Keynote - John Strand
John Strand
SAINTCON 2025 · Day 3 · Keynote
John Strand's keynote address at SAINTCON, provocatively titled "Onions, Belts, and Fashion," transcends the typical cybersecurity discourse, urging the audience to look beyond the prevailing narratives of ransomware and AI hype. Strand, a seasoned veteran in the information security community and a dedicated educator, challenges the industry's complacent focus on remediating known vulnerabilities while ignoring deeper, more systemic threats. His talk delves into the often-overlooked and uncomfortable truths of modern cybersecurity, from the historically driven cyber ambitions of nation-states like China to the sophisticated, untestable attack vectors employed by groups like NSO, and the pervasive problem of supply chain compromises.