Last time, I had the privilege of speaking with web security specialist Pam Armstrong.

This time I got to chat with Alana Staszczyszyn, someone whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in person. She’s very active in Toronto’s cybersecurity scene. She’s currently a student, but she has so much to teach people in our industry about evolving cyber threats and the red team mindset. Considering her role as an information security thought leader already, imagine the impact she’ll have on the industry once she graduates!

Kim Crawley: Please tell me a bit about what you do.

Alana Staszczyszyn: As of right now, I am mainly focusing on offensive security consulting – penetration testing, particularly. I am also in the midst of finishing my degree in infosec and I am involved in some initiatives that target infosec education.

KC: That’s awesome. Where are you studying, and what does your academic program entail?

AS: I am studying at Sheridan College in its Information Systems Security degree program. The program consists of a wide variety of information security topics from more computer science-based mathematical and theoretical topics to applied technical topics. The technical courses later in the program dive into specific infosec topics, such as forensics, malware analysis, secure software development, penetration testing, and more. There are also courses that cover the business aspects and strategic principles of infosec. When I entered the industry, I found those to be some of the most valuable ideas I had yet come across.

There are also some courses that focus on the connection between infosec/technology and the world, such as ethics or viewing trends in the industry. Personally, I find those to be some of the most interesting classes. I’m a huge nerd for intersecting concepts, such as sociology, (Read more...)