> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.cybrsecmedia.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Secure Ideas Expands Open-Source Research, Affordable Cybersecurity Training - URL: https://www.cybrsecmedia.com/secure-ideas-expands-open-source-research-affordable-cybersecurity-training/ - Published: 2026-11-04T13:02:19.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-04T13:07:24.000Z - Description: Secure Ideas founder Kevin Tackett outlines plans for open-source vulnerability research, affordable training and free cybersecurity education. - Author: Bill Brenner - Tags: Secure Ideas cybersecurity research, Network Security, PCI Compliance, Article Cybersecurity has no shortage of research teams discovering vulnerabilities, consultants selling expertise and training providers charging for technical instruction. But access to that knowledge often depends on who can afford it. Kevin Tackett, founder of [Secure Ideas](https://www.secureideas.com/?ref=cybrsecmedia.com), wants to challenge that model. During a recent episode of CYBR.HAK.CAST with hosts Michael Farnum and Phillip Wylie, Tackett detailed an expansion of Secure Ideas' research, consulting and education efforts, including a new vulnerability research team, publicly available security guidance and plans to make advanced training affordable — or free for people who cannot pay. The initiatives reflect a broader philosophy Tackett has embraced throughout his career: Cybersecurity knowledge becomes more valuable when people share it. "We are where we are because somebody else went out and did something," Tackett said. "They built tools, they built training, they built and helped." Now he wants Secure Ideas to do more of the same. **Full episode and related article:** [Kevin Tackett on Open-Source Cybersecurity | CYBR.HAK.CASTSecure Ideas founder Kevin Tackett discusses open-source security, accessible cybersecurity training and why sharing knowledge makes the industry stronger.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ab/67/ab676516-71e3-473d-8f73-9e0692f5aaee/content/images/icon/CYBR.SEC.Media-Logo-copy-a60e8969-7a99-47c4-8cf8-addbfb580b27.jpg)CYBR.SEC.Media, and CYBR.SEC.Media![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ab/67/ab676516-71e3-473d-8f73-9e0692f5aaee/content/images/thumbnail/Kevin-Tackett_Ghost-faeb0459-ac71-4c15-8a40-da0bc8adb4f2.png)](https://www.cybrsecmedia.com/the-secret-sauce-with-kevin-tackett/) [Cybersecurity's Secret Sauce Problem: Why Sharing WinsSecure Ideas founder Kevin Tackett argues that hoarding exploits, tools and expertise undermines cybersecurity's mission to protect organizations.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ab/67/ab676516-71e3-473d-8f73-9e0692f5aaee/content/images/icon/CYBR.SEC.Media-Logo-copy-b47f02c1-47c2-476c-8ad6-5524e29079f0.jpg)CYBR.SEC.MediaBill Brenner![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ab/67/ab676516-71e3-473d-8f73-9e0692f5aaee/content/images/thumbnail/8aaf5cf6-1d99-451a-a874-fa60cc201ccc-2a2366fa-7878-4a39-8fec-298e33b2ab70.png)](https://www.cybrsecmedia.com/cybersecuritys-secret-sauce-problem-and-why-sharing-makes-us-safer/) ## A research team that teaches others to find vulnerabilities One of the company's biggest developments is a new research team being built under Larry Pesce, a longtime cybersecurity practitioner with experience in operational technology, embedded systems and security research. Tackett said Secure Ideas originally planned to launch the initiative sometime next year. Those plans accelerated when Pesce became available to join the company. The team will investigate vulnerabilities, evaluate security tools and develop new research capabilities, with a commitment to making its work publicly available. "Of course we'll open source everything we generate out of that," Tackett said. But the team's mission goes beyond finding vulnerabilities and publishing technical discoveries. Tackett wants researchers to explain how they reached their findings, giving other security professionals the knowledge and methods needed to conduct meaningful research themselves. That includes showing practitioners how to investigate embedded systems, identify weaknesses and contribute findings that improve security rather than simply generating attention. "Let's show people how they can do it," Tackett said. Vulnerability research can be difficult to enter without access to specialized equipment, experienced mentors or established research teams. Publishing findings helps defenders understand specific weaknesses. Teaching the research process can help develop the next generation of people capable of discovering them. Secure Ideas has not yet announced a formal name for the team. Tackett joked that Pesci has one restriction: It cannot include the word "labs," a term he believes has become overused across the cybersecurity industry. [Subscribe to the CYBR.SEC.Media newsletter](#/portal/signup/free) ## Taking PCI compliance beyond the checkbox Secure Ideas is also expanding its consulting and education capabilities through the addition of Jeff Man, who is developing the company's Payment Card Industry (PCI) practice. The goal isn't simply to provide assessments as a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA). Tackett wants the practice to publish guidance that helps organizations understand and implement PCI security requirements without having to pay a consultant for every answer. That effort addresses a persistent criticism of compliance programs: Organizations sometimes focus more on satisfying auditors than improving security. Tackett believes PCI's reputation for checkbox security obscures the value of the standard itself. "PCI is actually built out pretty good information on how to be secure," he said. Unlike some risk-based frameworks that describe desired outcomes without prescribing detailed implementation methods, PCI provides specific