Cyber Distortion Podcast Series Podcast Por Jason Popillion arte de portada

Cyber Distortion Podcast Series

Cyber Distortion Podcast Series

De: Jason Popillion
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Jason and Kevin, seasoned Cyber Security professionals, explain cyber security concepts that everyone needs to know in simple terms. They will leave you with practical takeaways you can use to keep yourself and your organizations safe. Jason Popillion is a CISSP and serves as a CIO/CTO of a SaaS company and Kevin Pentecost is a CISSP, CISM, CEH, CPT, MPCS, MCSE, CCA, ITIL-F and serves as a Information Security Manager for a Manufacturing company.Jason Popillion Política y Gobierno
Episodios
  • S5 - Episode 002 – Cicada 3301

    S5 - Episode 002 – Cicada 3301
    Mar 26 2026

    Cyber Distortion Podcast – Hosted by Kevin Pentecost & Jason Popillion

    In January 2012, a mysterious message appeared on an obscure corner of the internet — a simple image posted on 4chan with a chilling promise: "We are looking for highly intelligent individuals." What followed was unlike anything the internet had ever seen.

    Hidden messages. Impossible riddles. Cryptographic puzzles buried in images, music files, and code. Clues scattered across the globe — from obscure websites to real-world posters taped to telephone poles in cities thousands of miles apart. Behind it all was a name that would become internet legend: Cicada 3301.

    In this episode of The Cyber Distortion Podcast, we dive deep into one of the most enigmatic puzzles ever unleashed online. Was Cicada 3301 a recruitment program for intelligence agencies? A secret society searching for elite cryptographers? Or an elaborate experiment designed to test the limits of human intelligence and collaboration?

    Join Kevin Pentecost and Jason Popillion, bringing over 50 years of combined cybersecurity experience, as they:

    • Break down how the Cicada puzzles pushed the boundaries of cryptography and problem-solving
    • Explore the hidden techniques used — from steganography to advanced encryption
    • Investigate the theories surrounding who might have been behind the mysterious organization
    • And uncover why, more than a decade later, the true purpose of Cicada 3301 remains unsolved

    This isn't just a story about puzzles — it's a journey into the strange intersection of cybersecurity, internet culture, and human curiosity. A digital scavenger hunt so complex that only a handful of people in the world were able to follow it to the end… and even they still don't fully understand who was waiting at the finish line.

    Are you ready to follow the clues?

    Resources

    Explore the Actual Puzzle Archive

    If your listeners want to see the real puzzle files and clues, this is one of the best archives online:

    • Complete Cicada 3301 Archive (GitHub)

    This repository contains:

    • Original images used in the puzzles
    • Clues from 2012, 2013, and 2014 puzzles
    • Hidden files extracted from the images
    • Documentation from the community of solvers

    The puzzles first appeared in 2012 on 4chan, challenging users to uncover hidden messages embedded in images and code.

    Audio

    - Suspicious Atmosphere

    - Cyberpunk Hacker Loop

    - True Crime Investigation

    - The Truth is Here

    Provided by Filmora

    - Splatter Horror Silence 01

    - Social Crisis

    Provided by: Audiostock



    - A Sinister Plot 1285
    Provided by: Universal Music for Creators 🎧
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    44 m
  • S5 - Episode 001 – The Day that Twitter Died

