A happy Monday to all! 🥱☕️ I trust everyone had a nice weekend, and ready to go out and crush the week ahead, am I right? 😉
But first, coffee…
I have finally scheduled a date to take my exam to try and re-obtain my Security+ certification: May 5. I’ve got a bit of studying to do, and I’m naturally very nervous about the exam, hoping that I won’t fail it. Even though the last time I took it—back in 2018—and passed, I still have that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I’ll fail. I do wish the whole concept of, “we are our own worst critics” wasn’t a thing. It’s such a detriment to us all. Fingers crossed!
I’m also sad about not being able to attend the Cybersecurity and Privacy Professionals Conference this week in Anaheim. Attending it last year was so amazing. I met so many great people, and learned incredible things. I know that I’m not the only one stuck in this boat of not being able to attend, but I do with that, as big an organization as EDUCAUSE is, that they should be able to offer virtual attendance options. It would help them reach a much wider audience, for people like myself who aren’t able to attend due to budget or travel constraints, but also for people who may have issues with in-person social events like these. This would also afford them the ability to learn and benefit from the knowledge. While I’m also sad about not being able to attend the upcoming SANS Security Awareness Summit in Las Vegas in August, at least they do offer a virtual option so that I can watch the sessions. Additionally, SANS has a Slack channel set up for their events for in-person and virtual attendees alike to interact and network with not only each other, but also the presenters for each session.
From my experience, some of the best learning, dialogs, and connections I have made over the years stem from these conferences. Please, make them available to as many people as possible!
The Exposed Shore
Because I’m terrible at taking notes, and noting the important things as I think of them, this will be a little different. I know I wanted to look back and reflect on something I had previously written here (and I’m sure it was profound, if I could only remember 😂). Since I can’t remember exactly what I wanted to reflect upon, I’m going with something different—something old.
I wrote this post over four years ago, as I took a moment to look inwards and share what my story was about. It was my hope to share a glimpse of my inner workings. Today, I wanted to revisit it and see what has and hasn’t changed about me in that time. Sometimes, taking a look back to reflect helps showcase what one has accomplished, and can illuminate the path ahead.
So, let’s have a look at each topic I wrote:
Why Am I the Way That I Am?
Yep, this is still pretty much spot on for me. I dare say that I may be even more empathetic today than I was then. The state of the world today is much more chaotic than it was then, and it continually saps my energy, many days leaving me completely drained and exhausted.
While I’m still introverted, I feel like perhaps I’m a tiny bit more extroverted than I used to be—again, because my job role requires me to be more outgoing. If I am to help educate and protect people, I have to be able to communicate with them, and see where they are coming from. The “security” part of my role isn’t always as important as the “relationship” part of it. People need to feel safe and comfortable to come to you with questions or issues. If they don’t, their behaviors will likely never change. I also have been exposed much more to senior leadership over the years, to learn more about what goes on at a higher level. While I know some of them from my desktop support days, a number of these people are requiring me to forge new relationships, or to reframe my relationship, from support to security. Being introverted would certainly make this difficult. I also attended a tech fair the past week where peers and other leadership were in attendance. I was truly proud of myself for making a conscious effort to meet with them, whether it was to introduce myself to them, or to catch up and reconnect. For me, that was HUGE.
My Background
This pretty much hasn’t changed—what’s in the past can’t really change, can it? 😂 I did obtain a few certifications along the way. Sadly, most of them have expired: my SANS Security Awareness Professional (SSAP), my CompTIA Security+, and my CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst+ certifications. I’m down to two that are still current: my SANS GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC), and GIAC Open Source Intelligence (GOSI, which also expires in June).
Where I’m Headed
In this area, I feel like I’ve merely taken steps around in a circle, as I still search for my calling in cybersecurity. I still know that my destiny does not lie in the technical side—however, I still feel pulled in multiple directions around the human side:
- Awareness and education
- Governance, risk, and compliance (GRC)
I find interest in both of these areas, but as I walk this path on the road to obtain my CISSP certification, I feel increasing pressure to decide where I belong.
This reflection moment was a bit enlightening for me. While I didn’t really find something to illuminate my path ahead, I can see personal changes in myself over the years. I may suffer from impostor syndrome frequently, I truly do see that I’ve advanced in my personal confidence, and becoming a little more extroverted. I may have to do this on a more frequent basis. ☺️
Finally, here’s a look back at what I wore to work the past week. I hope you enjoy them. Hopefully one of these days, I’ll really be able to master how to weave my passions for personal style and cybersecurity together into a cohesive collection—to steal a phrase from the fashion design world. 😉
Have a great week!
-Terry
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