Discover the best cybersecurity podcasts for 2025. Learn from top security podcasts covering threats, strategies, and real-world cases.

Why You Should Be Listening to Security Podcasts Today

Cybersecurity expertise has never been more accessible—or more critical—than through modern learning platforms. By 2025, podcasts like Darknet Diaries had amassed nearly 91 million downloads, proving their massive reach in democratizing security knowledge Darknet Diaries generated more than 8 million downloads in 2019 and nearly 91 million downloads by 2025. This growth reflects a fundamental shift: professionals now prioritize on-demand, conversational learning over static textbooks.

The medium’s unique strength lies in its ability to blend technical depth with compelling storytelling. Take Security Now, for instance—a show that won the People’s Choice Podcast Awards in the Technology/Science category in 2007 and remains a trusted resource for infosec professionals Security Now won the People's Choice Podcast Awards in the Technology/Science category in 2007. With hosts like Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte, it distills complex topics—from zero-day exploits to quantum encryption—into digestible episodes Security Now is co-hosted by Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Security Now covers topics including zero-day exploits, vulnerabilities, honeypots, the dark web, and encryption.

Cybersecurity podcasts offer accessible, on-demand expertise for professionals at all levels. Whether you’re commuting, exercising, or squeezing in learning between meetings, these shows deliver curated intelligence straight to your ears.

Why Every Tech Pro Should Tune In to Security Podcasts

Podcasts bridge critical knowledge gaps for both technical teams and leadership. For IT professionals, shows like CyberWire Daily break down vulnerability patches and attack methodologies in real time. For C-suite executives, podcasts such as CISO Series translate technical risks into boardroom-ready metrics and strategies IT professionals benefit from technical deep dives on vulnerabilities and exploits, while C-suite executives gain insights into security metrics and board communication.

The format’s flexibility enables just-in-time learning. Consider trending topics like supply chain attacks or AI-driven threats—episodes release weekly, ensuring you stay current without waiting for quarterly training sessions. For example, episodes focusing on supply chain vulnerabilities, AI-driven threats, business email compromise, quantum computing risks, and cloud security consistently rank among the most downloaded Episodes focusing on supply chain vulnerabilities, AI-driven threats, business email compromise, quantum computing risks, and cloud security have strong audience engagement.

• Key benefits for all roles:
  • Technical teams: Deep dives into exploits, mitigations, and tools
  • Leaders: Risk frameworks, budget justification, and incident response strategies
  • Newcomers: Foundational concepts explained via real-world case studies

The Best Podcasts for Hands-On Security Experts

For hands-on practitioners, these podcasts deliver granular analysis of threats, tools, and defenses. Below compares top technical-focused shows, their update cadence, and signature topics:

For IT professionals seeking technical depth, Security Now and Darknet Diaries remain the gold standard For IT professionals seeking technical depth, Security Now and Darknet Diaries are recommended. Their blend of narrative-driven storytelling and expert analysis transforms abstract concepts into actionable defenses. Both are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, and YouTube Security Now is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, and YouTube Darknet Diaries and Security Now are available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Security Podcasts for Leaders: Turn Tech Jargon into Strategy

For leaders who need to translate technical risks into strategic decisions, specialized podcasts bridge the gap between cybersecurity teams and boardroom priorities. These shows focus on risk frameworks, budget justification, and incident response strategies—exactly what you need when security spending hinges on proving ROI.

CISO Series Podcast stands out for its executive-friendly approach. Their episode "How to Pitch Security to the Board" garnered 1.1 million plays CISO Series Podcast's episode "How to Pitch Security to the Board" garnered 1.1 million plays. Each discussion breaks down complex threats into actionable business cases, helping you align security initiatives with organizational goals and compliance demands.

Fortinet’s FortiGuard Labs Global Threat Landscape Podcast complements this by delivering weekly data-driven briefings Fortinet – FortiGuard Labs Global Threat Landscape Podcast delivers weekly data-driven briefings. Instead of technical deep dives, it presents threat trends in terms of financial impact, regulatory risk, and competitive advantage—perfect for CISOs preparing quarterly reports.

