In this episode of Simply Defensive, we sit down with JB, a Senior Cybersecurity Engineer working in detection engineering. JB shares his journey from SOC analyst to detection engineer, diving deep into the challenges of cloud-native security, Kubernetes logging, and building a sustainable career in cybersecurity.

What We Cover:

• What detection engineering actually means in 2025
• Working with dual-cloud environments (AWS + GCP)
• The challenges of Kubernetes logging and ephemeral containers
• SANS FOR508 (Digital Forensics and Threat Hunting) experience
• How to avoid burnout in InfoSec
• Building a SOC career: What do entry-level analysts really need to know?
• Work-life balance with kids and an ambitious security career
• DefCon stories and the Octopus Games competition

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Live Overflow's Hextree.io learning platform: https://hextree.io
• SANS FOR508 (GCFA): https://www.sans.org/cyber-security-courses/advanced-incident-response-threat-hunting-training/
• Marcus Hutchins (MalwareTech) on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malwaretech/
• Graham Helton's Kubernetes security work: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamhelton3/
• Simply Defensive Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Q-ttyNIRAr6DVrsASx1-Fv-TsooJ3M4
  
  

Connect with JB:

• YouTube: @JBCulbert
• Twitter/X: @JBTweetsStuff

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:50 JB's Day-to-Day Role in Cybersecurity

01:47 Past Experiences and Career Journey

02:27 Challenges in Detection Engineering

03:23 Kubernetes and Incident Investigation

03:51 SANS Classes and CTF Experiences

09:07 Remote vs In-Person Learning

11:21 Future Plans and Learning Platforms

14:13 Docker and Kubernetes in Labs

16:11 The Reality of Cybersecurity Skills

16:40 Defcon and Octopus Games

22:04 Balancing Cybersecurity and Personal Life

31:01 Advice for Aspiring Blue Teamers

32:57 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more blue team content!

🔗 Follow the hosts:
Josh Mason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuacmason/
Wade Wells: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wadingthrulogs/

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🎙️ More Simply Defensive
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👍 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 leaders.

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