Breaking Badness 200: Cybersecurity’s Evolution, 200 Puns Later!
Welcome to the 200th episode of Breaking Badness! 🎉 In this special milestone edition, we take a nostalgic stroll down memory lane, discuss the evolution of cybersecurity, and explore how the podcast—and the security landscape—has changed since 2019.
When Breaking Badness launched in 2019, it set out to do something different—deliver cybersecurity news, analysis, and humor in a way that felt accessible, engaging, and yes, full of puns. Fast forward to 2025, and 200 episodes later, the podcast has grown alongside the cybersecurity industry itself, adapting to new threats, changing media landscapes, and shifting audience expectations.
In this special milestone episode, hosts Kali Fencl, Tim Helming, and Taylor Wilkes-Pierce are joined by longtime friend of the show, Allan Liska, to reflect on how both the podcast and cybersecurity world have evolved over the past six years.
Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and explore how Breaking Badness went from an experimental idea to a trusted, pun-filled source of cybersecurity insights.
The Early Days: Finding a Voice in Cybersecurity Podcasting
In 2019, Breaking Badness entered a podcasting world that was still finding its footing in cybersecurity. There were a few well-established shows, but the landscape wasn’t nearly as crowded as it is today. From the very beginning, the goal was clear:
- Make cybersecurity fun – Break down complex topics in an engaging way
- Embrace humor & wordplay – Because puns make everything better
- Cover real security threats – Give listeners actionable insights
“Dad jokes and puns, combined with great intelligence. What more could you want?” – Allan Liska
At first, the show had a relaxed, conversational tone, focusing on major cybersecurity incidents, breaking news, and threat actor behavior. But over time, it evolved into something bigger.
The Growth Phase: Guests, Community, and Inside Jokes
As Breaking Badness gained a loyal audience, the show naturally expanded:
- Guest Interviews: Security experts, researchers, and even law enforcement started joining the show
- The Hoodie Rating System: A unique way to rate the severity of cyber threats (which, thankfully, never went away!)
- Inside Jokes & Running Themes: From pun-filled episode titles to references only longtime listeners would understand
- Special Segments: Gold, Guidance, and Grievances became a fan favorite
“What has improved is the tightness of the explanations and communication of intelligence.
You’ve gotten better at distilling information while keeping the humor.” – Allan Liska
The addition of guest perspectives helped make the show more dynamic, giving listeners insights from cybersecurity professionals on the frontlines.
One of the biggest highlights? When a listener became a DomainTools employee after discovering the company through the podcast.
“He found out about DomainTools from the podcast, applied for a job, and got it! That’s his origin story.” – Kali Fencl
The Video Era: Adapting to Changing Media Trends
The biggest shift for Breaking Badness came in the last six months—the move from audio-only to video podcasting. As cybersecurity content consumption habits changed, video became a critical platform for podcast discovery.
Why Video?
- A new audience who prefers watching over listening
- Easier to share clips, highlights, and short-form content
- More engagement with the community through comments & discussions
“We started doing video, and that’s opened up a whole new audience for us.” – Kali Fencl
This shift mirrors a broader industry trend where security experts, analysts, and educators are using video platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn to reach more people in cybersecurity.
Final Thoughts: 200 Episodes Later, What Have We Learned?
Cybersecurity is always changing, and Breaking Badness has evolved with it. What started as a small podcast with a love for puns has become a trusted voice in security news and analysis.
🔑 Key Lessons from 200 Episodes:
- Humor makes cybersecurity more accessible
- It important to keep evolving while staying true to what the audience loves most
- Community matters—Breaking Badness listeners are some of the best!
- The cybersecurity industry is growing fast—staying adaptable is key
“We owe a huge thank you to our listeners, guests, and supporters. 200 episodes in, we’re still breaking, still bad, and still having fun.” – Breaking Badness Team
🥂 Here’s to 200 more episodes!
Watch on YouTube
That’s about all we have for this week, you can find us on Mastodon and Twitter/X @domaintools, all of the articles mentioned in our podcast will always be included on our podcast recap. Catch us Wednesdays at 9 AM Pacific time when we publish our next podcast and blog.
*A special thanks to John Roderick for our incredible podcast music!