Together, these podcasts arm you with the language to advocate for security investments. Pair them with The Importance of a Security-First Mindset to build a culture that prioritizes resilience from the top down.

flowchart TD  
    A[CISO Series Podcast] --> B[Boardroom Strategies]  
    B --> C[Risk Frameworks]  
    C --> D[Budget Justification]  
    E[FortiGuard Labs] --> F[Threat Intelligence]  
    F --> G[Business Impact Analysis]  
    G --> H[Compliance Alignment]  
    D & H --> I[Security Roadmap]  

True Cybercrime Stories: What Really Happens Behind the Scenes

If you learn best through stories, these podcasts turn cybercrime into compelling narratives—revealing attacker motivations, social engineering tactics, and the human elements often overlooked in technical reports.

Malicious Life mastered the art of forensic storytelling. Their episode "The $90M WhatsApp CEO Fraud" achieved 1.3 million plays Malicious Life's episode "The $90M WhatsApp CEO Fraud" achieved 1.3 million plays, dissecting how attackers exploited trust to execute one of 2025’s most high-profile scams. Meanwhile, Smashing Security tackles emerging threats like AI deepfakes with episodes such as "AI Deepfakes: Why Your CEO's Voice is a Risk", which accumulated 1.5 million plays Smashing Security's episode "AI Deepfakes: Why Your CEO's Voice is a Risk" accumulated 1.5 million plays.

For those fascinated by the psychology of cybercriminals, Hacker Valley Studio explores the human element beyond technical exploits Hacker Valley Studio explores the human element of cybersecurity beyond technical aspects. These narrative-driven shows make abstract threats tangible—ideal for training teams via How to Teach Your Employees About Cybersecurity.

timeline  
    title Landmark Episodes  
    section 2025 Cybercrime Highlights  
    The $90M WhatsApp CEO Fraud : 2025-01-15  
    AI Deepfakes: Why Your CEO's Voice is a Risk : 2025-03-22  
    Supply Chain Exploits in Cloud Services : 2025-06-10  

How to Pick the Perfect Security Podcast for Your Role

Selecting the right podcast hinges on three questions: What’s your role? How deep do you want to go technically? What outcomes matter most?

• IT professionals thrive on technical deep dives covering vulnerabilities, exploits, and mitigation tactics IT professionals benefit from technical deep dives on vulnerabilities and exploits, while C-suite executives gain insights into security metrics and board communication. Look for shows like Security Now, which breaks down protocols and honeypots with surgical precision.
• C-suite executives need strategic insights—metrics that tie security to revenue, risk, and compliance. Podcasts like CISO Series translate technical debt into boardroom-ready arguments.
• Everyone benefits from narrative-driven learning. Shows like Malicious Life turn incidents into case studies you can reference in training or phishing simulations.

Contemporary episodes reflect today’s threat landscape, with strong engagement around topics like supply chain vulnerabilities, AI-driven threats, and cloud security comparisons Episodes focusing on supply chain vulnerabilities, AI-driven threats, business email compromise, quantum computing risks, and cloud security have strong audience engagement Contemporary podcast episodes reflect current threat landscapes, focusing on AI applications, quantum computing implications, cloud security comparisons, and supply chain attacks.

Use this mindmap to find your fit:

mindmap  
  root((Podcast Selection))  
    Role  
      CISO/Executive  
        Board Communication  
        Risk Frameworks  
      IT Professional  
        Technical Deep Dives  
        Tool Analysis  
      General Learner  
        Narrative-Driven  
        Case Studies  
    Technical Depth  
      High  
        Protocol Analysis  
        Exploit Demos  
      Low  
        Threat Summaries  
        Strategic Overviews  
    Goals  
      Compliance  
      Skill Building  
      Culture Change  

Whether you’re defending networks or building budgets, there’s a podcast that speaks your language. Start with one that matches your immediate needs, then expand—because in cybersecurity, continuous learning isn’t just recommended; it’s essential.

How to Turn Podcast Listening into a Daily Security Habit

Integrating cybersecurity podcasts into your daily workflow doesn’t require overhauling your schedule—it’s about strategic, bite-sized listening that compounds over time. Imagine tuning into a 20-minute episode during your commute, or pairing a technical deep dive with your morning coffee. The key is consistency, and podcasts offer flexibility that static courses or lengthy webinars simply can’t match.

