Blueprint: Build the Best in Cyber Defense
Are you a cyber defender looking to keep up on the newest tools, technology, and security concepts? Then BLUEPRINT is the podcast for you! Tune in to hear the latest in cyber defense and security operations from blue team leaders and experts. With a focus on learning, BLUEPRINT includes interviews with today’s top security practitioners defending the world’s most respected brands, and in-depth explanations on the newest technologies, protocols, and defensive tools. BLUEPRINT, is a podcast hosted by John Hubbard and brought to you by the SANS Institute. BLUEPRINT - your one-stop shop for taking your defense skills to the next level!
Episodes
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This episode is a big one! We kick off 2026 with a critical lessons learned on how to detect and prevent the threat of fake IT workers infiltrating your organization through the story of a REAL compromise. In this episode, repeat guest Zak Stufflebeam shares a detailed case study involving a major investigation of multiple counterfeit IT employees within a company. The epis...
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In this episode, we sit down with Zak Stufflebeam, Director of Cybersecurity at a publicly traded insurance company. Zak shares his unique journey from the military to leading security operations, emphasizing essential leadership principles learned along the way. From his early days in basic training to leading complex cybersecurity teams, Zak’s story is one of perseverance...
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This podcast episode is from the SANS Cyber Leaders Podcast.
The episode features Blueprint host John Hubbard, where he talks with hosts James Lyne and Ciaran Martin on the ever-changing threat landscape and how SOC teams can stay ahead. John shares his expertise on spotting threats early, how to test your defences before the real attackers show up, and why he’s on a mission...
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In this episode of Blueprint, host John Hubbard sits down with James Spiteri from Elastic to explore the transformative power of AI on the SOC. They delve into how advanced AI technologies, such as agentic AI models, MCP protocol, and automation, are reshaping the SOC landscape. Discover how AI enhances SOC efficiency, reduces mundane tasks, and integrates context-aware cap...
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In this episode, we sit down with Rich Greene, a former United States Army Special Forces Green Beret and current SANS instructor for SEC275 and SEC301. Rich shares his incredible journey spanning 20 years in the Army, including his transition from military communication roles into the realm of cybersecurity. He talks about the importance of fundamentals in cybersecurity, t...
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In this episode, we sit down with Ryan Thompson, a seasoned expert in building dashboards that actually detect real threats—not just look pretty. With experience at Elastic, Alert Logic, and top EDR vendors, Ryan shares deep insights into the science behind effective dashboards and how security teams can cut through the noise to find the threats on your network.
We cover:
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Surprise!! It's a mini solo episode to kick off the new year and it's on one of the most important topics there is - how to achieve your goals in 2025 and beyond!
In this episode I talk about a topic I've never covered anywhere before - my personal system for productivity and how it helps me, and can likely you help you stay on track for those 2025 g...
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Mark Morowczynski returns for his 4th(!) time with his Microsoft coworker and identity and authentication expert Tarek Dawoud in this incredibly insightful conversation on the what, why, and how of phishing resistant credentials that YOU can implement right now!
This conversation covers:
- What makes MFA phishable?
- What phishing resistant credentials are and how ...
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In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of a complex gift card fraud investigation. Join host John Hubbard and guest Mark Jeanmougin as they explore the intricate details of uncovering and combating a clever case of cyber fraud. In this episode Mark discusses how the incident was identified, investigated, contained, and what lessons were learned along the way.
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In this mega-discussion with Seth Misenar on GenAI and LLM usage for security operations we cover some very interesting questions such as:
- The importance of natural language processing in Sec Ops
- How AI is helping us detect phishing email
- Where and how AI is lowering the bar for entry-level security SOC roles
- Should we worry about AI hallucinations or AI...
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Have you ever wondered what it takes to write and publish an information security book? In this special bonus episode following season 4, John discusses with Kathryn, Ingrid, and Carson the challenges and rewards of self-publishing, and the kind of effort that goes into producing a book like "11 Strategies of a World-Class Cybersecurity Operations Center".
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"This final chapter of the book is no simple closer! "Turn Up the Volume by Expanding SOC Functionality" covers testing that your SOC is functioning as intended through activities such as Threat Hunting, Red and Purple Teaming, Adversary Emulation, Breach and Attack Simulation, tabletop exercises and more. There's even a discussion of cyber deception typ...
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"Metrics, is there any more confusing and contentious topic in cybersecurity? In this episode the authors cover their advice and approach to measuring your team so that issues can be quickly identified and performance can continuously improve!
This special season of the Blueprint Podcast is taking a deep dive into MITRE’s 11 Strategies of a World-Class Cyber S...
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"Research has shown that communication is one of the most important factors for success in security incident response teams. In this chapter, the authors discuss the critical types of information that must be shared within the SOC, with the constituency, and with the greater cybersecurity community.
SANS Cyber Defense Discord Invite - sansurl.com/cyber-defens...
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Tool choice can be a make-or-break decision for security analysts, driving whether getting work done is a struggle, or an efficient, stress-free experience. How can we select the right tools for the job? Which tools are most important? Answers to these questions and more are in this week's episode of Blueprint!
This special season of the Blueprint Podcast is t...
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In this special live recording from the SANS Blue Team Summit 2023, Kathryn Knerler, Ingrid Parker, and Carson Zimmerman joined John Hubbard they share their insights and expertise with attendees by answering their pressing questions. From discussing the most effective strategies for building a successful SOC to sharing tips on how to stay ahead of emerging cyber threats, o...
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There's no denying that the average security team is completely overwhelmed with options for data to collect. With a deluge of endpoint, network, and cloud data sources to collect, how to do we identify and collect the most useful data sources? That's the topic of this episode. Join Kathryn, Ingrid, Carson, and John in this episode for a discussion on tactical dat...
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Every security team has limited budget and time, how do you know where to focus? Cyber Threat Intelligence provides those answers! In this episode, Ingrid, Carson and Kathryn describe how we can use CTI to focus our defensive efforts to understand our most likely attacks and attackers and move towards prioritizing what truly matters.
This special season of the Blue...
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No security team is perfect, so in this episode, authors Carson, Ingrid, and Kathryn discuss what it takes to prepare for fast, effective incident response capability. Covering preparation, planning and execution, Strategy 5 will teach your team how to jump into action at the earliest sign of problems.
This special season of the Blueprint Podcast is taking a deep d...
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In this episode we dive deep on the "People" factor of the SOC. Who should you hire, what skills should you hire for, what backgrounds are most likely to lead to success for your team? We also get into what happens after the hire - training, growth, and supporting your team in their skill and career development. This one is a must-listen for all the managers out t...
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