Work It: Cyber Security

by Ysolt Usigan

Name: Darwin Herdman
Job Title: Chief Technology Officer of RedSiren
College Attended: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg, VA)

For Darwin Herdman, chief technology officer of RedSiren, a Pittsburgh, PA-based provider of information technology security management solutions, getting hands-on experience before jumping full force into a career was paramount. "I did four internships when I was in college," he recalls. "Because of that, I left Virginia Tech knowing what I wanted to do."

Touchdown tactics
He not only utilized the lessons he learned in the classroom as a mathematics major and at his various internships, he also used the skills he developed on the football field. "What RedSiren [and other cyber security firms] are doing is building a great defense against hackers," says the former Virginia Tech linebacker. "It's like they always say: 'The best offense is a good defense.'"

Herdman has taken that motto off campus and incorporated it in his practice as an information security guard. "When I talk to clients, they know why I'm there. They understand the need for network security," he explains. "Their company network is at risk, and it's my job to defend it. If I keep the network safe, it's a win."

Defending the nation
Since entering the field of cyber security, the 38-year-old has worked on high-level projects with the U.S. government and intelligence communities. "Every morning there's a new threat, a new vulnerability," Herdman says. To him, the constant challenges are the basis for the career's appeal. When choosing a career, Herdman suggests considering a path that's challenging, rewarding, and strategic. "The challenging aspect of cyber security is that you learn something new every day. And these challenges, once they're met and solved, give you a rewarding feeling," he explains. "In terms of the strategic aspect of what I do - the field is never stagnant. There are always opportunities for career development."

In the Job Shadow: Already Cracking Codes
Christopher Ries, a senior at Colby College, knew he wanted to work in cyber security as early as the seventh grade. "I started working with computers and computer networks when I was very young," explains the 22-year-old. "As I got older, I started to bring this area of interest into my academic life."

With his sights set on becoming a security researcher -- one who figures out how cyber vulnerabilities come about and how they can be exploited -- Christopher has chosen the right path by majoring in computer science and minoring in mathematics, two critical knowledge bases for cracking codes.

Along with hitting the books, this cyber-cop-in-training also logs long hours in the computer lab, preparing for future attacks (on computer networks, that is). "It's important to get a strong background in the subject through school, but I would also encourage those interested in the field to pursue it outside of school," he advises. "I have learned a great deal about [cyber] security through my work experience and from experimenting with security issues on my own."

Although he's months away from graduation, Christopher already has a lot of cyber accomplishments under his belt. For the last two summers, he worked at the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance (www.ncfta.net), a nonprofit organization with close ties to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "I had the opportunity to investigate some cyber-criminal activities with a team of analysts," he recalls. "We got to look behind the scenes of phishing and spamming scams that uncovered tools used to harvest e-mail addresses, distribute spam, and take over computers. Our investigations were passed on to law enforcement."