Derek Harp is happy to have Patrick Miller joining him today for another episode in the Security Leaders series! Patrick is a well-known legend in the ICS cyber security space. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Ampere Industrial Security. (www.amperesec.com)

Patrick Miller has dedicated his career to the protection and defense of critical infrastructures. As President and CEO of Ampere Industrial Security, he is a trusted independent security and regulatory advisor for industrial control systems worldwide. In addition to his role at Ampere, Mr. Miller is also the founder, director, and president emeritus of EnergySec and US. Coordinator for the Industrial Cybersecurity Center. Patrick's diverse background spans the Energy, Telecommunications, Water, Wastewater, Manufacturing, and Financial Services verticals, including key positions with regulatory agencies, private consulting firms, utility asset owners, and commercial organizations. Patrick was instrumental in the establishment of the NERC CIP standards in the US as a drafting team member and the first CIP auditor in the nation. He currently serves on or contributes to multiple NERC CIP guidance and standards drafting teams. Patrick is also an instructor for the ICS456 NERC CIP course with the SANS Institute.

Patrick loves tech and the outdoors! As well as being a technologist, he is also a chef, a keen kayaker, a father, and a builder of communities! In this episode of the (CS)²AI Podcast, he tells his modern-day superhero origin story, talks about the various milestones in his professional journey, and shares valuable nuggets of advice for people from different backgrounds who would like to get into the cyber security industry. 

You won’t want to miss this episode if you would like to make a career in cyber security, become a better security professional, or start a cybersecurity business of your own. Stay tuned for more!

Show highlights:

• Entrepreneurship is in Patrick’s blood. (3:05)
• Growing up in the early days of technology, Patrick was lucky enough to get the new tech as it came out. (4:15)
• Patrick was using cutting-edge technology to do a senior capstone biology project just before he dropped out of school to do tech. (6:32)
• Any kind of background can be helpful for you as a security professional. (9:00)
• How phone systems have advanced and transformed over the last few decades. (10:30)
• Patrick’s first “hacking job”. (11:29)
• Patrick talks about when he decided to specialize in security and the point when industrial security first intersected with his journey. (13:23)
• Patrick discusses his stint as a regulator for WECC (Western Electricity Coordinating Council.) (17:54)
• Joining standards bodies in the early stage can help people break into the cyber security industry. (24:26)
• What motivated Patrick to start a consulting firm? (26:14)
• The Dawn of Energy Sec (Energy Sector Security Consortium). (32:24)
• Patrick shares his vision for Ampere. (35:15)
• Why good communication skills are essential. (38:40)
• What is ISAC all about, and how did Patrick instigate it? (41:40)