From Pre-Law to FLARE: How Josh Stroschein Became Google's Malware Analyst

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts221/v4/55/fa/86/55fa8626-e0d3-9a1b-c93e-83990c1653b6/mza_7993376330457057808.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

Simply Defensive

Simply Cyber Media Group

39 episodes

5 days ago

Join us for Simply Defensive, a podcast dedicated to exploring the world of defensive cybersecurity through the lens of real-world experts. In each episode, we'll interview leading professionals from the cybersecurity industry, delving into their experiences, challenges, and innovative solutions. Whether you're a seasoned cybersecurity veteran or just starting to learn about the field, Simply Defensive offers valuable insights and practical advice to help you stay ahead of the curve. Tune in as we discuss the latest threats, emerging technologies, and best practices for protecting your organization from cyberattacks. ========================= Connect with your hosts: Josh Mason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuacmason Wade Wells: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wadingthrulogs ========================= Simply Cyber empowers people who want a rewarding cybersecurity career 💪 ========================= ========================= All the ways to connect with Simply Cyber https://SimplyCyber.io/Socials =========================

All content for Simply Defensive is the property of Simply Cyber Media Group and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Technology

Business,

Careers

From Pre-Law to FLARE: How Josh Stroschein Became Google's Malware Analyst

Simply Defensive

39 minutes

1 month ago

From Pre-Law to FLARE: How Josh Stroschein Became Google's Malware Analyst

In this episode of Simply Defensive, Josh Mason and Wade Wells sit down with Josh Stroschein — aka The Cyber Yeti — a former professor turned reverse engineer now working on one of the largest malware analysis teams in the world.

Josh shares his unconventional path through .NET development, credit card processing security, and academia before landing at Google. He opens up about teaching reverse engineering while learning it himself, building educational CTFs, and the realities of making it as a full-time reverse engineer in an industry where those roles are rare.

What you'll hear:

🔹 From pre-law to pilot training to PhD in cybersecurity

🔹 How teaching RE forced him to truly master it

🔹 Life inside Google's FLARE team (via Chronicle → Mandiant)

🔹 Flareon CTF — the RE challenge that's run for 12 years

🔹 A wild Black Hat NOC story involving an infected Mac and Atomic Stealer

🔹 Using AI to build malware samples for training labs

🔹 Why going low-level is the best advice for blue teamers

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:50 Josh's Connection to Dr. Gerald Auger

02:00 The Non-Traditional Path: Pre-Law, Pilot Training & .NET Dev

05:00 Getting Into Security at a Credit Card Processor

07:00 Teaching Reverse Engineering at Dakota State

10:00 Flareon CTF and Educational CTF Design

14:00 Is Reverse Engineering Offensive or Defensive?

17:00 How Rare Are Full-Time RE Roles?

21:00 The Path to Google: Chronicle, Mandiant & FLARE

25:00 Learning Through Teaching and YouTube Content

28:00 Black Hat NOC Story: Catching Atomic Stealer Live

33:00 Using AI to Create Malware Training Samples

37:00 Building a Defang Tool (and .NET Nightmares)

40:00 Advice for Blue Teamers: Go Low-Level

🎧 Find Josh Stroschein:

→ Website: https://www.thecyberyeti.com

→ YouTube: The Cyber Yeti

→ Podcast: The Cyber Yeti Podcast

👥 Connect with the Hosts:
→ Josh Mason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuacmason/
→ Wade Wells: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wadingthrulogs/
→ Swimlane: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swimlane

🎙️ Listen on Your Favorite Platform:
→ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/72QTocT5FSTSPV7o1UcMS4
→ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/simply-defensive/id1773806182
→ Full Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Q-ttyNIRAr6DVrsASx1-Fv-TsooJ3M4

👍 If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share with your fellow defenders. Every week, Josh Mason and Wade Wells bring you practical, no-fluff conversations with cybersecurity professionals who are doing the work.

=========================
All the ways to connect with Simply Cyber
https://SimplyCyber.io/Socials
=========================
This podcast is presented by Simply Cyber Media Group