Episodes

  • The Dark Side of AI: Deepfakes, Data Poisoning & the Future of Cybersecurity
    Nov 12 2025

    The most dangerous AI attacks don’t just break your systems, they break your trust in reality. From deepfakes that fooled a company into losing an enormous amount of money to data poisoning that silently corrupts AI models, today’s threats are unlike anything cybersecurity teams have faced before. Don’t wait for these threats to hit your organisation, get ahead of them now.

    In this episode, Monica, a hacker turned CISO, keynote speaker, and founder of Monica Talks Cyber, reveals the dark side of AI and how you can protect your organisation while accelerating your security career. What you’ll learn: Why deepfakes are just the beginning of AI-based attacks? How data poisoning works (and why it’s so dangerous)? Practical defences: from AI supply chain security to human-in-the-loop protocols. How to position yourself as the AI security leader your company needs?


    Looking to become an influential and effective security leader? Don't know where to start or how to go about it? Follow Monica Verma (LinkedIn) and Monica Talks Cyber (Youtube) for more content on cybersecurity, technology, leadership and innovation, and 10x your career. Subscribe to The Monica Talks Cyber newsletter at https://www.monicatalkscyber.com.

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    12 mins
  • What Cybersecurity Hiring Managers are Really Looking For in 2025
    Oct 30 2025

    In 2025, it's not about degrees or certifications, it's about real skills, AI-readiness, and strategic thinking. In this episode, Monica, a board-certified cybersecurity leader with 20+ years of experience, breaks down the 5 biggest shifts shaping the cybersecurity job market right now.

    • Why mindset and adaptability now outrank credentials
    • How AI is redefining job roles and hiring criteria
    • Why communication is the #1 skill for cybersecurity leaders
    • How skill stacking gives you a salary and career edge
    • How compliance and regulation are changing hiring in Europe and beyond

    Whether you're an aspiring CISO, a security analyst, or pivoting into cybersecurity, this episode gives you the insights you won't hear anywhere else.

    Looking to become an influential and effective security leader? Don't know where to start or how to go about it? Follow Monica Verma (LinkedIn) and Monica Talks Cyber (Youtube) for more content on cybersecurity, technology, leadership and innovation, and 10x your career. Subscribe to The Monica Talks Cyber newsletter at https://www.monicatalkscyber.com.

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    15 mins
  • The AI Power Play That Will Shape Your Career in 2025
    Sep 30 2025

    The Global AI Power Play Is Here, And It’s Already Shaping Your Career and Business. What if I told you that a $600 billion handshake in Saudi Arabia just reshaped the future of AI and your career, and most professionals have no idea? In this episode, I’ll show you what REALLY happened when Trump met with Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Nvidia’s CEO, and Middle Eastern leaders, and how their deal is already shifting the AI, cybersecurity, and business landscapes forever. We’ll dive into:

    ✅ The tech arms race and how it’s redefining power in 2025
    ✅ Why 3.5M cybersecurity jobs remain unfilled despite mass layoffs
    ✅ How AI is transforming careers, security, and global policies
    ✅ The 5 risks in AI that are creating new job roles and business models
    ✅ Why YOU are right on time, not too late for AI leadership opportunities

    Whether you're a professional in cybersecurity, a business leader, or someone navigating this AI wave, this episode will help you stay ahead of the curve.

    Looking to become an influential and effective security leader? Don't know where to start or how to go about it? Follow Monica Verma (LinkedIn) and Monica Talks Cyber (Youtube) for more content on cybersecurity, technology, leadership and innovation, and 10x your career. Subscribe to The Monica Talks Cyber newsletter at https://www.monicatalkscyber.com.

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    14 mins
  • How I’d Learn Cybersecurity in 2025 (If I Were Starting Over)
    Sep 25 2025

    If I were starting my cybersecurity career from scratch in 2025, this is exactly what I’d do. No fluff, no unnecessary certs, and no wasted time. Too many professionals are burning out chasing certs or bootcamps without real clarity. In this episode, I share my complete 6-step cybersecurity roadmap, the one I’d follow if I had to start all over again.

    Whether you’re transitioning into cybersecurity or trying to accelerate your growth, this roadmap is built on real-world experience, not outdated advice. I went from a non-hacking tech role to becoming a CISO in just four years and today, I help professionals do the same.

    Looking to become an influential and effective security leader? Don't know where to start or how to go about it? Follow Monica Verma (LinkedIn) and Monica Talks Cyber (Youtube) for more content on cybersecurity, technology, leadership and innovation, and 10x your career. Subscribe to The Monica Talks Cyber newsletter at https://www.monicatalkscyber.com.

