Ep. 18 - Eliminating Human Errors w/ Patrick Thomas

What if AI-powered security could eliminate human errors in cybersecurity? Meet the founder making it happen. In this episode of Hackers to Founders, I sit down with Patrick Ben Thomas, the founder of NullZec and its advanced malware development division, Shadow Mask. Patrick shares his journey from early cybersecurity research to building a solution designed to eliminate human errors and prevent malware from spreading. We discuss how his team integrates sandboxing, zero-trust architecture, and in-house malware analysis to isolate and detect threats before they reach end users. He also dives into the offensive research behind Shadow Mask, where they develop real-world exploits to strengthen defenses. Tune in to learn how Patrick is blending adversary simulation with next-gen defense strategies to reshape cybersecurity. People Patrick Ben Thomas (Guest, Founder of NullZec & Shadow Mask) Kevin Mitnick (Famous hacker, cybersecurity expert) Companies & Organizations NullZec (Parent company founded by Patrick Ben Thomas) Shadow Mask (Malware development & adversary simulation division under NullSec) Products & Technologies HackRF (Software-defined radio device used for security research) BladeRF (Full-duplex SDR used for radio frequency security research) Proxmark 3 (RFID/NFC security tool for cloning and emulation) Flipper Zero (Multi-tool for hardware and RF hacking) NFC Kill (Device used to destroy NFC-enabled cards by electromagnetic pulse) Cybersecurity Events & Conferences DEFCON (Hacker conference) Black Hat (Cybersecurity conference) BSides (Security conference, mentioned as besides) RSA Conference (Cybersecurity event) Cybersecurity Services & Platforms VirusTotal (Malware analysis service, mentioned as insufficient for zero-day threats)