Show Notes
Joe South is a testament to resilience, unconventional decisions, and finding success in unexpected places. If you’ve ever felt stuck in a rut or on the verge of giving up, Joe’s experience might be the jolt you need to keep pushing forward.
Joe, Principal Security Engineer and host of the “Security Unfiltered” podcast, shares his journey into cybersecurity and battling depression after being rejected more than 300 times when applying for security roles. Joe shares advice on breaking into cybersecurity, dealing with rejection, the importance of mentorship, and staying persistent.
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Joe South, Principal Security Engineer and Host of the Security Unfiltered podcast
02:34 Early Career Struggles and Breakthrough
03:59 The Turning Point: From Help Desk to Cybersecurity
06:44 Rejection and Finding Success
11:17 Advice for Aspiring Cybersecurity Professionals
16:19 The Importance of Continuous Learning in Cybersecurity
18:10 Join the Hacker Valley Creative Mastermind!
19:10 Securing AI Models: Challenges and Strategies
20:10 The Importance of Communication in Security
21:22 Experience and Career Advancement
21:52 Rethinking Success: The Value of Being Number Two
23:57 Pressure and Rewards of Being a CISO
26:16 The Benefits of Podcasting and Content Creation
32:28 Balancing Personal and Public Information
35:27 Overcoming Adversity and Putting Yourself Out There
38:01 Final Thoughts and Advice for Aspiring Content Creators
Links:
Connect with our guest, Joe South: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-south/
Check out the Security Unfiltered podcast here: https://securityunfiltered.com
Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
Recent Episodes
The AI Gold Rush in Cybersecurity with Chris Cochran
The new cybersecurity pioneers aren’t chasing alerts, they’re building with AI. But what happens when tools meant to assist begin making decisions for us? And what skills do we lose when ...
The AI That Tried to Escape with Ron Eddings
What happens when AI refuses to be replaced? This episode kicks off with a chilling real-world example of an AI threatening blackmail—and only gets more intense from there. Host Ron Eddings ...
Zero Trust Isn’t a Tool — It’s Everything with George Finney
What if Zero Trust isn’t a framework, but the only viable cybersecurity strategy—more about people than products? In this episode, George Finney, CISO at the University of Texas System and ...
Your Two-Year Edge Starts Now with Marco Figueroa
You won’t be replaced by AI—you’ll be replaced by someone using it better. Returning guest Marco Figueroa is back with a frontline report on the AI agent boom. This isn’t a prediction—it’s a ...
Badge Cloning, Alarm Triggers & Getting Hired to Hack with Greg ...
Most people think red teaming is digital—until someone bypasses your locks, plants a Raspberry Pi in your server room, and walks out with your data. That’s not sci-fi. That’s White Knight Labs. ...
Building Cyber Resilience Through Culture with David Shipley
What if fixing cybersecurity wasn’t about more tools, but about unlocking human potential? In this episode, Ron Eddings welcomes back David Shipley, CEO and Field CSO of Beauceron Security, for ...
Ditch the Spreadsheets: Smarter Crypto Security with Michael ...
Still tracking certificates in a spreadsheet? You’re not alone—and there’s a better way. In this special episode from RSA 2025, Ron sits down with Michael Klieman, Global Vice President of ...
Protecting People, Not Just Perimeters with Andrey Suzdaltsev
AI is reshaping the cybersecurity battlefield, and cyber adversaries are getting smarter. In this episode, Ron Eddings welcomes Andrey Suzdaltsev, Co-Founder and CEO of Brightside AI, for a look ...
Digital Clutter and the Death of Passwords with Collin Sweeney & ...
Passwords are the original digital clutter—messy, overstuffed, and way too easy to forget. Like a junk drawer full of old keys and cables, we keep tossing more into them, hoping they’ll somehow ...
What Most Cybersecurity Advice Misses—And How to Fix It with ...
What if the biggest threat to cybersecurity isn’t attackers—but the defenders themselves? Why are we still building tools for experts in a world where technical skills are fading fast? In this ...
WORK WITH US
PODCASTS + SPEAKING + EVENTS
Are you the best kept secret in cybersecurity? Let's change that by partnering together for podcast ads, social campaigns, and your next event or keynote. Send us your details to get started.
Thank you!
We will be in touch soon and reach out to you at