Everyone’s path is different. Maybe you’ve got a computer science, or even an information security degree. Or maybe your classrooms were basements, garages, and the Internet as you wrestled knowledge from every nook and cranny you could find. Somewhere along the line you got a job (and perhaps some on-the-job training to go with it). Whatever path you took, it led you to SecTor… and this talk.
How you (and we as an industry) defend against attackers is a product of y(our) experiences. And it’s our diversity of human experience that hardens our organizations against attackers and makes cybersecurity so interesting.
In this talk I’ll walk through my own journey – from pulling cable in Alaska’s coal mines to contracting with the US government, starting a conference and wearing the CISO hat. Like many people, I’ve seen a lot of shtuff and it’s given me a unique perspective. Drawing on my own experiences, I’ll highlight how you can translate your own experiences into making better cyber risk decisions, and identify blank spaces you’ll want to fill in. You’ll even discover how to learn something new from mistakes you made years ago (just like me). And most importantly, to find and leverage others with experiences that make you (and our industry) smarter, stronger, and more resilient than any tool, tactic or procedure.