Start with your natural rhythms. If you spend an hour each day in transit, subscribe to shows like Security Now, which dissects zero-day exploits, honeypots, and encryption protocols with surgical precision Security Now covers topics including zero-day exploits, vulnerabilities, honeypots, the dark web, and encryption [fact-10]. For those who prefer narrative-driven stories, Darknet Diaries transforms cybercrime into gripping case studies—a perfect fit for lunch breaks or workout sessions. With over 91 million downloads by 2025, its storytelling approach resonates across audiences Darknet Diaries generated more than 8 million downloads in 2019 and nearly 91 million downloads by 2025 [fact-1].

Team training? Turn podcasts into live workshops. Schedule a weekly “Threat Intel Hour” where your team listens to an episode together—say, Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast’s biweekly deep dives into emerging attack patterns Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is released biweekly [fact-12]. Discuss insights, map them to your current defenses, and debate mitigation strategies. Pro tip: Pair episodes with real-time threat analysis discussions. For example, after listening to Security Now’s breakdown of a recent vulnerability, have engineers simulate patching timelines or analysts draft incident response playbooks Security Now is co-hosted by Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte [fact-9].

Platform flexibility keeps engagement high. Most top podcasts—including Darknet Diaries and Security Now—are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, letting you consume content on any device Darknet Diaries and Security Now are available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts [fact-21]. For on-the-go teams, shortcode controls in apps like Pocket Casts let you skip forwards or rewind without missing critical details. Even CISO Series, which focuses on boardroom communication, offers downloadable episodes for offline listening during flights or road trips CISO Series Podcast's episode "How to Pitch Security to the Board" garnered 1.1 million plays [fact-6].

Measure impact, iterate fast. Track which episodes spark the most discussion or actionable items—perhaps Malicious Life’s episode on the $90M WhatsApp CEO fraud leads to new phishing simulations Malicious Life's episode "The $90M WhatsApp CEO Fraud" achieved 1.3 million plays [fact-5]. Use tools like podcast analytics to see completion rates, then double down on formats that retain your audience. Remember, the goal isn’t passive listening; it’s building a culture where threat intelligence becomes part of daily decision-making.

Keep Your Cybersecurity Skills Sharp with Podcasts

The cybersecurity landscape evolves faster than ever, and podcasts offer a scalable, cost-effective way to stay ahead. Whether you’re an IT professional dissecting exploits or a leader translating risk into strategic priorities, the right podcast can transform how your organization learns and adapts.

Key takeaways to start today:

1. Align podcasts to your role. IT teams benefit from technical deep dives like Security Now, which deconstructs vulnerabilities and exploits with unmatched rigor—a legacy reinforced by its 2007 People’s Choice Award Security Now's longevity and 2007 People's Choice Award demonstrate sustained credibility within the infosec community [fact-23]. Executives should prioritize CISO Series for boardroom-ready insights on security metrics and risk frameworks IT professionals benefit from technical deep dives on vulnerabilities and exploits, while C-suite executives gain insights into security metrics and board communication [fact-22].
2. Leverage narrative-driven learning. Shows like Darknet Diaries don’t just inform—they cultivate a deeper understanding of cybercrime’s human element. Its storytelling approach has reshaped how audiences think about threats, influencing everything from corporate training to academic research The narrative-driven approach pioneered by Darknet Diaries has influenced the broader podcast landscape [fact-20].
3. Build habits, not hoards. Start with one podcast that matches your immediate needs—perhaps Cloud Security Podcast for AWS/Azure comparisons—then expand gradually Cloud Security Podcast's episode "AWS vs Azure: Who's Safer in 2025?" achieved 980,000 plays [fact-7]. Consistency beats volume; a 15-minute daily episode is more impactful than an unwatched backlog.

Next steps: Subscribe to Darknet Diaries for storytelling, Security Now for technical depth, and CISO Series for leadership insights. Info callout: Begin with Darknet Diaries’ latest episode on ransomware economics, then pair Security Now’s latest protocol analysis with your next patch cycle, and use CISO Series to prepare for your next board meeting.

In an era where threats evolve by the hour, podcasts aren’t just convenient—they’re essential. They turn passive moments into proactive learning, equipping you and your team with the knowledge to defend today’s attacks and anticipate tomorrow’s. Start listening, start growing.