What does it really mean to think like a hacker?

In this episode of the Cybersecurity Mentors Podcast, we sit down with Ed Skoudis, President of the SANS Technology Institute and one of the most respected leaders in cybersecurity education.

Ed shares how his career evolved from defense to offense—and why developing a hacker mindset is critical for anyone serious about cybersecurity.

We break down:

• Why focusing only on defense can limit your growth
• The mindset shift from reacting → proactively finding vulnerabilities
• How offense and defense are more connected than most people realize
• The real skills beginners should focus on (networking, cloud, AI)
• Why AI is changing cybersecurity faster than ever
• How to actually get started in cybersecurity without feeling overwhelmed

If you’re trying to break into cybersecurity—or level up your skills—this episode will challenge how you think about the field. 

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