GO PHISH
WE ‘ GO PHISHING ’ WITH DAVID HIGGINS , EMEA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AT CYBERARK , WHO TELLS US ABOUT LIFE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE OFFICE .
wWhat would you describe as your most memorable achievement in the cybersecurity industry ?
The best moments in my career have come when my teams and I have seen the fruits of our labour come to fruition . They are what I remember the most fondly and a big motivating factor for any project I work on . Whether it ’ s helping with a new product , fixing a vulnerability or supporting a customer , completing one you ’ ve worked on from the very start never gets old .
What first made you think of a career in cybersecurity ?
I ’ ve always been a defensively-minded person . I was goalkeeper in football matches growing up and a wicketkeeper in cricket . Defence is a role I ’ ve always taken to and enjoyed . Coupling that with my interest in IT meant cybersecurity was just a natural fit . The structure of my degree , which was 50 % IT , 50 %
Taking a break , getting a cup of tea and coming back to the issue at hand is how I approach it . business , was also a big factor in setting me up for a career in the industry .
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position ?
The management style that works best for me is definitely that of a ‘ coach ’. It ’ s an approach I formed through both experience and trial and error . I ’ ve previously seen managers holding on to power and never delegating work , and it ’ s a mindset I ’ ve never bought into . In my mind , it ’ s vital to impart as much experience and advice to team members as possible to assist their growth .
What do you think is the current hot cybersecurity talking point ?
The implications of the pandemic , including the surge of Digital Transformation , the rise of Zero Trust architecture and the emergence of frictionless security have changed the security landscape . That said , identity is the hottest talking point in my eyes .
Identity was previously about enablement in a security context , but recently it ’ s become more of a risk conversation . Workers are pretty much instantly digitised once they ’ re set up on an organisation ’ s system . They ’ re no longer a physical person on the machine but , instead , they ’ re on the wire . What I mean is , when they ’ re logging into something with an ID , to the system they ’ re no longer a person , but a digital identity .
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office ?
To alleviate stress , I try not to immediately react to things . Taking a break , getting a cup of tea and coming back to the issue at hand is how I approach it .
Unwinding I ’ m not so strong at . We ’ re always consuming content outside of www . intelligentciso . com
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