No Password Required

Cynthia Wyre —Project Manager at Rapid7 and the Queen of Cyber Media No Password Required Season 7: Episode 4 - Cynthia Wyre Cynthia Wyre is a Senior Strategic Engagement Project Manager at Rapid7, where she helps connect academic research and industry. Her path into cybersecurity innovation was untraditional, moving from healthcare and construction project management into vulnerability research and academic partnerships. Cynthia reflects how she applied for a role she did not think she was qualified for, why professionals of all backgrounds belong in cyber, and how project management skills can open unexpected doors. Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, P.A., and K. Melton of the Cognitive Security Institute welcome Cynthia live from CyberBay 2026 in Tampa for a conversation about research, resilience, and relationship-building in cybersecurity. Cynthia explains Rapid7’s partnership with USF and Cyber Florida, including her efforts to support research around SOC analyst training and burnout, and the future of cyber education. Throughout the conversation, Cynthia highlights the importance of community, mentorship, and helping people see that cybersecurity is not limited to one path or one type of person. The episode wraps with the Lifestyle Polygraph, where Cynthia reveals how she would work a room full of strangers and how she won a costume contest moments before meeting rapper Young Gravy. She also earns a crown of her own, officially joining the No Password Required fantasy cybersecurity squad as Queen of the Podcast. Follow Cynthia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiawyre/ Presented by ThreatLocker Follow ThreatLocker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/threatlockerinc/posts/

Madhav Nakar — AI Security Researcher and Documentarian of Spirituality and Play   No Password Required Season 7: Episode 3 - Madhav Nakar   Madhav Nakar is a Security Researcher at BeyondTrust specializing in identity threats, endpoint security, and cloud attack paths. With a background in theoretical mathematics, his current research focuses on analyzing attacker behavior to build practical systems of detection.   In this episode, Madhav shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career, including his first experience witnessing a nation-state attack unfold in real time from his seat in a SOC. He explains how mathematical thinking sharpens security strategy and why strong research is rooted in exploration, not predetermined outcomes.   Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, joined by co-host Kayley Melton of the Cognitive Security Institute, welcomes Madhav for a conversation on modern cyber defense. From AI-driven attacks and agentic systems to privilege escalation risks in role-based access environments, Madhav breaks down what teams are getting wrong about AI and why defending against AI increasingly requires AI-powered tools.   The conversation turns to Madhav’s philosophy of “serious play,” where curiosity, experimentation, and failure fuel better research and resilience. He also shares insights from his spiritual and philosophy project, The Fire of Knowing, exploring consciousness and belief through a neutral lens.   In the Lifestyle Polygraph, Madhav pitches a cybersecurity documentary, debates growth versus comfort, and reflects public dancing experiments.  Follow Madhav Nakar here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhav-nakar/ Follow "The Fire of Knowing" on Instagram and Youtube!

No Password Required: Next Gen – Ep. 1 - Michelle McAveety Michelle McAveety- Cyber Competitions, Crowd Surfing & Main-Character Energy Welcome to our new spinoff series, No Password Required: Next Generation. Where we go behind the scenes and interview up-and-coming young professionals in cybersecurity! Whether you’re trying to figure out your career path, looking for a little inspiration, or just want to have a laugh while learning about the industry, this show is for you. Real stories. Real journeys. Next Gen Cyber. About this episode: Michelle McAveety is a Computer Engineering and Math student at USF and the Team Captain of the CyberHerd, the university’s cybersecurity competition team. We get into the chaos and adrenaline of competition life, what it’s like leading in a high-pressure cyber environment, and how she balances it all without losing herself. Spoiler: the answer includes crocheting, blasting heavy metal, going to concerts, and possibly crowd surfing if the vibe is right. Michelle also drops some real advice opening up about the pressure to compare yourself in competitive fields and why staying grounded and focused on your own path is the real win. Follow Michelles journey on linked in! https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcaveety/

Sue Serna - Social Media Security and Governance Leader and Lover of All Beagles No Password Required Season 7: Episode 2 - Sue Serna Sue Serna is the CEO and Founder of Serna Social and the former head of global social media at Cargill. She brings more than two decades of experience at the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and security. In this episode, she shares her journey from business reporter to leading her own consultancy serving companies around the world on social media strategy. Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, P.A, joined by guest co-host Rex Wilson of Cyber Florida, welcomes Sue for a candid discussion about the realities of enterprise social media. From managing more than 150 Facebook pages for a single company, to navigating internal politics, agency relationships, and regulatory pressure, Sue explains why social media is far from “free” and why most organizations still under-resource it. Sue dives deep into the gap between social media teams and cybersecurity departments. She outlines how personal account compromises can escalate into enterprise-level incidents, why governance frameworks matter, and how large organizations can regain control of sprawling digital footprints. Drawing from real-world examples, she argues that social media must be treated like finance or HR, a core business function requiring structure, ownership, and accountability. The episode wraps with the Lifestyle Polygraph, where Sue reveals her love of Apollo-era space history, debates iconic Philadelphia traditions, and imagines what magical talent her beagle would bring to Hogwarts. Follow Sue at SernaSocial.com or connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sueserna/

Rob Hughes — CISO at RSA and Champion of a Passwordless Future No Password Required Season 7: Episode 1 - Rob Hughes Rob Hughes, the CISO at RSA, has more than 25 years of experience leading security and cloud infrastructure teams. In this episode, he reflects on his unconventional career path, from co-founding the original Geek.com and serving as its Chief Technologist during the early days of the internet, to leading security and systems design at Philips Home Monitoring. Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, P.A. and Kayley Melton welcome Rob for a wide-ranging conversation on identity, leadership, and the realities of modern cybersecurity. Rob currently leads RSA’s Security and Risk Office, overseeing cybersecurity, information security governance, and risk across both RSA’s products and corporate environment. Rob explains his dream for a passwordless future. He unpacks why passwords remain one of the largest sources of cyber risk, how real-world incidents and password-spraying attacks have accelerated change, and why phishing-resistant technologies like passkeys may finally be reaching a tipping point. The episode wraps with the Lifestyle Polygraph, where Rob lightens the conversation with stories about gaming with his kids, underrated horror films, and classic cars. Follow Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-hughes-816067a4/