How I Stay Up to Date in Cybersecurity (And How You Can Too)

Staying updated in cybersecurity isn't optional. It’s essential.

Whether you’re just getting started or already working in the field, knowing where to get the latest news, breach reports, vulnerability discoveries, and trend analysis can make or break your career momentum. Not only is this a common interview question: “How do you stay up to date in cybersecurity?” but if you don’t have a solid answer, you’re likely getting passed up for opportunities.

If that sounds like you, don’t worry. Below is a breakdown of the exact sources I personally use to stay informed in this fast-moving field. Consider it your starter kit.

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1. Cybersecurity Headlines by the CISO Series

🎧 Format: Podcast (5–8 min episodes, daily)🌐 CISOseries.com

If I could only recommend one news podcast, this would be it.

Cybersecurity Headlines is quick, digestible, and packed with real insight, not fluff. Each episode takes around five to eight minutes, which makes it perfect for your morning routine, a quick grocery run, or even while you’re in the shower. On Fridays, they publish a 20-minute weekly recap that includes expert commentary and discussion.

I’ve listened to this daily for years. You don’t even need to catch every single episode as they release, fall behind a week, and you can binge the backlog in under an hour.

While they offer other shows like Defense in Depth and the CISO Series Podcast, I personally stick to Cybersecurity Headlines. It’s short, relevant, and consistent. You can also subscribe to their newsletter if reading is more your style.

2. Cybersecurity Today by IT World Canada

🎧 Format: Podcast (3x per week + Weekly Recap)🌐 ITWorldCanada.com

Yes, it’s Canadian. No, that doesn’t make it irrelevant to U.S. or global listeners.

Cybersecurity Today covers both Canadian and international stories. It’s similar to Cybersecurity Headlines, but they release episodes every other weekday, not daily. Their weekly recap on Saturdays is more in-depth and features discussions with security professionals.

The only downside? They take more breaks, holidays especially, so expect more gaps in coverage compared to the CISO Series. But when they’re live, the content is solid and well-informed.

3. CompTIA SmartBrief

📩 Format: Email Newsletter (Daily)🌐 SmartBrief.com

I’ve been receiving this one ever since I earned my Security+ certification. It’s a curated newsletter that highlights 8–10 relevant news stories from across the industry. I rarely read every single article, but I always scan the headlines. If something looks useful or interesting, I click through and read it in full.

That’s the key: you don’t need to read everything. Stay high-level and go deeper only when it makes sense. For example, I’ll always click on breaches that happen in my home state or a story about a vulnerability in software I actually use.

It’s one of the most efficient ways to stay informed.

4. The Hacker News

📩 Format: Newsletter or Website🌐 TheHackerNews.com

This one’s a staple in the cybersecurity world. Whether you read it online or via the email digest, The Hacker News covers everything from zero-days and malware to data leaks and APT campaigns.

Same deal here, I read every headline and only dive deeper when it’s relevant to me. You’ll notice a lot of overlap between news sources, especially for major stories. But each one has a slightly different take or additional context, which is why I recommend subscribing to multiple.

5. SANS NewsBites

📩 Format: Newsletter (Twice weekly)🌐 sans.org/newsbites

SANS doesn’t play around when it comes to quality. Their NewsBites newsletter is concise, well-curated, and authored by industry experts.

You’ll get summaries with links to full articles, often with added commentary. They also offer other newsletters like OUCH! Security Awareness and At-Risk Security Alert, but NewsBites is the one I find most useful.

It’s another solid resource that helps you stay informed without needing to dedicate hours to reading.

6. This Is an IT Support Group (Newsletter)

📩 Format: Newsletter (Weekly)🌐 thisisanitsupportgroup.com 

Originally a Facebook group, this has evolved into one of my favorite underrated newsletters.

They include a dedicated cybersecurity section in each issue and often highlight career tips, job advice, and infosec updates that other outlets don’t.

7. LinkedIn

🧠 Format: Social feed

This one surprises people, but hear me out.

If you follow the right folks on LinkedIn, practitioners, thought leaders, and respected voices in cybersecurity, you’ll often hear about news before any of the outlets report on it. Why? Because many professionals post in real time about zero-days, breaches, and vendor issues they’re actively working on.

It’s not perfect, and your feed can get messy if you’re following the wrong people, but it’s one of the fastest ways to get a pulse on the industry.

Avoid doomscrolling, mute noisy accounts, and curate a feed that informs you. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn just by checking LinkedIn once or twice a day.

Bonus: My Newsletter – The Cyber Mindset Digest

📩 Format: Weekly Newsletter (Monday)🌐 kyserclark.com/newsletter

Let’s be clear, my newsletter isn’t about industry news.

The Cyber Mindset Digest is designed to help you stay sharp, motivated, and on track with your cybersecurity goals. Every Monday, I send out a message packed with insights about mindset, strategy, discipline, and the struggles we all face as we try to build a meaningful career in this field.

I also include links to all my latest content (podcast episodes, blog posts, YouTube videos), so you don’t miss a beat. If you’re serious about personal growth in cybersecurity, you’ll get a lot of value from it.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t an exhaustive list, and that’s the point.

Start here. Add more sources as you go. Everyone’s preferences are different, and eventually, you’ll figure out which ones are worth keeping in your rotation. What matters most is that you do something, because if you’re not staying up to date, you’re falling behind.

To recap, here’s what I currently use to stay informed:

• Cybersecurity Headlines (CISO Series podcast)

• Cybersecurity Today (ITWC podcast)

• CompTIA SmartBrief (email newsletter)

• The Hacker News (email or website)

• SANS NewsBites (newsletter)

• This Is an IT Support Group (newsletter)

• LinkedIn (industry professionals)

• The Cyber Mindset Digest (my personal newsletter)

  
  

You don’t need to consume every article, podcast, or video. Skim headlines, stay aware, and go deep when it matters. That’s how you stay sharp, avoid overwhelm, and remain competitive in this fast-changing industry.

And if you want help not just staying informed, but staying motivated, subscribe to The Cyber Mindset Digest. It’s free, it’s weekly, and it’s straight from me to you.

Stay sharp out there.