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ISSA Denver - February Chapter Meeting (Boulder) - 2/11

  • Rule4 3002 Bluff St, Suite 100 Boulder, CO 80301 USA (map)

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/february-2020-boulder-chapter-meeting-tickets-86874898159

Info: https://www.denverissa.org/events

Topic:  

When a Plan Comes Together: Building a SOC “A-Team”

Speaker:  Mark Orlando

Abstract: 

The plor of the 1980’s television show The A-Team always stuck to the same basic formula: a small band of heroes, finding themselves massively outmanned and outgunned, would leverage their training and ingenuity to overcome the odds and live to fight another day. This trope sometimes parallels the life and challenges of network defenders. When you’re outmanned by a wide range of threats, you must find innovative ways of finding the right talent, hiring them, training them, and creating a team that is as effective as it is inventive. Addressing this challenge goes far beyond writing a good job description and sourcing candidates. What makes the “right” candidate for cyber defense? Where do you find them? And once you’ve found them, how to you keep them?

 

This talk will begin by examining the disparity between available talent and a growing demand for experienced personnel. We’ll look at common staffing pitfalls and talk about finding “the right kind of people”. We’ll discuss ways to create not only an effective technical environment, but one that is conducive to positive morale and professional growth. We’ll walk through some real world challenges, roles and skill types, and unique approaches to recruiting and skill evaluation. Finally, I’ll close with some personal anecdotes and “do’s and don’ts” based on my experience building and running security operations teams.

If you’re an Operations Manager, and you’re in trouble, and if you can find them, then after this talk you too can hire the A-Team.

Bio:

Mark started his security career in 2001 as a SOC Analyst, and since then has been both fighting for blue team resources and trying to automate them out of a job. He has built, assessed, and managed security teams at the Pentagon, the White House, the Department of Energy, global Managed Security Service Providers, and numerous Fortune 500 clients.

Mark's passion is finding new and innovative ways to help defenders scale through the right application of foundational knowledge and assistive technology, and helping people in leadership and non-technical roles navigate the many challenges of information security. In 2012, he designed and launched a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service offering and helped to invent an automated cyber threat hunting technology, both of which were later acquired.

Mark has presented on security operations and assessment at DefCon's Blue Team Village, the Institute for Applied Network Security (IANS) Forum, BSidesDC, and the RSA Conference and has been quoted in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Forbes, CNBC, SC Magazine, and many other publications. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Advanced Information Technology from George Mason University and served in the US Marine Corps as an Artillery Non-Commissioned Officer. In his spare time, Mark enjoys reading, going to rock shows, and sneaking in the occasional Netflix binge.