Episode 70 — Madhav Nakar — AI Security Researcher and Documentarian of Spirituality and Play

Madhav Nakar is a Security Researcher at BeyondTrust specializing in identity threats, endpoint security, and cloud attack paths. With a background in theoretical mathematics, his current research focuses on analyzing attacker behavior to build practical systems of detection.

In this episode, Madhav shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career, including his first experience witnessing a nation-state attack unfold in real time from his seat in a SOC. He explains how mathematical thinking sharpens security strategy and why strong research is rooted in exploration, not predetermined outcomes.

Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, joined by co-host Kayley Melton of the Cognitive Security Institute, welcomes Madhav for a conversation on modern cyber defense. From AI-driven attacks and agentic systems to privilege escalation risks in role-based access environments, Madhav breaks down what teams are getting wrong about AI and why defending against AI increasingly requires AI-powered tools.

The conversation turns to Madhav’s philosophy of “serious play,” where curiosity, experimentation, and failure fuel better research and resilience. He also shares insights from his spiritual and philosophy project, The Fire of Knowing, exploring consciousness and belief through a neutral lens.

In the Lifestyle Polygraph, Madhav pitches a cybersecurity documentary, debates growth versus comfort, and reflects public dancing experiments.

Follow Madhav Nakar here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhav-nakar/

To learn more about Madhav, check out  “The Fire of Knowing” on Instagram and Youtube!