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    15 mins
  • How I Became a CISO in 90 Days: My Full Roadmap in 2025
    Jun 17 2025

    Can you land a CISO role without the title, the connections, or the years of "required" experience? Yes and I did it in 90 days. This isn’t luck. It’s strategy. In today's episode, I walk you through the exact roadmap I used to go from rejected applications and zero C-level experience to signing my first CISO contract. In this episode, you’ll learn why applying to 100 jobs won’t get you the one you want, the mindset shift that separates leaders from job seekers, how to position your existing experience for the role you want, the resume tweak that landed me interviews (and eventually, the role), how to tell your story so hiring managers see you as leadership material, and the real reason who knows you matters more than what you know. If you're in cybersecurity, mid-career, and wondering how to make the leap to leadership, this video is your blueprint.

    Looking to become an influential and effective security leader? Don't know where to start or how to go about it? Follow Monica Verma (LinkedIn) and Monica Talks Cyber (Youtube) for more content on cybersecurity, technology, leadership and innovation, and 10x your career. Subscribe to The Monica Talks Cyber newsletter at https://www.monicatalkscyber.com.

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    22 mins
  • Inside the Mind of a CISO: What History Teaches Us About AI & Cybercrime
    Jun 10 2025

    Do you know the first cyberattack in history happened in 1834? And what if the scariest part of AI isn't what it does - but what it makes us ignore? This isn’t science fiction. It’s real. And it’s already happening. In this keynote, I take you through the 200-year evolution of fraud - from wooden blocks to synthetic identities, how AI is making scams faster, deeper, and more human than ever, why data, emotion, and deepfakes are the new weapons of cybercriminals, the truth behind AI's "intelligence" and the dangerous biases buried in its code, real-world examples, from cloned voices stealing millions to chatbots conning scammers back and how you can (and must) use AI to fight AI and where to begin. Whether you're in fraud prevention, cybersecurity, finance, or leadership, this is your wake-up call, with 5 actions you can take to defend trust in the age of AI-powered fraud.

    Looking to become an influential and effective security leader? Don't know where to start or how to go about it? Follow Monica Verma (LinkedIn) and Monica Talks Cyber (Youtube) for more content on cybersecurity, technology, leadership and innovation, and 10x your career. Subscribe to The Monica Talks Cyber newsletter at https://www.monicatalkscyber.com.

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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Want to Lead in Cybersecurity? Follow These 5 Unspoken Rules
    Jun 3 2025

    Leading in cybersecurity is like diving into the unknown. You need more than just the "rules of the land" – you need a whole new set of skills to navigate this "underwater" world. In this episode, we'll dive into: why your lack of people skills is holding you back (and it's not just for the leaders!), the #1 trait of an effective leader, why negotiation makes up 90% of your role and how to master it, why a lack of change in human behaviour is costlier than technology, why the feeling of security matters just as much as fixing security vulnerabilities, and how to master these. Stop struggling and start leading! Learn the 5 unspoken laws that will set you apart in cybersecurity leadership.

    Looking to become an influential and effective security leader? Don't know where to start or how to go about it? Follow Monica Verma (LinkedIn) and Monica Talks Cyber (Youtube) for more content on cybersecurity, technology, leadership and innovation, and 10x your career. Subscribe to The Monica Talks Cyber newsletter at https://www.monicatalkscyber.com.

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    22 mins
  • Honest Advice to Lead in Cybersecurity in 2025 (HARSH TRUTH No One’s Telling You)
    May 15 2025

    Tired of the same old advice that isn't getting you anywhere in your cybersecurity career? Everyone says "get more technical skills," but what if that's only part of the story? If you're aiming for leadership roles like CISO, Security Director, or Head of GRC, or other security leadership roles, this episode is for you. In this episode, we dive into: why technical skills alone won't land you a cybersecurity leadership role, the real skills that executives are desperately seeking (it's not what you think), how to showcase leadership skills even without a leadership title (break the catch-22), effective communication strategies to influence executives and your team, what it really takes to lead during a cybersecurity crisis (the uncomfortable truth). It's time to stop wasting time on outdated advice and focus on what truly matters. Listen now to unlock the secrets to accelerating your cybersecurity leadership career.

    Looking to become an influential and effective security leader? Don't know where to start or how to go about it? Follow Monica Verma (LinkedIn) and Monica Talks Cyber (Youtube) for more content on cybersecurity, technology, leadership and innovation, and 10x your career. Subscribe to The Monica Talks Cyber newsletter at https://www.monicatalkscyber.com.

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    28 mins