How do you describe your job to average people?
My job is like an army general. We have to constantly fight off attacks, plan and strategically implement new security hardware and software to protect us from future attacks. I read whitepapers, community websites, research other IT authorities and speak to peers in the industry about what other organizations and governments are doing for security measures so I can take into consideration what to implement.
What is one of your biggest challenges?
One of my biggest challenges is convincing management how important security is and explaining why we need certain hardware or personnel. It can be difficult to explain and justify the costs to people who are not involved in IT security. Staying ahead of the attackers is imperative.
What keeps you up at night?
The unknown keeps me up at night. By that I mean the next security flaw or virus that can siphon data out of the network, take down the whole network or disrupt service.
Why did you get into IT security?
I felt a lot of companies were not safeguarding peoples' personal data or information properly. I've seen a lot of companies overlooking basics, such as not implementing certain security policies, upgrading hardware and security software, etc.
Of what are you most proud?
I am most proud of working with the budgets and limitations I am confined to within the organization. We overcome the limitations of budget and being short-staffed by efficiently implementing proper security hardware and policies. If our IT security foundation is strong, then we are better able to work with a smaller staff.
Wall Street IT Management is a New York-based full service IT consulting company.
