RVAsec 14: Full Schedule

Streaming: https://mssvideo.vcu.edu/RVAsec

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11:00am EDT

Tuesday June 3, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am EDT

Downstairs, Madison / Jefferson / Monroe

In this talk, I'll give you an insider’s look at what the day-to-day reality of working in cybersecurity really entails. We'll dive into the typical tasks you’ll face, from scoping and executing the test to long-term security strategy. I’ll also share how to bridge the gap between technical jargon and business language, making complex concepts understandable for non-technical stakeholders. Of course, we can’t forget about reporting—a crucial yet often challenging part of the job. I’ll discuss the complexities of crafting reports that not only communicate risks but also drive action. Along the way, we'll touch on the unique challenges posed by timelines and the tools we rely on. What makes this talk unique is my perspective from both sides of the fence: working on an internal team and as a consultant. This experience allows me to highlight the key differences and offer insights into how each role shapes your approach to cybersecurity.

Speakers

David Young

Security Consultant, Secure Ideas

David Young has worked in the I.T. industry for over 27 year with specializing in Cybersecurity for the last 16 years. David has worked in several different areas from healthcare, government, financial, utility and consulting. David really enjoys helping organizations find and resolve... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Downstairs, Madison / Jefferson / Monroe

101

1:00pm EDT

Hacker, Hipster, Hustler, Humanist: Establishing the Government's Role in Public Interest Cybersecurity

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT

Downstairs, Madison / Jefferson / Monroe

Public interest cybersecurity is the application cybersecurity measures and strategies to protect critical infrastructure, non-profits, state & local governments, schools, healthcare facilities, and other institutes that primarily seek to serve the public good.

Speakers

Christopher Cruz

Cyber Program Manager, Virginia Fusion Center

Christopher Cruz is the Cyber Program Manager for the Virginia Fusion Center, which provides a vital conduit for intelligence collection and information exchange throughout the Commonwealth. He is responsible for the development, management, and integration of cybersecurity capabilities... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Downstairs, Madison / Jefferson / Monroe

101

2:00pm EDT

Linux Kernel Exploitation for Beginners

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT

Downstairs, Madison / Jefferson / Monroe

My talk is focused on teaching people how to get into Linux kernel exploitation using Kernel based CTFs as an entry point.

Speakers

Kevin Massey

IT Engineering Manager, Winebow

I am an IT Engineering Manager and Independent Security Researcher. I am focused primarily on vulnerabilities, binary exploitation, and network protocols.

Tuesday June 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Downstairs, Madison / Jefferson / Monroe

101

3:00pm EDT

Look Ma, No IDA! Malware Analysis Without Reverse Engineering

Tuesday June 3, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT

Downstairs, Madison / Jefferson / Monroe

Do you think malware analysis is out of your reach because assembly code looks like reading the matrix? Fear not, this talk will convince you that learning assembly code is not the best place to start your malware analysis journey. For starters, the modern malware landscape is diverse and malicious code isn’t always compiled into assembly. Not every use case for malware analysis requires a deep dive and there are many great tools and services that provide information about a malware sample you can build your analysis on.

If you work as an incident responder, detection engineer, threat hunter, or intel analyst, you probably already do some malware analysis but don’t realize it. And if you don’t but would like to, this talk will discuss the tools and knowledge you should focus on first before embarking on groking the intel x86 manual.

Speakers

Christina Johns

Principal Malware Analyst, Red Canary

Christina Johns is a Principal Malware Analyst at Red Canary with 15 years experience. Prior to becoming a malware analyst she worked in a variety of areas including web application assessment, android forensics, and incident response. Her research interests lie at the intersection... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Downstairs, Madison / Jefferson / Monroe

101

4:00pm EDT

Why There is No Casino Night at RVAsec This Year (Sorry)

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT

Downstairs, Madison / Jefferson / Monroe

Every year, RVAsec hosts an after-party to close out the first day of talks at the conference. For the last two years, that nightly entertainment has been CASINO NIGHT, an opportunity to bet fake money on games of chance in order to win some very real prizes. Unfortunately, through some fault of my own, Casino Night will not be returning this year.

Join me for a retrospective of the last two Casino Nights: what went right, what went wrong, how systems (and people) can be gamed, how to adapt to new information, how I managed to win numerous prizes, and more. We will discuss how to harness game theory, social engineering, statistics, and other things that will get you kicked out of a normal casino.

Speakers

Ben Haynes

Data Science & Analytics Lead, Flashpoint

Ben Haynes is a data scientist at Flashpoint, leveraging analytics and his cybersecurity expertise to solve practical problems in the industry. Previously, he worked at Risk Based Security, where he dedicated his time to enhancing and implementing the organization’s cybersecurity... Read More →

Tuesday June 3, 2025 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Downstairs, Madison / Jefferson / Monroe

101