Hey folks, I'll be at DEF CON in Vegas this year! Would love to see you all there!

• 
  
• Jack's Parties: https://twitter.com/JackRhysider/status/1686785376327987200
• Checkout Miscreants at the Vendor Area: https://www.miscreants.com/
• 
  

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Journey into Cybersecurity and OSCP Certification with Rana Khalil

This episode features Rana Khalil, a Senior Cybersecurity Assessment Analyst with a rich background in pen-testing, especially in the financial sector. Rana shares her non-traditional entry into technology, starting with a dislike for her first laptop and phone, transitioning from biochemistry to a math degree, and eventually finding a passion in computer science, leading her to cryptography and cybersecurity. Her academic journey includes significant work in cryptography, under the tutelage of Carlisle Adams, and a master’s project on web application vulnerability scanners. Rana discusses her motivation and relentless pursuit of the OSCP certification, highlighting the importance of hands-on experience, teaching, and documenting the learning process through write-ups. She also conveys the value of previous experience in related fields, the significance of specializing and pacing in learning, and shares insights into her career progression, including valuable advice for people aspiring to enter the cybersecurity field.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Background

01:47 Rana's Journey into Cybersecurity

02:45 Rana's Early Interest in Mathematics and Cryptography

05:47 Transition into Computer Science and Web Security

10:52 Master's Research on Web Application Vulnerability Scanners

13:02 First Security Job and the Impact of Public Speaking

15:11 Journey to the OSCP Certification

17:36 The Value of Self-Study and Accountability

18:53 Reflections on the OSCP Experience

20:59 Understanding the OCP Exam

21:13 The Importance of Lab Time

22:18 The Value of Documenting Your Journey

22:49 Introduction to the OSWE Certification

25:07 The Role of Experience in Security

25:16 The Life of a Security Professional

25:25 The Importance of Specialization in Security

26:24 The Value of Previous Experience in Security

29:55 The Challenges and Rewards of Pen Testing

30:43 The Balance of Work and Personal Time in Security

34:58 The Importance of Focusing on One Area in Security

37:07 The Importance of Understanding Source Code

38:11 Final Thoughts and Advice

Thank you for listening!

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Norman Weekes is on the Security Operations Team at Salesforce. He is in charge of scanning their infrastructure and ensuring that everything is set up and operating properly.

Norman already spent almost a year in the information security world. This is also his first official full-time security job. After going through different job contracts, he believes that if everything's shut down early, there's no reason not to just get in a good routine and go after whatever certification or whatever job you want. This episode will undoubtedly inspire and assist job contractors who are considering a career in the information security world.

LINKS

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/normanjr/

Security and Privacy Framework: iapp.org

Full Show Notes: https://www.gettingintoinfosec.com/

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Niru Ragupathy is a Security Engineer at Google and works as the Offensive Security Lead and manages part of the Offensive Security Team. She is currently the Tech Lead Manager. Niru sees managing as a challenging, interesting ride yet undervalued skill. She also considers it rewarding although it demands the investment of both time and effort. 

She believes that it is important to start leading and take things slowly but not take the decision lightly. Having planned on taking Biotech in College but being persuaded by her parents, she was thrust to take on Computer Sciences since it has greater demands in society. In the face of her struggles, Niru has found her sense of belongingness in security management. This episode will surely encourage and benefit Engineers who struggle in transitioning on management. 

LINKS

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/niru-ragupathy-99078233

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John Gates is a Lead IT Security Operations Analyst for a global food brand. John has always liked to know how do things work - and that has proven to be a beneficial trait - from his first job as a car mechanic to IT consultancy and education to his current role. He’s also an advisor and former board member at OpsecEdu, an organization educating technologists in state, local, and education agencies on security best practices. 

