Derek Harp is excited to welcome Justin Searle as his guest for another episode in the series on security leaders! 

Justin is the Director of ICS Security at InGuardians, specializing in ICS security architecture design and penetration testing. He has taught courses in hacking techniques, forensics, networking, and intrusion detection for multiple universities, corporations, and security conferences. He is currently a Senior Instructor for the SANS Institute and a faculty member at IANS. In addition to electric power industry conferences, he frequently presents at top international security conferences such as Black Hat, DEFCON, OWASP, Nullcon, and AusCERT.

Justin is well-balanced and versatile and a super fascinating person! He was born in Utah and has lived there for most of his life. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Technology Education with minors in computer science and electrical engineering, and a Master’s Degree in International Business and Information Systems. He is an entrepreneur, researcher, security practitioner, open-source advocate, instructor, teacher, and author. He is an outdoor enthusiast and has some cool hobbies, like scuba diving and rock climbing. He is also a falconer, a helicopter pilot, and a globetrotter. 

In this episode of the (CS)²AI Podcast, he shares his modern-day superhero backstory, and he talks to Derek about how his career journey led to him becoming immersed neck-deep in cyber security for control systems. He also talks about the value of certifications and becoming an instructor. You will gain a lot from this show if you would like to make a career in cyber security or become an instructor in the field. Stay tuned for more!

Show highlights:

• Justin started doing basic programming when he was in elementary school and almost earned an Associate’s Degree in Electronics Engineering in high school. (4:58)
• Justin talks about the certifications he obtained to build credibility and advance his career. (9:40)
• Justin shares his thoughts about certifications. (11:50)
• Getting a certification will help students stand out trying to find an internship. (Justin recommends the CompTIA Security+ Certification because it is an inexpensive option.) (13:22)
• Graduates should consider getting a CISSP Certification. (13:48)
• Justin explains why he shifted to focus on networking technologies, IT technologies, and cyber security in 2000-2001. (18:10)
• Getting into his niche area- penetration testing in industrial control systems. (19:50)
• How can listeners break into becoming teachers or instructors? ( 22:38)
• The pros and cons of joining communities and collaborative groups. (27:08)
• Justin enjoys being an informal mentor to others and providing feedback when people ask questions. (31:04)
• Justin offers advice for maximizing your benefit when you change jobs or your positions within a company. (33:22)
• You will be valued in the field if you get into any area of cyber security. (40:10)

Links:

(CS)²AI

Justin Searle on LinkedIn

In Guardians

CISSP Certification