The BlueHat Podcast

The BlueHat Podcast

Since 2005, BlueHat has been where the security research community, and Microsoft, come together as peers; to debate, discuss, share, challenge, celebrate and learn. On The BlueHat Podcast, Microsoft and MSRC's Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone will host conversations with researchers and industry leaders, both inside and outside of Microsoft, working to secure the planet's technology and create a safer world for all.

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Recent Episodes

Ep 52 | 4.30.25

Evolutions in Hacking with Marco Ivaldi

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host ⁠Nic Fillingham⁠ and ⁠Wendy Zenone⁠ are joined by ⁠Marco Ivaldi⁠, co-founder and technical director of HN Security, a boutique company specializing in offensive security services, shares his journey from hacking as a teenager in the '80s to becoming a key figure in the security research community. With nearly three decades of experience in cybersecurity, Marco digs into the ongoing challenges, particularly in Active Directory and password security, highlighting vulnerabilities that continue to pose significant risks today. He recounts his unexpected path into bug bounty hunting, including his involvement in Microsoft's Zero Day Quest and his passion for auditing real-time operating systems like Azure RTOS.

Ep 51 | 4.16.25

From Facebook-phished to MVR Top 5 with Dhiral Patel

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone are joined by Dhiral Patel, Senior Security Engineer at ZoomInfo and one of MSRC’s Most Valuable Researchers (MVR). Dhiral shares how a hacked Facebook account sparked his passion for ethical hacking. From web development to penetration testing, Dhiral has become a top bug hunter, landing multiple spots on the MSRC leaderboards. Dhiral reflects on his early MSRC submissions and lessons learned. He also discusses the importance of mastering web security basics, practicing on platforms like TryHackMe and Hack the Box, and staying connected with the bug bounty community.

Ep 50 | 4.2.25

AI & the Hunt for Hidden Vulnerabilities with Tobias Diehl

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone are joined by security researcher Tobias Diehl, a top contributor to the Microsoft Security Research Center (MSRC) leaderboards and a Most Valuable Researcher. Tobias shares his journey from IT support to uncovering vulnerabilities in Microsoft products. He discusses his participation in the upcoming Zero Day Quest hacking challenge and breaks down a recent discovery involving Power Automate, where he identified a security flaw that could be exploited via malicious URLs. Tobias explains how developers can mitigate such risks and the importance of strong proof-of-concept submissions in security research.

Ep 49 | 3.19.25

Bug Hunting from the Beach with Brad Schlintz

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone are joined by Brad Schlintz, independent security researcher and bug bounty hunter. Brad shares how he transitioned from a decade-long career as a software engineer to hacking Microsoft products while traveling the world with his wife. He recounts his early days tinkering with RuneScape bots, his experience working in SharePoint and Azure at Microsoft, and the moment he first encountered a real-world cybersecurity incident. He also discusses his journey into ethical hacking and his qualification for the upcoming Zero Day Quest, showcasing how he turned bug hunting into a lifestyle that allows him to work from anywhere—including a stunning island in Brazil.

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Ep 48 | 3.5.25

PoCs, Patching and Zero Day Quest Participation with Michael Gorelik

In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, Nic and Wendy are joined by seasoned security researcher, and CTO of Morphisec, Michael Gorelik. Michael discusses his approach to security research, which often begins by exploring PoCs released by other researcher groups and continues through to the release and validation of – sometimes multiple rounds of – fixes. Michael also provides an overview of this BlueHat 2024 presentation from last October and discusses his upcoming participation in the Zero Day Quest Onsite Hacking Challenge.

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The BlueHat Podcast
Host(s)
Nic Fillingham
Wendy Zenone
Nic Fillingham is a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft in the MSRC organization leading the BlueHat program. Originally from Australia, Nic has worked at Microsoft for almost 20 years across multiple continents, brands, and products. Nic created and co-hosted the Security Unlocked podcast and is passionate about promoting the work of security researchers and responders across the industry.
Wendy Zenone is a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft in the MSRC organization leading the STRIKE program. Wendy started her career through an all-women engineering boot camp after quitting her job while still having kids at home. She has worked at top tech companies like Facebook, Netflix, Salesforce, and now at Microsoft, focusing on various areas such as application security, bug bounty, corporate security, third-party risk management, privacy, and security training and awareness.
Schedule: Biweekly
Credits: Executive Producer is Bruce Bracken, Producer is Rob Petrillo. Production Manager is Max Solomon, and our Audio Engineer (and magician) is none other than The Great Rich Cerbini.
Creator: Microsoft
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