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Artwork for Hacker And The Fed
Cybersecurity
Ransomware
China
Data Breaches
Cryptocurrency
Supply Chain Attacks
Artificial Intelligence
CISO
North Korea
Cybersecurity Scams
Data Breach
Social Engineering
Zero Trust
Cyber Attacks
Phishing
FBI
Coinbase
Microsoft
Whatsapp
Scattered Spiders

Former FBI Special Agent, Chris Tarbell, and ex-Anonymous/LulzSec blackhat hacker turned network penetration tester, Hector Monsegur (aka Sabu), once faced off as adversaries in cyberspace before becoming close friends and now podcast co-hosts. Whether you are a legal professional, cybersecurity practitioner, or forensic investigator, Chris and Hector will bring you their unique perspectives on th... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes130Founded4 years ago
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GovernmentTechnology

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Artwork for Hacker And The Fed

Latest Episodes

Chris and Hector break down a wild mix of cyber stories, including a U.S. soldier charged for betting on a classified military operation, ongoing North Korean crypto theft campaigns, and major security failures across APIs and SaaS platforms. They ex... more

Chris and Hector break down a week of cybersecurity stories, from Europe’s push to move away from U.S. tech to supply chain attacks, insider threats, and SaaS compromises. They dig into why modern security tools still fail, how attackers exploit trus... more

In this episode, Chris and Hector revisit their origin story, from the investigation that led to Sabu’s identity to the night the FBI showed up at his door. They walk through the arrest, the decision to cooperate, and the months spent working side by... more

Chris and Hector break down a highly effective North Korean supply chain attack that started with a fake Microsoft Teams update and escalated into full developer compromise. They explore how modern attackers combine social engineering, open source ma... more

Key Facts

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Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Anonymous CISO
Anonymous Chief Information Security Officer joining for part two
Anonymous CISO (guest)
Episode: What CISOs Actually Worry About
Aron Mann
Special Agent with the Homeland Security Investigation Cybercrime Unit
Department of Homeland Security
Episode: The Colonial Pipeline Hack, the SEC's X Account, and Special Agent Aron Mann on Homeland Security and Cyber
Greg Van Houten
Attorney specializing in insurance recovery and cybersecurity.
Haynes Boone
Episode: A Train Hack, $80M Pig Butchering Scheme, and Greg Van Houten of Haynes Boone on the SEC's New Cybersecurity Disclosure Rules
Lance Taubin
Attorney with a focus on cybersecurity law at Alston Bird
Alston Bird
Episode: The FBI Shares Tactics of a Ransomware Gang, a Ransom Payment Fail, and Cyber Law with Lance Taubin

Hosts

Chris Tarbell
Former FBI Special Agent; frequent host and security expert with a focus on cyber investigations and public-interest cases.
Hector Monsegur
Former black hat hacker (Sabu); co-host with a practitioner's security mindset and industry leadership experience.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 532 ratings
  • You are what you do

    Crappie people do crappie things. You are what you do so there for you are what you do.

    Criminal cowards of chaos.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dunka Dude
    United States9 months ago
  • Listen to their Patreon

    Long time listener of the pod and I have zero IT background. That’s how amazing this podcast is. Then when they came out with a paid Patreon subscription pod, it exceeded my expectations. The stuff they talk about on Patreon is hilarious lol

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Qallen2013
    United States9 months ago
  • Love and Respect!

    Great show with awesome dynamic between the hosts. Up to date industry news, funny stories and loads of banter!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NonRelativist
    United Kingdom10 months ago
  • Really enjoyable, but…

    They make cyber security entertaining and informative for normal people. I would suggest any executive or business owner listen regularly to keep such things top of mind. I hesitate to recommend it to friends and family because they just can’t resist the occasional F bomb.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Clintonrebel
    United States10 months ago
  • Disappointed

    I started an episode but had to turn it off shortly after they both announced their admiration for Joe Rogan and joking about the cohost getting trafficked to an el Salvadoran death camp.

    These guys are complete jokers

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Mike ahh
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise accessible explanations of complex topics and the hosts' contrasting perspectives.
Some feedback notes show appreciation for up-to-date industry coverage and entertaining banter.
Overall very positive reception highlighting engaging dynamics and practical cybersecurity insights.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#245
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#169
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#152
Italy/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#203
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#53
Denmark/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#73
Hong Kong/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What CISOs Actually Worry About
Q: How has the rise of ransomware and supply chains changed the day-to-day reality of being a CISO compared to five or ten years ago?
The evolution has shifted how incidents are managed, increasing reliance on cyber-insurance, external counsel, and continuous preparedness exercises; the core requirement is to be ready for inevitable incidents with practiced response and routine tabletop exercises.
What CISOs Actually Worry About
Q: Why do CISOs so often end up as the fall guy after a major breach, even when the problem started years before they were hired?
Responsibility often rests with the highest-paid risk owners in the organization; if the board and executive team push risky initiatives or fail to provide adequate resources, the CISO becomes the convenient target when failures occur.
What CISOs Actually Worry About
Q: What's the big example of cyber security theater you've seen in a large organization that everyone knows doesn't actually improve security, but leadership still pushes forward anyways?
Mobile security is highlighted as a classic theater example where significant resources are spent on perceived protections while real, substantive risk reduction remains lagging behind, underscoring the need for measurable, ongoing improvements.
What CISOs Actually Worry About
Q: If you could tell your CEO one thing about cybersecurity that they probably don't want to hear, what would it be?
AI is not the universal answer;security must be grounded in practical, verifiable controls and ongoing risk management rather than hype, and leadership should acknowledge real limitations and invest accordingly.
What CISOs Won’t Say in Public
Q: How do we get new talent into the cybersecurity industry?
We need to hire based on attitudes, mentorship, and apprenticeship rather than just formal qualifications.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hacker And The Fed

What is Hacker And The Fed about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A dual-hosted cybersecurity show led by an ex-FBI agent and a former high-profile hacker-turned-security practitioner. Conversations blend hard-earned incident insights with accessible storytelling, covering real-world breaches, threat actors, governance, and policy, often with geopolitical context and commentary on industry trust, regulations, and AI's impact on security. The dynamic between two perspectives—law enforcement rigor and adversarial experience—creates a unique lens on risk, defense, and the human factors behind cyber incidents, with occasional live-show banter and industry anecdotes that help translate complex topics for business leaders and practitioners alike.

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Which podcasts are similar to Hacker And The Fed?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Hacker And The Fed:

1. Hacked
2. Darknet Diaries
3. Smashing Security
4. Click Here
5. CyberWire Daily

How many episodes of Hacker And The Fed are there?

Hacker And The Fed launched 4 years ago and published 130 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Hacker And The Fed?

Recent guests on Hacker And The Fed include:

1. Anonymous CISO
2. Aron Mann
3. Greg Van Houten
4. Lance Taubin

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