Perry Carpenter

Perry Carpenter is an author, podcaster, and speaker with more than two decades of experience in cybersecurity, focusing on the human factors that influence digital risk. As a cybersecurity professional, human factors expert, and deception researcher, Carpenter has explored how cybercriminals exploit human behavior, a pursuit rooted in early interests in magic tricks and mental manipulation that evolved into a mission to protect individuals from digital threats.

Before joining KnowBe4, Carpenter led security awareness, security culture management, and anti-phishing behavior management research at Gartner Research. His responsibilities included identity and access management strategy, CISO program management mentoring, and technology service provider success strategies. Carpenter has provided security consulting and advisory services for global brands across North America and Europe. At KnowBe4, as Chief Human Risk Management Strategist, he helps organizations strengthen defenses by addressing the cognitive and cultural aspects of cyberthreats.

Carpenter is the author of "Transformational Security Awareness," which was inducted into the Cybersecurity Canon Hall of Fame. He co-authored "The Security Culture Playbook: An Executive Guide To Reducing Risk and Developing Your Human Defense Layer" with Kai Roer. His book "FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions" examines the challenges of navigating truth in an AI-powered world, exploring both the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence in the context of deception and misinformation.

In addition to his writing, Carpenter is active in media. He hosts "The FAIK Files," a podcast that explores how AI is reshaping reality through news, research, and real-world examples. He is also the creator and host of "8th Layer Insights," which examines the intersection of human behavior and security, and "Digital Folklore," a podcast chronicling the cultural evolution of the online world. "8th Layer Insights" provides a multidisciplinary exploration of how human nature impacts security and risk, a topic central to cybersecurity professionals.

Carpenter holds a Master of Science in Information Assurance from Norwich University in Vermont and is a Certified Chief Information Security Officer. Through speaking, writing, and podcasting, he educates audiences on vigilance, critical thinking, and responsible technology use, translating complex behavioral science and cybersecurity concepts into accessible narratives for those addressing the human side of digital risk.