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10 best cybersecurity podcasts to check out
Cybersecurity podcasts are an excellent way to raise cybersecurity awareness. Discover the top 10 cybersecurity podcasts and learn how to select the best ones for your playlist.
In today's world, cybercrime is evolving daily. According to a special report by Cybersecurity Ventures, cybercrime is expected to cause a staggering $10.5 trillion in annual losses by 2025. Therefore, it's more crucial than ever for both businesses and individuals to stay up to date on the latest developments in cybersecurity.
Podcasting is an excellent way of spreading cybersecurity awareness. For example, you can find current and important cybersecurity news and insights on TechTarget's Risk & Repeat podcast. Unlike radio or talk shows, podcasts are recorded and then published to a hosting provider so that they can be accessed on demand by subscribers via RSS feeds. This enables podcast listeners to learn niche skills on the go by simply listening via their smartphones and other devices.
Although podcasts cover many different topics, lengths, styles and formats, each podcast episode generally concentrates on a specific problem or narrative. In addition, some podcasters read from a script, while others provide ad-lib commentary.
But with so many options to choose from, finding the best cybersecurity podcasts can be overwhelming. The following list contains the 10 best cybersecurity podcasts that are worth listening to, ranging from weekly podcasts to daily roundups. These podcasts have excellent ratings, and most of them are easily accessible on streaming platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and Google Podcasts.
Top 10 cybersecurity podcasts
1. Darknet Diaries
Average episode length: 40 to 70 minutes
Host: Jack Rhysider
Frequency: 1 to 2 episodes per month
Darknet Diaries is based on true stories from the dark web. Stories revolve around hacking, data breaches and cybercrime, and the narrative is easy to follow for both technology experts and novices alike. This podcast has received a lot of acclaim due to its investigative nature and currently has more than 200,000 listeners.
2. Security Now
Average episode length: 100 minutes
Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte
Frequency: Weekly
Tech experts Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte keep listeners up to date on cybersecurity and the latest cyber attacks with a comedic spin. The podcast also brings in a historical perspective while dissecting and examining cybersecurity topics such as malware, data privacy, encryption and device security.
3. Smashing Security
Average episode length: 54 minutes
Hosts: Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault
Frequency: Weekly
Smashing Security is a humorous discussion about hacking, online privacy and other cybersecurity vulnerabilities. It has received more than 8 million downloads and has earned the Best Security Podcast title at the European Cybersecurity Bloggers Awards in 2018 and 2019, as well as the Most Entertaining award in 2022. Past notable guests on this podcast have included Rory Cellan-Jones, Mikko Hyppönen and Garry Kasparov.
4. CyberWire Daily
Average episode length: Less than 30 minutes
Host: Dave Bittner
Frequency: Every weekday
CyberWire Daily delivers a clear and succinct rundown of the top cyber news. Released each weekday, the podcast features conversations with a broad range of professionals from business, academia and research institutions around the globe.
5. Risky Business
Average episode length: 60 minutes
Hosts: Patrick Gray and Adam Boileau
Frequency: Weekly
Hosted by award-winning journalist Patrick Gray and principal security consultant Adam Boileau, Risky Business is geared toward information security professionals. The podcast offers news and insightful analysis on cybersecurity topics from leading industry experts. Risky Business is renowned for occasionally posting blog entries and was named Best Audio Program at the Australian IT Journalism Awards for 2011 and 2012.
6. Malicious Life
Average episode length: 30 to 40 minutes
Host: Ran Levi
Frequency: Weekly
Cybereason, a cutting-edge endpoint security organization, manages Malicious Life. The podcast recounts untold stories in the history of cybersecurity. It includes observations and analysis from ethical hackers, as well as security professionals, journalists and politicians.
7. Human Factor Security
Average episode length: 49 minutes
Host: Jenny Radcliffe
Frequency: Every 17 days
Human Factor Security is hosted by world-famous social engineer Jenny Radcliffe. She sheds light on the human element in social engineering, infosec, security and beyond. Radcliffe regularly interviews high-level security professionals from a wide variety of disciplines on this podcast.
8. Unsupervised Learning
Average episode length: 10 minutes
Host: Daniel Miessler
Frequency: Weekly
Unsupervised Learning caters to security experts and novices alike. It's a 10-minute weekly update on the most crucial and latest news on cybersecurity, technology and society. Analysis, original ideas and the best links from around the web are all included in this podcast.
9. Hacking Humans
Average episode length: 30 to 40 minutes
Hosts: Dave Bittner and Joe Carrigan
Frequency: Weekly
Hacking Humans is published by CyberWire, a prominent cybersecurity audio network that also hosts the CyberWire Daily podcast. Hacking Humans is co-hosted by Dave Bittner and Joe Carrigan. It takes a closer look at the criminal exploits, phishing tactics and social engineering frauds that are making headlines and harming businesses all around the world.
10. The Privacy, Security & OSINT Show
Average episode length: 60 minutes
Host: Michael Bazzell
Frequency: Weekly
Host Michael Bazzell, an 18-year veteran of the FBI Cyber Division, talks about the most recent developments in open source intelligence, digital security and privacy topics. He examines seemingly unconnected headlines in addition to providing a roundup of the most important news stories in cybersecurity.
Tips for choosing the best cybersecurity podcasts
There is still no centralized database or clearinghouse for the thousands of podcasts available, according to Dana Gerber-Margie, co-founder of the Bello Collective, a volunteer-run podcast review website and newsletter. She claims that because there isn't a New York Times bestseller list for podcasts like there is for books, a lot of discovery occurs through the listening habits of the audience.
The following are a few tips you can use to find the best cybersecurity podcasts:
- Organic search engine results. A simple web search on any mainstream search engine, such as Google, Yahoo or Bing, can provide information on the most highly rated and reviewed cybersecurity podcasts.
- Word of mouth. Word-of-mouth referrals from friends, peers and family members, particularly those who work in the cybersecurity sector, can be the most reliable option for finding the best cybersecurity podcasts.
- Newsletters and publications. People who are employed in the tech industry should look for trade journals and industry newsletters for suggestions on top cybersecurity podcasts.
- Ratings and reviews on podcast apps. Most people listen to podcasts on their phones or tablets while performing other tasks, such as driving or cooking. Podcast apps are excellent resources for finding useful podcasts on cybersecurity topics because they highlight current trending podcasts, list the top podcasts and make recommendations. For example, Spotify uses machine learning algorithms to provide its users with a Daily Podcasts playlist based on the data obtained from their listening history.
- Promotions. Podcast hosts frequently write guest blogs on social media networks and websites with a similar target audience to promote their podcasts. These channels can be a wonderful place to find podcast recommendations on cybersecurity.
