InfoSec has never been more needed, or more in demand. Against a geopolitical backdrop of escalating tensions and drama, there are new attack methods and IoT nightmares as we drown in data. How do we, as a community, evolve to find the people we need to grow into the future? This talk explores our extraordinary strengths as a community, and how InfoSec needs to grow forward to address the challenges ahead. We'll explore some existing mindsets and open the door to unconventional backgrounds. Where does our communal knowledge benefit by drawing from more sources to enhance our big picture? What can we gain from where we aren’t we looking? We'll look at how we see ourselves within this community. Imposter syndrome and elitism are two sides of the same coin. What are the definitive benefits we derive as members of this collective? How do we find out who is part of our community? While our ability to close ranks against intruders is a strength, is it holding us back by holding us in? Infosec is more than a career. It’s a community we call home, an extraordinary incubator of skill and talent that needs our help to keep growing. But to bring in the people we need, we have to think outside the box and draw a bigger circle.
Cheryl Biswas, aka @3ncr1pt3d, is a Strategic Threat Intel Analyst with TD Bank in Toronto, Canada. Previously, she was a Cyber Security Consultant with KPMG and worked on security audits and assessment, privacy, breaches, and DRP. Her experience includes project management, vendor management and change management. Cheryl holds an ITIL certification and a degree in Political Science. Her areas of interest include APTs, mainframes, ransomware, ICS SCADA, and building threat intel. She actively shares her passion for security online, as a speaker and a volunteer at conferences, and by encouraging women and diversity in Infosec as a founder and member of the "The Diana Initiative".