Skip to main content

Essential information security podcasts for security professionals

A curated selection of high-quality information security podcasts for cybersecurity professionals and enthusiasts.

Information security is a rapidly evolving field where staying current is crucial. Podcasts offer a convenient way to keep up with the latest developments, threats, and defensive techniques while commuting or performing other tasks. Here's a selection of notable information security podcasts that provide valuable insights for security professionals.

Risky Business

Hosted by Patrick Gray, Risky Business delivers weekly analysis of major security news and technical developments. The show stands out for its in-depth coverage of significant security breaches, vulnerability disclosures, and industry trends. The "Snake Oilers" segment, featured every few episodes, provides detailed reviews of security products and services.

Tip

The weekly "News and Discussion" show is free, while the "Snake Oilers" product review episodes require a paid subscription. Both offer excellent value for security professionals.

Security Now

Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte co-host this long-running weekly podcast that excels at breaking down complex security concepts into understandable components. While covering current events in security, the show frequently includes detailed technical explanations of fundamental security principles, encryption methods, and emerging threats.

Darknet Diaries

Jack Rhysider's Darknet Diaries presents meticulously researched stories about hackers, breaches, cybercrime, and digital security incidents. Each episode focuses on a single story, providing deep background context and technical details while maintaining narrative engagement. The show excels at demonstrating how security failures occur in real-world scenarios.

The Privacy, Security, & OSINT Show

Michael Bazzell's weekly podcast focuses on practical privacy and security techniques, with special emphasis on Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) methodologies. The show provides actionable advice for both personal and professional security enhancement, often including detailed technical tutorials and tool recommendations.

Note

This podcast is particularly valuable for security professionals interested in OSINT techniques and privacy protection strategies.

Hacking Humans

Hosted by Dave Bittner and Joe Carrigan, this weekly podcast examines social engineering attacks, scams, and human vulnerabilities in cybersecurity. The show combines analysis of current phishing campaigns and social engineering techniques with interviews featuring security awareness experts and researchers.

Security Weekly

Paul Asadoorian's Security Weekly network offers several podcast series, with the flagship "Security Weekly News" providing coverage of current security events and technical discussions. The show features regular expert guests and maintains a strong focus on practical security implementations and testing.

The CyberWire Daily

This daily podcast delivers concise updates on cybersecurity news and developments in about 15-20 minutes per episode. The show's consistent structure and focus on relevant business and technical impacts make it valuable for security professionals needing to stay current with industry developments.

Important

Consider using a podcast app that supports variable playback speeds to optimise your listening time, especially for daily news-focused shows like The CyberWire.

Down the Security Rabbithole

Hosted by Rafal Los and James Jardine, this weekly podcast explores security topics through the lens of business impact and risk management. The show excels at examining how security decisions affect business operations and features discussions with industry practitioners about real-world security challenges.

Getting started

For those new to security podcasts, consider starting with:

  1. Darknet Diaries for engaging security incident analysis
  2. Security Now for technical concept explanations
  3. The CyberWire Daily for current security news
  4. Hacking Humans for social engineering awareness

Tip

Most of these podcasts maintain extensive archives. While current episodes keep you informed about new developments, older episodes often contain valuable evergreen content about fundamental security concepts and historical incidents.

These podcasts represent different approaches to security education and awareness, from technical deep-dives to narrative journalism. Regular listening can significantly enhance your security knowledge and awareness of current threats and defensive strategies.

Remember that the field of information security evolves rapidly, so consider these podcasts as one component of a comprehensive security education strategy that should also include hands-on practice, formal training, and professional networking.