Join us for the THE ART OF SOCIAL ENGINEERING workshop ! This is an exciting exploration of Defense, Deceit, and Exploitation in the world of social engineering. Discover the intricacies of human behavior and how hackers and Cyber Criminals manipulate them for various purposes. This in-person and 0nline event will be held at the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation in Davie, FL, USA. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of social engineering!

Meet The Speaker:

Alexander James Cobblah
Cybersecurity Strategist | Red Team Leader | Exploit Developer

Alexander James Cobblah is a Sought after Offensive Security and Penetration Testing Subject Matter Expert with over 21 years of hands-on experience in cybersecurity, red teaming, exploit development, and advanced penetration testing. A recognized leader in both offensive and defensive Cyber operations, Alex has built a career at the intersection of elite technical execution and creative threat emulation. His expertise spans vulnerability assessments, operational red team exercises, advanced web application testing, and cyber training development for both public and private sector clients.

Alex has led penetration testing engagements across more than 30 industries, including critical infrastructure, national airports, major food manufacturers, and Fortune 50 financial and healthcare institutions. He was instrumental in managing a federal pilot program that successfully tested over 1,400 web applications under congressional oversight—an effort that required tactical precision and inventive vulnerability chaining. Throughout his career, he has also developed exploit frameworks, penetration testing automation tools, and a senior-level training curriculum focused on exploit development.

As a former Managing Director of a multinational penetration testing firm, Alex specializes in non-traditional, high-complexity targets and advanced threat emulation. His dual background in both offensive security and computer network defense (CNDSP/CSSP Analyst) gives him a rare perspective on adversary behaviors and how to detect, respond to, and mitigate them effectively.

Alex’s background in criminology and forensics enables him to approach cybersecurity from a uniquely analytical lens. He has served as the opposing force (OPFOR) designer for federal cyber exercises, where he created “injects” and real-world threat scenarios that push the boundaries of network defense readiness. His training materials and live demos have been delivered to high-level military and intelligence community leaders, focusing on state-sponsored attack vectors and hacktivist methodologies.

An advocate for the next generation of cybersecurity talent, Alex actively mentors rising professionals through educational content, technical blogs, and real-world scenario design. He also holds a BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland and a long list of technical certifications, including CISSP, OSCE, GXPN, OSCP, and CEH.

Outside of cyber, Alex is a dedicated martial artist in Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and Wing Chun Kung Fu—disciplines that mirror his precision, adaptability, and strategic thinking in cybersecurity.

TOPICS COVERED

• Social engineering fundamentals and attacker mindset

• Phishing variants: spear phishing, whaling, vishing, SMShing, and social media impersonation

• Reconnaissance and pretext creation using OSINT and dark web sources

• Cloning enterprise platforms (e.g., Microsoft 365, GitHub) for credential harvesting

• Exploiting trust, urgency, and behavioral cues for maximum impact

• Use of AI in social engineering, including:

• AI-generated phishing emails and fake personas

• Deepfake audio/video for vishing and executive impersonation

• Generative AI for automated campaign scaling and targeting

• MFA bypass techniques, domain priming, and payload delivery

• Post-exploitation strategies: lateral movement, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration

• Real-world case study: multi-phase compromise of a data analytics firm

• Red team tradecraft: phishing infrastructure, tooling, and evasion methods