    S5 - Episode 001 – The Day that Twitter Died
    Feb 18 2026
    Cyber Distortion Podcast – Hosted by Kevin Pentecost & Jason Popillion On July 15, 2020, the unthinkable happened: dozens of the world's most powerful voices — Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Joe Biden, Apple, Uber, and more — suddenly blasted the same message out to millions of followers. A promise that sounded too good to be true… because it was. What looked like a generous giveaway turned into one of the most audacious social engineering hacks in tech history — all orchestrated not by a foreign syndicate, not by an elite hacker collective… but by a 17-year-old from Tampa, Florida. In this episode of The Cyber Distortion Podcast, we peel back the curtain on the incredible story of Graham Ivan Clark — the mastermind behind the 2020 Twitter bitcoin scam. How did a teenager with no access to Twitter's code base infiltrate its inner systems? What dark psychology powered the attack? And how did a stunt that netted six figures in Bitcoin come crashing down in just hours? Join Kevin Pentecost and Jason Popillion, together bringing over 50 years of cyber expertise, as we: - Break down the hacker's journey from online forums to global headlines - Decode the social engineering tricks that toppled corporate giant - Reveal the lessons the security world still hasn't fully learned - And explore how a single moment of human error unlocked the keys to a digital kingdom This isn't just a story about stolen Bitcoin — it's a chilling reminder that the weakest link in any system is the human one, and how one kid's curiosity turned into one of the most notorious cybersecurity breaches of our time. Are you ready to join us inside the breach?! Other Helpful Links: Wikipedia – 2020 Twitter account hijacking — comprehensive overview of the incident, how it unfolded, and its impact. 2020 Twitter account hijacking (Wikipedia)Wikipedia – Graham Ivan Clark — detailed background on Clark's role in the hack and related charges. Graham Ivan Clark (Wikipedia)Ars Technica – "I was a teenage Twitter hacker…" — tech-focused reporting on how the social engineering worked and the aftermath. I was a teenage Twitter hacker (Ars Technica)The Hacker News – sentencing & case details — breakdown of charges, Bitcoin scam metrics, and how the hack was executed. 18‑Year‑Old Hacker Gets 3 Years for Massive Twitter Hack (The Hacker News)CoinDesk – coverage of sentencing and legal outcomes — crypto community perspective on the hack and legal resolution. Twitter Hacker Will Serve 3 Years for Crypto Phishing Scheme (CoinDesk)Tech Times – detailed narrative of the incident — narrative explanation of how the scam unfolded and Twitter's response. 'Bitcoin Scam': Teen Twitter Hacker Gets 3 Years (Tech Times)OPB – contemporary reporting from 2020 — quotes from prosecutors and early reporting on the arrest and scope of the hack. Florida Teen Charged as Mastermind (OPB)Wikipedia (alternate language overview) — another useful global perspective on the same incident. Détournement de comptes Twitter en juillet 2020 (Wikipedia French) Court Documents: Here are some relevant links to official or publicly shared court documents / legal filings related to the 2020 Twitter hack that you can include as sources for research. (Actual court dockets are often on PACER or state court sites and require login, so we've linked publicly accessible filings or charge PDFs where available): Charging document for Mason Sheppard (PlugWalkJoe) – PDF of federal charges in the Twitter hack case (linked from CBS News). (Note: these are federal indictments related to co-conspirators; Clark's state court documents aren't publicly indexed in one central PDF but this gives key legal filings tied to the case.) 📄 [Read the charging document for Mason Sheppard (.pdf)]Charging doc for federal co‑conspirator PlugWalkJoe (CBS News)Tampa teen pleads not guilty as court filings reveal charges – local news report referencing the court proceedings and charges in Clark's case. (Tampa Bay Times) 🔗 Tampa teen pleads not guilty as documents reveal how feds cracked Twitter hack case (Tampa Bay Times summary)Court hearing coverage – describes Clark's hearing and bail setting at the Hillsborough County Courthouse with reference to court filings. (Tampa Bay Times) 🔗 Bail and court hearing coverage for Twitter hack case (Tampa Bay Times)Sentencing summary – covers Clark's plea deal and sentence terms as reflected in official court action. (WUSF) 🔗 Tampa Twitter hacker sentenced to prison and probation (WUSF)Wikipedia – Case overview with court info – includes a summary of charges, indictment details, plea dates, and sentencing, citing court sources. (Wikipedia) 🔗 2020 Twitter account hijacking (case details)Nasdaq / CoinDesk coverage on legal proceedings – references court filings and proceedings around charges and bail. (...
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    29 m
  • S4 - Episode 014 – CYBR.HAK.CON: The L33T DFW Hacker Conference (w/ Michael Farnum & Phillip Wylie)

    S4 - Episode 014 – CYBR.HAK.CON: The L33T DFW Hacker Conference (w/ Michael Farnum & Phillip Wylie)
    Dec 22 2025

    In this episode, we're diving deep into the evolution of one of the most respected cybersecurity community movements in the country. Michael Farnum, founder of CYBR.SEC.Community and the original force behind HOU.SEC.CON, joins us to talk about the transformation of a beloved Houston-based conference into a multi-city, multi-conference ecosystem designed to empower cybersecurity professionals, enthusiasts, and newcomers alike. With expansion plans already underway, the CYBR.SEC.Community is poised to redefine how regional infosec communities connect, learn, and grow.

    We're also joined by Phillip Wylie, a well-known ethical hacker, author, and educator, who will be leading CYBR.HAK.CON — the Dallas/Fort Worth chapter of this new initiative. Together, Michael and Phillip share their vision for what makes a truly impactful cybersecurity event, how they're building inclusive and technically rich experiences, and what attendees can expect from these revamped conferences. From speaker curation to community engagement, they're crafting something that's more than just a series of events — it's a movement.

    And of course, we'll have some fun along the way. Expect stories from past conferences, a few laughs about hacker culture, and maybe even a debate over which fictional hacker deserves a keynote slot. Whether you're a seasoned security pro or just curious about the people shaping the future of cyber communities, this episode will give you a front-row seat to the next chapter in grassroots cybersecurity.

    Helpful Links:

    Here are some helpful and relevant links for your listeners to explore CYBR.SEC.Community, its conferences, and your guests' work. These will give them direct access to events, media, and speaker profiles mentioned in your episode.
    ________________________________________
    🔗 CYBR.SEC.Community & Conferences
    • CYBR.SEC.Community Official Site
    https://www.cybrseccon.com
    Main hub for the community, including conference info, speaker lineup, merch, and tickets.
    • CYBR.SEC.Media
    https://www.cybrsecmedia.com
    Articles, podcasts, videos, and updates from across the CYBR.SEC ecosystem.
    • HOU.SEC.CON Legacy & Current Info
    https://www.houstonseccon.com
    Historical and current details about the Houston-based conference that started it all.
    ________________________________________
    🧠 Featured Guests
    • Michael Farnum (Founder, CYBR.SEC.Community)
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mfarnum
    • Phillip Wylie (Lead, CYBR.HAK.CON)
    Personal Site: https://thehackermaker.com
    Podcast: https://phillipwylieshow.transistor.fm
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillipwylie
    • CYBR.HAK.CON Announcement Post by Phillip Wylie
    https://www.linkedin.com/posts/phillipwylie_im-excited-about-my-partnership-with-houseccon-activity-7379520683552321536-OV83
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    1 h y 20 m
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I am Darian Dunn, CISSP, CISA, CRISC. I received my CISSP in 2001. For me, most of this is easy, soft information which I already know. The badging information was new, interesting, fun. I needed free CPEs.

If you have your CISSP, listen and get your free CPEs.

If you don't have your CISSP and are not deep into Cyber Security, I recommend listening to the program. This seems like a good program to cover a lot of ground. It is a starting point. You can google to go deep.


Need free CPEs, Covers lots of ground

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