EPISODE · Nov 16, 2023 · 43 MIN
Terence Bennett: Cracking The Cybersecurity Code
from Scouting for Growth · host Sabine VdL
On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Terence Bennett, CEO of DreamFactory Software, who brings with him a decade's worth of insights into cybersecurity, adversarial simulations, and API advancements. He's a veteran, both in serving his country and in protecting digital domains. Today, we're delving deep into Terence's illustrious career, the current cyber threat landscape, and the role of emerging technologies in shaping our digital future. KEY TAKEAWAYS If you spend enough time with computers I think you just figure out there’s a whole other world in this application of computing and technology. I spent a lot of time in hacking forums online in the early 2000s, through that I got into early web development and learning the different ways to use the internet in ways it wasn’t intended. 10 years later I came back around to cybersecurity as a professional. BEST MOMENTS ‘RedTeaming is about simulating an adversary as they go about the process of trying to get into a network, computer, or facility.’ ‘As cybersecurity, as a field, has matured you’ll find very specific signatures to different kinds of attackers in the way the actually go about doing that.’ ‘The challenges are, first and foremost, having enough people with the right skills to actually build APIs. Public facing APIs account for 14% of the total number of APIs that teams are buildings, and in some cases they account for 50-75% of a company’s revenue.’ ‘Ransomware attacks are the 800lb gorilla in the room when it comes to threats… as we see organisations accelerating through digitisation/monetisation strategies, they’re connecting more and more data and systems that used to be offline and you can’t avoid that.’ ABOUT THE GUEST Terence Bennett is the CEO of DreamFactory Software, a leader in API code automation based in Northern California. He has over 10 years of experience in cybersecurity, REST APIs, operations, and leadership. Previously, Bennett was the COO of Integrate.io and a member of Google's offensive security "RedTeam". At Google, he helped craft realistic cybersecurity exercises to test the company's defences. He has deep expertise in cybersecurity, penetration testing, and adversarial simulation. Bennett served in the U.S. Navy for over 8 years as a Naval Intelligence Officer and Surface Warfare Officer. He was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and worked at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master's degree from the U.S. Naval War College. Bennett is passionate about giving back through public service. He serves on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross - Northern California Coastal Region and on the Board of Advisors for Shields & Stripes, which assists veterans with PTSD. As a leader in API automation, Bennett frequently speaks on how code automation is changing software development. He aims to simplify complex integration challenges and help companies go to market faster. ABOUT THE HOST Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet. If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights. And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at [email protected]
What this episode covers
In this episode of Scouting for Growth, Sabine VdL sits down with Terence Bennett, CEO of DreamFactory Software, to explore the uncomfortable reality behind digital growth: every new connection expands the attack surface. Terence brings a rare dual perspective to the conversation. He’s a veteran in the most literal sense—having served as a U.S. Naval Intelligence Officer—and a veteran of the digital frontlines, with deep experience in cybersecurity, offensive security, and API infrastructure. His career path, from early hacking forums in the 2000s to Google’s elite Red Team, reflects a truth many leaders are only now confronting: technology always creates a second, unintended world—and someone will explore it. The discussion opens with Terence’s early fascination with computing beyond its “intended” use. That curiosity eventually matured into a professional focus on cybersecurity, adversarial simulation, and understanding how attackers actually think. Red teaming, he explains, isn’t about compliance checklists—it’s about simulating real adversaries, real motivations, and real methods. As the field has matured, attackers have developed distinct behavioural signatures, and defenders who ignore this reality do so at their peril. APIs take centre stage in the conversation, and for good reason. Public-facing APIs may represent a small percentage of total APIs built—but in many organisations, they generate the majority of revenue. That creates a paradox: the very systems enabling growth are often the least protected. Talent shortages compound the risk. Building, securing, and maintaining APIs requires specialised skills that remain in short supply, even as demand accelerates. Ransomware looms large throughout the episode. Terence calls it what it is: the 800-pound gorilla of modern cyber threats. As organisations race to digitise, monetise, and integrate systems once kept offline, they’re creating new dependencies—and new vulnerabilities. Avoidance is no longer a strategy. Exposure is the price of progress. Yet this isn’t a conversation driven by fear. It’s driven by pragmatism. Terence argues that automation, when done right, is a force multiplier. API code automation can reduce human error, accelerate time to market, and give security teams a fighting chance to keep pace with innovation. The goal isn’t to slow growth—it’s to make growth survivable. This episode is essential listening for CISOs, CIOs, CTOs, and enterprise leaders balancing speed with resilience. It’s a reminder that cybersecurity isn’t a technical afterthought—it’s a strategic discipline that must evolve alongside digital ambition. The real risk isn’t being attacked. It’s building the future without understanding who else is watching—and how they get in.
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Terence Bennett: Cracking The Cybersecurity Code
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