Kristian Kannelønning, Cyber Security Officer at Siemens. Kristian brings a rare combination of hands-on industrial experience and deep academic expertise. His PhD research, “Lowering Cybersecurity Entry Barriers for Industry 4.0,” focuses on making advanced security capabilities practical and accessible in real-world industrial environments something that is increasingly critical as organisations undergo digital transformation. In his role at Siemens, Kristian works at the intersection of complex systems, operational resilience, and security strategy, helping organisations identify risks, implement effective defenses, and navigate the challenges of securing modern industrial infrastructure. What makes his perspective particularly valuable is his ability to bridge the gap between technical depth and operational reality turning cybersecurity from theory into something that actually works in practice. And a fun fact we love: Kristian is one of very few electricians with a PhD in cybersecurity. We’re excited to have him share his insights with the BSides community in Kristiansand.
Eli Sofie is a director and team leader at Advisense, with over fifteen years of experience in information security. She possesses extensive experience in establishing and implementing Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) in both the public and private sectors, along with in-depth knowledge of risk management and auditing. Recognized as an expert in her field, Eli Sofie is a sought-after speaker who shares her insights and experiences to promote a culture of security and understanding. She is passionate about emphasizing the importance of strategic security management and its role in protecting an organization's most valuable assets.
Georgia Weidman is a penetration tester, security researcher, and founder of Bulb Security, a cybersecurity consulting firm, and Shevirah, a venture-backed mobile security company. She is the author of Penetration Testing: A Hands-On Introduction to Hacking, and her work has been featured internationally in print and broadcast media.
Her research, supported by a DARPA Cyber Fast Track grant, focuses on identifying real-world attack paths across modern enterprise environments, including mobile ecosystems, backend services, and emerging technologies. She has taught and presented at venues on six continents, including Black Hat, DEF CON, RSA, Oxford University, NSA, and West Point.
In addition to her research and industry work, she teaches cybersecurity and focuses on making complex security concepts accessible to a wider audience.
She holds U.S. Patents #10,432,656 and #11,089,044 related to simulated phishing and has received industry recognition, including the Women's Society of CyberJutsu Pentest Ninja award.
Paul Bernhard Svenning brings over 25 years of experience in IT and more than 15 years in cybersecurity, offering a pragmatic, real-world perspective on how attacks actually unfold. His core insight is simple: attackers rarely “hack” systems they exploit people.
Throughout his career, Paul has worked with organisations including Aker Solutions, Cognizant, SpareBank 1, Nortura, NorgesGruppen, and Aker Security. He currently operates as a security consultant at Globeteam Norge, where he provides CISO-for-hire services across a range of industries.
His work sits at the intersection of cyber, operational technology (OT), and physical security where governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) frameworks meet operational reality. Paul focuses on the human element of security, as well as the growing threat landscape shaped by AI-driven social engineering and deepfake impersonation.
More recently, he has been exploring security challenges in emerging domains such as drones and robotics, uncovering new and often overlooked attack surfaces. At BSides Kristiansand, Paul delivers practical insights that cut through complexity translating modern threats into actionable understanding for defenders operating in real environments.
Gabriel Berrios is an Application Security Engineer at Schibsted, specialising in offensive security, cyber threat intelligence, and incident handling. His work spans web, cloud, and distributed architectures, where he combines hands-on penetration testing with malware analysis and reverse engineering to better understand attacker behaviour.
With a strong background in CTFs and practical exploitation, Gabriel approaches real-world security challenges from an adversarial mindset. He has delivered lectures on Android application security testing and contributed to initiatives focused on security awareness and secure development practices.
His current focus includes threat modelling, malware reversing, and bridging offensive techniques with incident response and detection, bringing a well-rounded perspective that connects attacker tradecraft with defensive strategy.
Caleb Davis is a founding member of SolaSec, a cybersecurity consulting firm specializing in advanced penetration testing for embedded and connected systems. Based in Dallas/Fort Worth, he holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Tyler and is a patent-holding expert with vast experience in hardware and firmware security. Caleb leads deep technical assessments across a range of high-impact industries, including medical devices, automotive, industrial control systems, ATMs and financial terminals, aerospace components, and consumer electronics. His work focuses on secure design, trusted boot processes, cryptographic implementations, and threat modeling, helping organizations integrate security throughout the development lifecycle and align with industry and regulatory standards.