Corey Thuen and the Journey of Ethical Hacking

Exploring the Hacker Mindset

Corey Thuen, the founder and CEO of Gravwell, exemplifies a hacker mindset that is both intriguing and ethically nuanced. He emphasizes a culture where hackers can exploit vulnerabilities for constructive outcomes. Thuen refers to this essential quality in potential recruits as having ‘the evil bit’, an adversarial mindset that enables them to view products from the perspective of a potential attacker. He asserts, "If they don’t have that evil bit, I don’t think we can teach it." This belief underscores a fundamental aspect of his recruitment philosophy, rather than a definition of morality.

The Duality of Hacking

Thuen’s take on hacking draws a distinct line between ethical and malicious intents. He reflects on the age-old debate: “Who defines morality?” He notes the contrasting views within the hacking community: while some advocate for information freedom, others perceive this as a concerning ideology, particularly in sensitive areas like critical infrastructure. Thuen’s work often involves testing and enhancing the security of systems for government and private entities, reinforcing the notion that hacking skills can be a tool for improvement when applied with the right motives. He compares hacking skills to weapons, neither inherently good nor evil, but dependent on the user’s intentions.

Early Inspirations and Experiences

Thuen’s journey into hacking began early in his life. Growing up without a tech-savvy family, a turning point was when he received an old Packard Bell computer during high school. His natural curiosity led him to explore the machine and its software, sparking a lifelong interest in computers. Video games played a pivotal role in his early hacking ambitions. By using hex editors to tweak game files, he began to understand the mechanics of data manipulation, ultimately leading him to develop an affinity for hacking. Inspired by movies like Hackers, Thuen yearned for the thrill of navigating cyberspace, albeit with an ethically driven purpose.

Academic Foundation and Professional Growth

After high school, Thuen pursued an education in computer science, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Dakota. While he appreciated the coursework, he felt that the security aspects were notably lacking. This led him to continue his studies at the University of Idaho under a government scholarship program, designed to serve public interests post-graduation.

He subsequently joined the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), specializing in industrial control systems (ICS) security. During his tenure, he cultivated significant relationships, particularly with his future Gravwell co-founder, Kristopher Watts. At INL, Thuen's focus on cybersecurity heightened as he engaged with the complexities surrounding the protection of critical infrastructures.

Founding Southfork Security

In 2013, Thuen left INL to co-found Southfork Security alongside Kenneth Shaw. Their mission was to provide security testing services in the private sector, leveraging their skills to make the digital landscape safer. This endeavor marked Thuen’s transition from academia and government work to an entrepreneurial role.

The Controversy Over Visdom

While at Southfork, Thuen developed an open-source tool called Visdom, intended to tackle similar aims as INL's proprietary tool, Sophia. However, this decision led to legal turmoil when Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA)—the managing entity of INL—accused Thuen and Southfork of copyright infringement and trade secret misappropriation. The legal battles surrounding Visdom did not reach a public trial but were rife with complications, including the potential for forensic examinations of Thuen's hard drives. Despite the efforts to contest these allegations, a private settlement was reached after lengthy negotiations, resulting in the dissolution of Southfork and a setback for Thuen’s budding career.

Subsequent Professional Journey

After Southfork, Thuen continued his journey in cybersecurity by joining Digital Bond in 2014. As a senior researcher, he focused on critical topics such as IoT security, ICS, and vulnerability research—a natural fit given his background. Following a brief stint, he assumed a role as a senior consultant at IOActive, a firm recognized for its offensive security approach. During his time at IOActive, Thuen expanded his knowledge and expertise in identifying zero-day vulnerabilities, further honing his skills in the hacking domain. Leaving IOActive in 2017, he established Gravwell, a data analytics platform specifically aimed at security logs, machine data, and network data—a project blending his entrepreneurial spirit with his technical skills.

Gravwell’s Model and Philosophy

Gravwell operates on the principle that effective defense involves more than merely responding to threats; it requires a deep understanding of one’s environment. Thuen advocates that this insight empowers defenders, offering them advantages no attacker can possess. This philosophy echoes his belief that the nuances of cybersecurity reside not just in technology but in understanding human behavior, motivations, and ethics.

Corey Thuen’s Career Timeline

Reflections on Hacking and Ethics

Corey Thuen epitomizes the complexities within the world of hacking. With a career steeped in the exploration of security vulnerabilities, he balances the entrepreneurial spirit with a hacker’s curiosity. While he possesses that elusive ‘evil bit’, Thuen never crossed the line into harmful hacking, always opting for an ethical approach defined by a personal sense of justice. As he puts it, achieving success often requires playing into a challenge; the notion that a system can’t be breached is enough motivation for him to prove otherwise—not out of malice, but from an inherent sense of purpose and spite that drives him to excel.

Key Takeaways

• Corey Thuen founded Gravwell, focusing on data analytics and vulnerability detection.
• His recruitment strategy hinges on finding candidates with the ‘evil bit’—a natural adversarial mindset.
• Thuen's career includes working with government systems and developing tools that enhance cybersecurity.
• The legal challenges from his previous startup, Southfork Security, shaped his path, leading to significant professional growth.
• At Gravwell, his philosophy centers on maximizing defensive advantages by understanding the environment to combat threats effectively.