LINKS

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngates/

OpsecEdu: https://www.opsecedu.com/

Intro Music: https://trash80.com/#/content/133/weeklybeats-2012-week5

Full Show Notes: https://www.gettingintoinfosec.com/john-gates-from-car-mechanic-to-lead-security-analyst/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Samantha Cowan is the Head of Compliance at HackerOne. She's the former Director of Compliance at OneLogin and former Security Engineer at CoverHound, Cyber Policy, and Zenefits. Sam initially perceived Infosec as an "unhappy job", but later found herself taking her MBA and paving her way into the security industry. Despite having her master's degree, she was not an exemption to facing rejections when applying for cybersecurity. Her episode is mind-blowing as she shares how you can break into boundaries by being confident in yourself and by not compromising to being seen as a token hire.

LINKS

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthacowan/
• Intro Music: https://trash80.com/#/content/133/weeklybeats-2012-week5
• Security and Privacy Framework: iapp.org

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Follow @coffeewithayman on Twitter for more

For more information check out: gettingintoinfosec.com

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Betsy Bevilacqua is the current VP of Information Security at Chainalysis. Initially, she had her mind set on law school until she did a self-audit and realized that she enjoyed computers and tech much more. Her journey into infosec led her to move from Kenya to the US to obtain a degree in Security and explore various companies involved in academia, food and facilities, healthcare, telephone communications, and finance to more traditional tech. Her interview is full of advice for those looking to break in and those already in infosec.Computer

Links, Detailed Show Notes, and Transcript:

https://gettingintoinfosec.com/betsy

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Dr. Eric Cole is an accomplished cybersecurity hacker and executive advisor. His career has been a mix of sixth-sense chance encounters and wisdom/foresight of the future. His uncanny ability to see the opportunity in cybersecurity combined with the wisdom to listen to those smarter than him is why he is where he is today. His interview is chock full of poignant advice and tips.

Dr. Eric Cole also has a creative side to him: he's a musician. He was a French horn player before and now, he's a drummer. He's known as the Tommy Lee of Cybersecurity.

Eric Cole's Quick List of Advice

• Always be respectful, Don't be an A**Hole to other people… but don't give a crap what other people say or think because we're unique and different. If you're an entrepreneur in cybersecurity, they're not gonna get ya.
• Listen to people that are smarter than you and have made the mistakes before you make them.
• Life will force you to repeat lessons until you learn them.
• The biggest gap is in the monitoring, detection, and analyst side.

Quotes

• "It's all about looking at calculated risk, understanding [the] pros and cons, and taking chances."
• "You've done the same thing six times in a row, and it doesn't work. What makes you think if you do it a seventh time [that] it's actually going to work?"
• "Try different things."
• "Have advisory board members for your life."
• "If the best professionals in the world have coaches, why shouldn't we?"
• "If people are not listening to your advice, 99% of the time, it's because you didn't answer the right question."
• "Smart people know the right answer. Brilliant people ask the right question."
• "Good cybersecurity people solve problems. Great cybersecurity people solve the right problems."
• "Don't overlook the obvious."
• "It's never a lack of resources, but a lack of resourcefulness."

Getting Into Infosec

Other episodes, transcripts, a career guide to Getting Into Infosec:
https://gettingintoinfosec.com/

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Lisa Jiggetts knew from an early age that she was going to be in tech and cyber. A navy veteran who started off as a cook, she always found herself gravitating towards technology. She is also the Founder & Board of Director of the Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu, a non-profit that is dedicated to increasing the opportunities and advancement for women in cybersecurity. Check out her journey into the cybersecurity field.

Notes

• Originally a cook in the military, then migrated to information security.
• Looked for opportunities to transition into information security by talking to people in and outside her social network.
• Networking can be hard, but it will turn in your favor.
• Lisa is an introvert, but knows how to become an extrovert when needed.

Quotes

• "When you're starting out, you don't necessarily get into the area you want to be in—you got to work your way up."
• “That's the biggest thing you can do. I think is networking because somebody knows somebody."
• "So I got all these certifications… I read a book and pass. What is it to me personally? That didn't tell me, you know, how to do anything. They get you in the door."
• "[Networking is] hard, but just do it because, in the end, it's gonna turn out in your favor."

