When the Gatekeepers Close the Door — But the Mic Stays On

Black Hat USA denied my media pass after 8 years of daily industry reporting. Here's why that matters.

Good morning, Security Gang —

Every August for nearly a decade, I’ve walked the halls of Black Hat USA. Not as a tourist. Not as a vendor. But as a practitioner, a podcaster, and someone fiercely committed to keeping this community informed.

The CyberHub Podcast has been a daily voice for CISOs, analysts, engineers, and tech leaders. We cover zero-days, supply chain hits, regulatory chaos, and real-world war zone cyber tactics. We’ve interviewed the biggest names, broken stories, and earned the trust of listeners across 100+ countries.

This year?
Black Hat denied me a media pass.
No explanation beyond: “You do not meet the requirements for a Media/Analyst pass.”

That’s right—after years of being granted media access, interviewing vendors and keynotes, and amplifying the event’s relevance to a global audience, the mic is apparently too independent for comfort.

What does this mean?

It’s not about me.
It’s about what stories get told—and who’s allowed to tell them.

We're watching the cybersecurity industry tighten its grip on messaging. Fewer practitioner voices. More PR-filtered content. The irony? In an industry that preaches diverse thinking and zero trust, we’re seeing centralization of narrative control.

You know what’s not dying?
This podcast.
This platform.
And this mission.

We’ll be in Vegas. We’ll cover the real stories. We’ll keep giving you what matters. Unfiltered. Unbought. Unapologetic.

🎙️ Still tuned in.
🎤 Still broadcasting for the people who do the work.
🛡️ Still fighting for the voice of the practitioner.

Stay cyber safe,
– James Azar