Brenno de Winter
Brenno de Winter is a distinguished cybersecurity expert, ethical hacker, and thought leader known for his relentless commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical technology. After years in IT, De Winter transitioned to journalism, where he combined his technical expertise with investigative reporting. His work exposed serious security flaws in government systems, corporate networks, and public infrastructure, driving meaningful change. His reporting was characterized by a clear, accessible style that made complex cybersecurity issues understandable to a broad audience. This approach earned him the title of "Journalist of the Year" in the Netherlands in 2011.
He is the cat-father of OpenKAT, an open-source cybersecurity monitoring solution, and led the initiative of MIAUW (Methodiek voor Informatiebeveiligingsonderzoek met Auditwaarde), a structured methodology for penetration testing that has been adopted by organizations seeking to ensure audit-quality security assessments. While MIAUW was his initiative, its development has been a collaborative effort, benefiting from the contributions of other experts in the field.
De Winter is also a respected voice on privacy rights, digital resilience, and regulatory compliance. He regularly speaks on topics such as NIS2, ISO 27001, the GDPR, and the Cyber Resilience Act, offering practical guidance on navigating the complex world of digital regulation. His focus on bridging the gap between technical security measures and organizational governance has made him a sought-after advisor.
Beyond his consultancy work, De Winter remains an active advocate for cybersecurity awareness. He has launched the "Katcast" podcast, where he discusses cybersecurity, privacy, and digital rights, making these critical topics accessible to a broader audience. His passion for teaching and his dedication to ethical technology continue to drive his work, making him a respected figure in the cybersecurity community.
Sessions
In the realm of cybersecurity, workplaces can be surprisingly unsafe, with a higher turnover of CISOs and alarming rates of misconduct. This talk explores the mechanisms behind this paradox, examining organizational dynamics, the pressures on CISOs, and the emergence of toxic behaviors. By analyzing real-world some very personal examples, we will uncover the root causes of these issues and provide practical solutions to foster a safer, more resilient cybersecurity culture.
In a world of relentless cyber-threats, MIAUW (Methodology for Information Security Assessment with Audit Value) turns every pentest into a high-impact, traceable mission. This session reveals how its storyline-driven playbook fuses technical exploitation, legal rigor and forensic reporting into a reusable blueprint that regulators love and attackers fear. Expect war-stories, live-demo snippets, and a roadmap to weaponize compliance while clawing back control over risk.