Rachel Tobac

And as you know, if you're at DEF CON Saturday morning, it's like DEF CON's like a third over at that point, if not more. So I show up, I see a few calls.

And as you know, if you're at DEF CON Saturday morning, it's like DEF CON's like a third over at that point, if not more. So I show up, I see a few calls.

I see a few calls and I'm like, oh my, this is me. Like, I can do this. I was born for this. And my husband was like, I know, right? I told you.

I see a few calls and I'm like, oh my, this is me. Like, I can do this. I was born for this. And my husband was like, I know, right? I told you.

And I was like, oh, I got just the thing. I made this Twin Peaks style video to convince them to let me get in. And somehow they agreed to let me participate. Hundreds of people apply and 14 contestants are selected every single year.

And I was like, oh, I got just the thing. I made this Twin Peaks style video to convince them to let me get in. And somehow they agreed to let me participate. Hundreds of people apply and 14 contestants are selected every single year.

I contact my target company. I pretend to be an employee who's confused, who's just starting out. And I end up getting flag after flag. And I get out of the booth and I'm like, maybe I did okay. And then there's like a standing ovation. I'm like, oh, maybe I did better than okay. And I ended up getting second place that first time ever hacking anybody.

I contact my target company. I pretend to be an employee who's confused, who's just starting out. And I end up getting flag after flag. And I get out of the booth and I'm like, maybe I did okay. And then there's like a standing ovation. I'm like, oh, maybe I did better than okay. And I ended up getting second place that first time ever hacking anybody.

That first time ever hacking somebody happened in a glass booth in front of 500 people.

That first time ever hacking somebody happened in a glass booth in front of 500 people.

And then I ended up getting second place the second year, and I got second place the third year as well.

And then I ended up getting second place the second year, and I got second place the third year as well.

After folks started seeing me get second place at DEF CON, they'd see me on stage, they'd be like, hey, I want to chat with you. Can you come speak at my company about how you hack and how we can catch you? And I live in Silicon Valley, so I got really lucky. that people started asking me to do things that like, are a job, right? Like, I'm like, Oh, I guess I need to make a company.

After folks started seeing me get second place at DEF CON, they'd see me on stage, they'd be like, hey, I want to chat with you. Can you come speak at my company about how you hack and how we can catch you? And I live in Silicon Valley, so I got really lucky. that people started asking me to do things that like, are a job, right? Like, I'm like, Oh, I guess I need to make a company.

So I made social proof security in 2017. And I mean, I live in Silicon Valley, I was so lucky. Some of my first clients were like Facebook, Snapchat, PayPal, Twitter. And from there, it was like US Air Force, NATO, Uber, Google, Cisco, it's like, Oh, my gosh, you know, I feel like I just got really lucky in this life.

So I made social proof security in 2017. And I mean, I live in Silicon Valley, I was so lucky. Some of my first clients were like Facebook, Snapchat, PayPal, Twitter. And from there, it was like US Air Force, NATO, Uber, Google, Cisco, it's like, Oh, my gosh, you know, I feel like I just got really lucky in this life.

Oh, it's totally wild. I mean, if you would have asked me decades ago, like, what did you think you were going to get into? The word hacker would have never even made the top 100 list because I didn't know it was possible, didn't know it could be a job, and I certainly didn't think I would be good at it.

Oh, it's totally wild. I mean, if you would have asked me decades ago, like, what did you think you were going to get into? The word hacker would have never even made the top 100 list because I didn't know it was possible, didn't know it could be a job, and I certainly didn't think I would be good at it.

When I saw the concept of a hacker in TV or movies, it was usually a guy who wore a hoodie in a basement. I mean, I wear hoodies and basements are fine, but I didn't think that I was going to be good enough. Yeah, you just have to see yourself in the position. And I've had multiple women come up to me and say like, hey, I saw you in that competition.

When I saw the concept of a hacker in TV or movies, it was usually a guy who wore a hoodie in a basement. I mean, I wear hoodies and basements are fine, but I didn't think that I was going to be good enough. Yeah, you just have to see yourself in the position. And I've had multiple women come up to me and say like, hey, I saw you in that competition.