Fast Chat: Matt Devost

Fast Chat: Matt Devost on Career Paths, Veteran Integration, and Conference Programming During Crisis

**Overview**

Matt Devost, technology entrepreneur, cybersecurity expert, and Black Hat review board member since the program's inception, discusses his multifaceted career trajectory and his work integrating military veterans into the cybersecurity field through the Black Hat veteran scholarship program. In this "Fast Chat" interview conducted during the 2020 pandemic-driven virtual Black Hat conference, Devost addresses how security professionals can continue career development during crises, how conferences can adapt to virtual environments while maintaining community value, and the critical importance of building pathways for veterans transitioning from military service into civilian cybersecurity roles. The conversation reveals that professional development depends not just on consuming content but on active community participation—networking, mentorship, and intentional relationship-building—which required new approaches when in-person conferences became impossible.

**Technical Details**

Career Diversity and Consulting Expertise:

1. **Multidimensional Career in Cybersecurity**: - Direct consulting to major global companies addressing complex security problems - Mergers and acquisition (M&A) work: due diligence, buy-side advisory - Cybersecurity market growth driving increasing M&A activity - Role as Black Hat review board member since program inception - Focus on identifying and vetting technical content for commercial security conference

2. **Black Hat Review Board Role and Peer-Reviewed Content Model**: - Black Hat is one of few remaining commercial security conferences rooted in peer-reviewed, technically-vetted content - Review board serves as "custodian of technical content" for the conference - Not pay-to-play vendor programming; competitive selection process - Content selection based on technical merit, not sponsorship or vendor relationships - Review board evolved over time: more formalized processes, expanded expertise domains, increased geographic representation - Board includes domain experts from various regions and specializations - Maintains quality and credibility distinct from "scrappy research" or vendor-driven content

3. **Veteran Scholarship Program: Origins and Growth**: - Originated from conversation identifying: (a) 300,000 to 3 million open cybersecurity positions, (b) veterans transitioning from military service with no obvious career pathway - Grassroots beginning: review board members donated personal free passes to bring veterans to Black Hat - First year: goal was both attendance and active community integration - Intentional effort: invite veterans to networking events, parties, hosting dinners, peer introductions - Demonstrated multiple career pathways for veteran integration, not just military-specific roles

4. **Diverse Veteran Skill Sets and Transition Stories**: - Weatherman example: Air Force veteran running weather network with 55-60 Linux servers, became systems administrator out of necessity, "hacked himself" (self-taught security) to keep systems secure - Lessons learned: technical skills are context-agnostic; non-traditional backgrounds can translate to cybersecurity success - Various veteran roles: military cyber specialists, technologists, leaders, personnel with administrative or technical foundation - Program goal: reveal that diverse military backgrounds have applicable technical or leadership skills for cybersecurity

5. **Scholarship Program Expansion**: - First year: limited free passes, personal recruitment - Second year: expanded participation, larger cohort - Black Hat organization officially adopted as scholarship program - Pre-pandemic: 20 veterans per year, free conference attendance, hotel accommodation (transportation not provided) - Continued emphasis: not just attendance, but active networking and community integration - Integration efforts: dedicated networking opportunities, mentorship introductions, industry connection

6. **Virtual Event Adaptation**: - 2020 (pandemic year): shift to online-only event - Challenge: virtual events eliminate "serendipity" of in-person encounters and spontaneous networking - Adaptation strategy: veteran-only Zoom sessions for peer networking and mentorship - Key network partners: folks supporting veterans in cybersecurity field brought into virtual discussions - Leverage existing virtual event infrastructure: chat rooms, breakout rooms, Discord channels, Twitter discussions - Expanded participation opportunities: don't just watch content, engage in community discussion across multiple platforms

7. **Community Engagement Beyond Physical Presence**: - In-person conferences traditionally enable: serendipitous meetings, hallway conversations, informal connections - Virtual conference features: sidebar chat, breakout room assignments with random participants, Discord channels - Twitter and broader social media: community discussion continues outside conference platform - Content consumption vs. participation: watching videos valuable but insufficient; active participation in chats, breakouts, social discussions essential - Distributed community engagement: not localized to physical conference venue

8. **Pandemic Response and Professional Development**: - Devost's approach: webinars, podcast launches, video series featuring diverse thought leaders - Content types: cybersecurity practitioners, business leaders, thinkers, former government analysts (noted: CIA analysis head) - Diversified online content: addresses "global issues" not just traditional cybersecurity topics - Objective: maintain professional development pipeline and community engagement during physical isolation

**Defense & Takeaways**

Supporting veteran transitions to cybersecurity and maintaining community during distributed work: (1) Recognize veteran skill transferability—veterans may not come from cyber backgrounds but possess technical or leadership skills (systems administration, network management, security mindset); actively recruit beyond traditional military cyber roles; (2) Create intentional integration pathways—provide not just conference access but mentorship, networking introductions, peer connections; passive attendance insufficient, active community participation essential; (3) Remove financial barriers—sponsor transportation, accommodation, conference fees; financial constraints should not prevent talented veterans from accessing community and opportunities; (4) Build sustained mentorship relationships—one-time event participation not sufficient; create ongoing connections between veterans and established professionals; match veterans with mentors and role models; (5) Address skill training gaps—some veterans may need supplemental cybersecurity training to transition successfully; identify training resources, community education programs, credentials; (6) Develop virtual engagement infrastructure—when in-person events become impossible, invest in platforms that enable networking: breakout rooms, chat systems, Discord channels, Zoom sessions; passive content consumption doesn't replace networking; (7) Enable mentor leadership—encourage established professionals to participate in mentorship, networking events, panels; veterans benefit from direct interaction with recognized experts; (8) Diversify thought leadership—podcasts, webinars, video series expand reach beyond conference attendees; feature diverse voices (practitioners, business leaders, former government analysts) covering cyber plus broader global issues; (9) Leverage distributed communities—don't assume community happens only in one physical location; Twitter, Discord, chat platforms enable distributed professional community; direct participants to online spaces; (10) Tell success stories—highlight veteran success cases (the weatherman, the sysadmin) to demonstrate feasibility of career transitions; show diverse pathways into cybersecurity; (11) Maintain quality standards for content—differentiate conferences through technical rigor; peer-reviewed content curated for technical merit, not sponsorship; this distinction maintains community value and credibility; (12) Engage review board members—tap established experts as mentors, not just content evaluators; personal involvement of board members in scholarship programs adds legitimacy and accessibility; (13) Think beyond crisis response—pandemic revealed importance of distributed engagement mechanisms; maintain virtual events and online community even after in-person events resume; hybrid models capture broader participation; (14) Support entrepreneur pathways—many community members become entrepreneurs or consultants; create mentorship and networking opportunities across private consulting, product development, and corporate security roles; (15) Acknowledge community as anchor—for many professionals, conferences are "anchor events" that structure career development and community engagement; intentionally make this explicit, protect it, invest in alternatives when physical attendance impossible. The critical insight: Military veterans represent a significant talent pool for cybersecurity, but intentional integration is required. Veterans may lack explicit cyber training but often possess technical skills, security mindset, and leadership capabilities. Scholarship programs that combine conference access with mentorship, networking, and community integration enable successful transitions. When crises prevent in-person events, distributed virtual engagement mechanisms become critical—chat rooms, breakout sessions, Discord communities, podcasts, and webinars enable community participation that passive content consumption alone cannot provide. Professional conferences serve as "anchor events" in careers; their value extends beyond technical content to networking, mentorship, and community belonging. Maintaining these functions during crisis requires intentional technology choices and sustained investment in engagement mechanisms that replicate the serendipity and connection of in-person events.