Cybersecurity Panel Recap
Speakers: David Tomasz, Victor Nzeata, Tricia Mercer
David Tomasz
- Discussed major cybersecurity threats such as ransomware and foreign IP theft (especially from countries like China).
- Emphasized the importance of professional networking and soft skills like leadership, which I also consider important, especially with how often colleges ask about leadership experience.
- Mentioned that the traditional 9-to-5 mindset is becoming outdated, which I’m still thinking about, but it makes sense with how the tech field is evolving.
- Encouraged learning from talented peers and staying connected with others in the field.
Victor Nzeata
- Shared his experience preventing military data leaks and investigating a senior executive leaking company secrets.
- Stressed the importance of earning an IT degree and specializing, especially in areas like AI security, which is a growing field.
- Talked about the risks of weaponized AI and explained zero-day vulnerabilities — flaws in software that attackers exploit before developers are even aware of them.
Tricia Mercer
- Helped stop data theft and trained soldiers on data security.
- Inspired by The Cuckoo’s Egg and enjoys the idea of “catching the bad guys.”
- Highlighted the importance of:
- Learning computer science fundamentals
- Understanding how to speak the “business language”
- Developing skills in phishing defense, which is a more specific niche in the field
Key Takeaways About Cybersecurity
- The field is a combination of technical skills and people skills
- Specialization in a niche (like healthcare or finance) can lead to greater success
- Career opportunities include government, military, and private sector roles
- Leadership, teamwork, and adaptability are essential
- Clear communication is critical, especially with non-technical leaders
- Networking and building strong professional connections are crucial
Challenges in Cybersecurity
- The field is very competitive
- Must be able to speak confidently about your work, especially to business professionals
- Keeping up with evolving threats is a constant challenge -one thing I wanted to note is that I also learned some things outside on how threats like these happen, and a lot of it has to do with third party libraries, and how these libraries often have spaces in their code that allows for data breach, and this is another challenge of cybersecurity, as its not just your code which can have safety risks, but the applications and resources you use.
- Lack of connections can hold you back in this career
Personal Reflection
I honestly think cybersecurity is a great field. It’s different in its focus, but similar to other careers in terms of what you need to succeed: communication, learning, networking, and teamwork.
What stood out to me the most was how much Mr. Tomasz shared, especially considering he’s in the FBI. It’s not every day you get to hear that kind of information firsthand, and I think his advice was incredibly valuable.
