VPN usage, and staying safe online.
Special Features: Learn how Chris established a hacking club at SF State and brought in industry professionals to inspire students.

Hear about Chris's innovative personal projects and achievements in cybersecurity.
Gain insights into what it takes to succeed in cybersecurity and the broader impact of the industry.

Get Involved: Chris invites listeners to provide feedback and share their thoughts. Subscribe, leave a comment, or message Chris directly to join the conversation and stay updated on future episodes.

Defcon Talks
Zoz’s Dc 18 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAI8S2houW4
Jayson street intro talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsVtHqICeKE

People & Communities Mentioned
DC group Tennessee - https://x.com/defcon615
Drew Porter - https://redmesa.io/
Josh Schwartz - https://x.com/fuzzynop

Resources Mentioned:
Mobile Hacking Lab - https://www.mobilehackinglab.com/link/B1zkaV
Hack the Box Academy - https://referral.hackthebox.com/mz7QT2l
Y Combinator startup school course - https://www.startupschool.org/

DEFCON - https://defcon.org/
BSides - https://bsides.org/w/page/12194156/FrontPage
BlackHat Conference - https://www.blackhat.com/
RSA Conference - https://www.rsaconference.com/

Reverse Engineer / Offensive Security
Re-verse Con - https://re-verse.io/
Hexcon - https://www.hexacon.fr/

Tools Mentioned
Ghidra - https://ghidra-sre.org/
BinaryNinja - https://binary.ninja/

Books
@DafyddStuttard
author of WebApp Hackers Handbook and creator of PortSwigger and BurpSuite. Also author of WebApp Hackers Handbook https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcuspinto1 Authors of Practical Reverse Engineering: x86, x64, ARM, Windows Kernel, Reversing Tools, and Obfuscation
Bruce Dang https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucedang/ @brucedang
Elias...

Hear about Chris's innovative personal projects and achievements in cybersecurity.
Gain insights into what it takes to succeed in cybersecurity and the broader impact of the industry.

Get Involved: Chris invites listeners to provide feedback and share their thoughts. Subscribe, leave a comment, or message Chris directly to join the conversation and stay updated on future episodes.

Defcon Talks
Zoz’s Dc 18 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAI8S2houW4
Jayson street intro talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsVtHqICeKE

People & Communities Mentioned
DC group Tennessee - https://x.com/defcon615
Drew Porter - https://redmesa.io/
Josh Schwartz - https://x.com/fuzzynop

DEFCON - https://defcon.org/
BSides - https://bsides.org/w/page/12194156/FrontPage
BlackHat Conference - https://www.blackhat.com/
RSA Conference - https://www.rsaconference.com/

Reverse Engineer / Offensive Security
Re-verse Con - https://re-verse.io/
Hexcon - https://www.hexacon.fr/

Tools Mentioned
Ghidra - https://ghidra-sre.org/
BinaryNinja - https://binary.ninja/

Next Episode

Ep.1 - Jordan Wiens aka @psifertex, Co-Founder of Vector35, BinaryNinja

Jordan Wiens (@psifertex)

Welcome to Episode 1 featuring host Chris "REal0day" Magistrado and special guest Jordan Wiens, @psifertex, co-founder of Vector 35 and creator of Binary Ninja.

In this episode, we discuss Jordan's journey from network defense to founding Vector 35, the unique features of Binary Ninja, and the evolving landscape of reverse engineering tools. We also delve into pricing strategies, sales processes, handling administrative challenges, and the impact of market dynamics on tool preferences among cybersecurity professionals.

Key Highlights in This Episode:
- The importance of not negotiating low-value licenses and setting a minimum threshold for negotiations to streamline sales processes.
- Experiences with prolonged purchasing processes in financial institutions and the lesson learned in reducing bureaucratic processes.
- Market entry strategies and navigating competition with free tools like Ghidra.
- Enterprise sales and managing complex contracts for larger deals.
- Impact of competing tools on revenue and strategy for commercial vs. non-commercial licenses.
- The philosophy behind student discounts and nominal pricing.
- Future plans for Binary Ninja and continuous commitment to its development.
- Insights into the upcoming "Re-verse" conference in Orlando, Florida.

Social Links:
Jordan Wiens (Special Guest)
X - https://x.com/psifertex
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwiens
Vector 35 - https://vector35.com/
Binary Ninja - https://binary.ninja/

Chris Magistrado (Host):
LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/cmagistrado
X - https://x.com/REal0day
Articles - https://medium.com/@real0day
Recruiting Agency - https://TopClearedRecruiting.com
Podcast - https://hackerstofounders.com

Hackers Mentioned:
Rusty Wagner @D0ntPanic - https://github.com/D0ntPanic
Jayson Street: - https://www.instagram.com/jayson.street/ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstreet/
Jeremiah Grossman - https://x.com/jeremiahg
Mike Frantzen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-frantzen/

Conference Details:
Re-verse Conference: https://re-verse.io/
Date: February 28 to March 1
Location: Orlando, Florida

Companies and Tools Mentioned:
Binary Ninja - https://binary.ninja/
IDA Pro - https://hex-rays.com/ida-pro
Ghidra - https://ghidra-sre.org/

Miscellaneous Tools and References:
CUI Standard - NIST Guidelines: https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/protecting-controlled-unclassified-information
Capture The Flag (CTF) Competitions: https://ctftime.org/

Connect with Us:
Twitter - https://x.com/HackerToFounder
Instagram - https://instagram.com/hackerstofounders
TikTok -- https://www.tiktok.com/@hackerstofounders
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/105189100
Discord - https://discord.gg/2TnH6hkuTG
Website - https://HackersToFounders.com
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5BgjVtDJc7xoyiQlbhKmL6?si=af728a2b3cb74d8b
Apple iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hackers-to-founders/id1771903476
Amazon Music -