requirements and supporting documentation. The problem, Tackett argues, is how organizations approach those requirements. When compliance becomes an exercise in checking boxes, companies can overlook the security improvements the controls are intended to deliver. Man's work is aimed at changing that mindset by publishing educational content that helps practitioners understand the purpose and practical value of PCI requirements. Tackett said the company wants people to get answers without being billed simply because they asked a question. ## Making cybersecurity training affordable — or free Training is another major focus. Tackett said Secure Ideas is developing educational opportunities designed to be as affordable as possible, including free access for people who cannot afford to participate. "We're working to build out where it's going to be as affordable as we can possibly make it, up to, including giving free access to people who can't afford to go," he said. The company is still developing the schedule and details, but the objective is clear: Reduce financial barriers to technical education. That approach addresses one of cybersecurity's longstanding workforce challenges. People entering the profession are often encouraged to develop hands-on skills, pursue certifications and build practical experience. Yet advanced instruction can be expensive, particularly for students, career changers and people without employer-sponsored training budgets. Making technical education more accessible won't eliminate those obstacles, but it can create opportunities for people who might otherwise be excluded. Tackett's own career illustrates why unconventional pathways matter. He began working with bulletin board systems as a teenager, moved into software development and systems administration, and eventually became a penetration tester, instructor and business owner. He also helped develop web application penetration testing training for SANS Institute. Despite those accomplishments, Tackett said he never earned a college degree. He recalled that the lack of a degree prevented him from receiving a more senior title during a brief stint working at a bank. His experience reinforces the importance of recognizing technical ability and practical experience alongside formal credentials. ## Taking the 'Professionaly Evil Tour' to local communities Secure Ideas also plans to bring its expertise directly to smaller cybersecurity communities through an initiative Tackett jokingly calls the "Professionally Evil Tour." The company is developing a schedule of appearances intended to support local conferences, practitioners and community organizations. Rather than concentrating exclusively on major industry events, Tackett wants to visit communities where participation from experienced professionals could help strengthen local security networks. He cited his experience at a first-year conference in Wisconsin as an example of the kind of grassroots event he wants to support. The idea is to help local communities grow by sharing expertise, encouraging participation and connecting people who might not otherwise have access to established cybersecurity professionals. It's a philosophy that aligns closely with the mission of CYBR.SEC.Community, whose events emphasize technical education, community participation and making conference content publicly available. Farnum and Wylie noted during the discussion that CYBR.SEC.Community makes recorded conference presentations freely accessible, including talks from CYBR.SEC.CON and CYBR.HAK.CON. The shared principle is that useful knowledge shouldn't disappear behind a conference registration fee once an event ends. ## Can giving knowledge away strengthen a business? There's an obvious commercial question behind Secure Ideas' approach. How does a consulting company sustain itself while giving away research, tools and education that other organizations might charge for? Tackett doesn't pretend that running a business is free. Secure Ideas has grown to approximately 30 employees over more than 16 years, and he recognizes the responsibility of maintaining salaries, benefits and a sustainable operation. But he rejects the assumption that sharing expertise and building a successful business are competing goals. He believes publicly available knowledge can demonstrate expertise, build trust and ultimately create opportunities for consulting work. "I'd love everybody to hire us, but the goal is not to get hired," Tackett said. "The goal is to help people." That approach also informs the company's expansion beyond research and training. Tackett described efforts to strengthen its existing consulting practice while developing educational material that practitioners can use independently. The result is an emerging model in which consulting, research and education reinforce one another rather than operating as separate businesses. Whether the approach succeeds at scale will depend on execution. Secure Ideas has yet to release full details of its new research program, training schedule or free-access arrangements. But the direction Tackett is pursuing is unmistakable. He wants the company's success measured not just by revenue, clients or technical discoveries, but by whether its work leaves other people better equipped to defend themselves. And he believes that responsibility belongs to the broader cybersecurity industry. "We stand on the shoulders of giants," Tackett said, before adding what he considers the missing half of that expression. "We are the shoulders others stand upon." For an industry facing persistent skills shortages, increasingly complex threats and growing demand for specialized expertise, that's more than a statement about community. It's a challenge to rethink who gets access to cybersecurity knowledge — and what the people who possess it should do with it. 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