The Hacker's Cache

Whether you're trying to break into cybersecurity or level up your career, knowing which skills actually matter can save you years of wasted time. In this episode of The Hacker's Cache, I rank the top 10 cybersecurity skills for 2026, explain why each one is important, and share the best ways to learn them through certifications, TryHackMe, Hack The Box, books, hands on practice, and real world experience. We cover networking fundamentals, Windows and Linux, cloud security, identity and acces...

In this Q&A episode of the Hackers Cache Podcast, I answer one of the biggest questions in cybersecurity today: Is cybersecurity still worth getting into? I share my honest thoughts after a month of job hunting, interview rejections, burnout, and watching the industry change because of AI. We also take a behind-the-scenes look at what a real penetration testing engagement looks like from kickoff call to final report, including the parts no one talks about, and I break down exactly what pe...

In this deeply personal solo episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Kyser Clark opens up about severe cybersecurity burnout, getting let go from his pentesting job, and why he disappeared from content creation for over six months. Kyser shares the reality of working 80 to 90-hour workweeks in offensive security, balancing penetration testing, certifications, content creation, AI studies, and an MBA, while completely neglecting his personal life. He breaks down the hidden downsides of consulting pente...

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, Kyser Clark sits down with Red Team Consultant Robert O’Connor to unpack the realities of shellcode evasion in 2025. They dive into how antivirus and EDR solutions actually detect malicious payloads, the rise of fileless malware, and why network-level detection is still overlooked. Robert shares his hands-on experience building custom evasion techniques, his transition from pentesting to red teaming, and how certifications like CRTO and OSED fit into the...

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, I sit down with penetration tester Tadi Kandango to unpack why attention is the real currency in cybersecurity. We talk about how he broke into pentesting without a degree, the role certifications actually play, and why sharing your work publicly can open more doors than quietly grinding in the background. Whether you’re trying to land your first role or level up your career, this conversation will challenge how you think about breaking into the field.&n...

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, senior penetration tester and red teamer Nick Aures shares the skills and habits that matter most in pentesting beyond certifications. We discuss real-world experiences from breaking into the field to finding critical vulnerabilities in companies like Tesla, USAA, and Asana. Nick reveals why strong communication, report writing, and client relationships are just as essential as technical skills, along with insights into bug bounty hunting, red teaming, a...

In this episode of The Hacker’s Cache, returning guest Josh Ragland shares how offensive security skills give blue teamers a serious edge. From building a hash-cracking rig to diving deep into C programming and assembly, Josh explains how understanding the attacker’s mindset can drastically cut triage time and help defenders spot threats others miss. We also get into the flaws of relying too heavily on AI in cybersecurity, discuss realistic detection testing without a red team, and reflect on...