How to get into Cyber Security? Certifications, Roles and Advice: Stephanie Itimi, CEO Seidea part 1

Glowing in Tech

In this episode of Glowing in Tech, Stephanie Itimi, founder of Seidea and cybersecurity expert, talks with Amber and Jessie about her background in cyber intelligence and her work helping minority women break into cybersecurity careers. She provides insights into the different aspects of cybersecurity, including protecting critical data and systems and physical and technical security. Additionally, she discusses her current research on cybersecurity and physical security for domestic workers in Nigeria and the importance of addressing unfair data collection and surveillance practices.

The episode highlights the importance of involving everyone in a company in security to improve overall security. This can be achieved through brainstorming sessions and encouraging team members to share their thoughts on the security policy and framework. By involving everyone, it becomes everyone's responsibility to prioritize security, not just the security team's. The episode acknowledges that not everyone is naturally security aware, but involving everyone in security culture and awareness can make them more security conscious. It is also important to stay informed about the latest threats and tactics by keeping up with information security magazines, cybersecurity ventures, and ICO reports.

The episode addresses the issue of a lack of talent in cybersecurity but also emphasizes that talent can be developed through skills training, partnerships, and work experience. Stephanie aims to bridge the gap between those who are new to the industry and those who are already in the industry, and to help them thrive and break barriers to get into CISO or CSO positions. Steph runs a successful business that focuses on getting marginalized women into cybersecurity and encouraging them to level up in their careers. The episode stresses that cybersecurity is an open industry for anyone, and it is important to understand the ecosystem and the acronyms. The lack of diversity in the industry is also discussed, with only 20% of the sector being women worldwide, and 80% being men. Steph believes that it is important for women of color and marginalized people to be more involved in cybersecurity to protect the most vulnerable online.

The episode emphasizes that building a secure web application is a complex task that requires constant updating to stay ahead of attackers. The threat landscape is constantly changing, and attackers are always finding new ways to exploit vulnerabilities in web applications. Therefore, developers must stay updated on the latest security threats and vulnerabilities through various resources such as conferences, networking, research, and open source. Additionally, the speaker stresses the importance of involving everyone in the organization in security culture and awareness, not just the security team. Building a secure web application requires a collective effort from everyone involved in the development process.

[00:00:00]Introduction - Who is Stephanie Itimi?

[00:01:06] Smart cities and domestic workers

[00:03:41] Business Continuity in Cyber Security

[00:06:49] Cybersecurity certification overview

[00:10:03] Cybersecurity as an open industry

[00:13:01] Business side of cybersecurity

[00:16:57] Learning about new cyber attacks

[00:19:24] Importance of Security Culture

00:23:59] Remote working security risks

[00:26:18] Cybersecurity psychology

[00:29:46] Uber's Two Factor Authentication Attack.

00:32:37] Cybersecurity and Diversity.

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