The Boring AppSec Podcast S2E10 - Vivek Ramachandran

The final episode of Season 2 is out now! In this episode, we chat with Vivek Ramachandran. Vivek is the founder of SquareX. But we probably know him best for being the voice, face, and the founder of Pentester Academy. If you were a PenTester through the 2010s, it’s hard to have not encountered Vivek’s videos. In addition to founding multiple companies, he has created comics, invested in companies, and mentored a whole lot of security professionals in India and across the world. He is one of the Cybersecurity OGs that I've fanboy-ed on at some point in my career. Sandesh and I were absolutely thrilled to have him on the podcast.

Key Takeaways

• The browser is now considered the new endpoint for security.
• Pentester Academy was born out of a need to share knowledge.
• Content creation has evolved significantly over the years. Today's audience prefers bite-sized, impactful content.
• Founders should think globally from the start.
• Cybersecurity in India is often driven by compliance rather than necessity.
• Technical founders must adapt to market needs and customer relationships.
• Design partnerships can help startups gain traction in local markets. Founders often give up after a few rejections.
• Building an advisor network is essential for success.
• AI is changing the dynamics of cybersecurity.
• Raising funds is a responsibility, not a success metric.
• Focus on fundamentals to stay relevant in tech.
• Learning by doing is becoming too easy with AI.
• Engage with your target market to build credibility.

We hope you tune in and, if you like the episode, please do subscribe!