Links

• Lisa on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisajiggetts
• Intro Music: https://trash80.com/#/content/133/weeklybeats-2012-week5
• Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu: https://womenscyberjutsu.org/

Getting Into Infosec

• Breaking IN: A Practical Guide to Starting a Career in Information Security: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N15GTPC/
• T-Shirts, Mugs, and more: https://gettingintoinfosec.com/shop/ 
• Stay in touch and sign up for sneak peeks, updates, and commentary: https://gettingintoinfosec.com/subscribe
• Ayman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/coffeewithayman
• Follow Us on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/getintoinfosec
• Follow Us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coffeewithayman/
• Join our community: https://community.gettingintoinfosec.com/

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Eric Strom is the Unit Chief of the Mission Critical Engagement Unit, Cyber Division. In this role, Mr. Strom oversees the FBI Cyber Division’s private sector outreach efforts to the 16 critical infrastructure sectors, forging partnerships with companies in those sectors to develop and share threat intelligence related to activities by sophisticated criminal organizations as well as nation-state actors.

Notes

• Eric has been with the FBI for 21 years, since June 1999
• Originally a lawyer practicing criminal defense and civil defense, then went to non-profit
• Early on in the FBI, they had to do a lot of workarounds. Cyber wasn't so straightforward
• 56 Field offices were all doing something different, then became consolidated centrally as a service organization

Quotes

• "Now, it's funny. None of us really had a traditional cyber background. Tom started out his career as a geologist, and Keith actually started out selling, like, furniture. He was a salesman."

• "But, I mean, from the legal standpoint, you've got third-party liability and other things. So we really had to walk a kind of a tight rope when it came to what types of malware we were infecting ourselves with. And then how far we'd let it go."

• "And so as we're taking it over, it was really interesting to sit behind one of the malware analysts and watch a Wireshark and watch the instructions coming out. I crossed the wire. It was really cool. And when it really kind of sunk in, because to me, it was like a tangible thing. I can actually see it happening as it was going on."

• "It's (cybersecurity) probably the most rewarding thing you'll ever do in your life."

Links

• FBI: https://www.fbi.gov/
• Intro Music: https://trash80.com/#/content/133/weeklybeats-2012-week5
• Outro Music: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/KieLoKaz/Free_Ganymed/Alte_Herren_Kielokaz_ID_364

Getting Into Infosec

• Breaking IN: A Practical Guide to Starting a Career in Information Security: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N15GTPC/

• T-Shirts, Mugs, and more: https://gettingintoinfosec.com/shop/

• Stay in touch and sign up for sneak peeks, updates, and commentary: https://gettingintoinfosec.com/subscribe

• Ayman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/coffeewithayman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Gabriel Agboruche (@ICS_Gabe) is a senior ICS and OT cybersecurity consultant, helping organizations solve their most challenging industrial control security problems. And that was a mouthful, but that's what he does. His journey's unique one, and almost didn't happen.

Notes

• Gabe was a math whiz in the Detroit Public school system
• During college, he had some unique experiences as an African American, one of which was due to him being the top of his class
• Gabe was an electrical engineer working at a nuclear facility, then #Stuxnet happened
• The demand for cybersecurity skills combined with his experience and love for growth paved the way for where he is today.

Quotes

• "All these systems are air-gapped by regulatory guidance."
• "I'm here for my education. I'm going to get this education. And not even necessarily prove this person wrong, but I'm going to be here and do what I have to do in order to get where I desire to be."
• "He's like, wow, you're the first black guy that I have ever seen in person."
• "I almost rushed with him for one (a fra)."
• " I saw that I would gain a greater exposure to a lot more technologies within my field. I get to see different plants. I get to touch different areas."

Links

• Twitter: @ICS_Gabe
• ICS with Gabe Podcast
• Darknet Diaries Triton Episode
• An Episode with Jack Rhysider

Getting Into Infosec Info

• Breaking IN: A Practical Guide to Starting a Career in Information Security: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N15GTPC/
• T-Shirts, Mugs, and more: https://gettingintoinfosec.com/shop/
• Stay in touch and sign up for sneak peeks, updates, and commentary: https://gettingintoinfosec.com/subscribe
• Ayman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/coffeewithayman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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