When Steven Edwards, an IT Guy turned Security Analyst, discovered the unexpected challenge of securing an expansive attack surface that includes refrigerators, vending machines, and scanners across multiple private address spaces, he had to be tenacious and curious to protect his organization from attack.

"No matter what the tragedy is, it's beholden upon us to learn from it, to grow and improve. And I think we have done that in a lot of ways." - Steven Edwards

In this episode, Brian Contos and John Vecchi talk with Steven Edwards. Steven Edwards was a "Regular IT Guy," content with his work and comfortable with his life. But when a coworker advised him to move into cybersecurity, he took it. He returned to school, got his master's degree, and never looked back. With a curious and tenacious mindset, he was able to find a prosperous career, and when the pandemic hit, he saw how the business model was changing in ways he had seen before. He recognized the need for companies to recognize their security vulnerabilities and to invest in the solutions to protect their assets, but the biggest challenge was convincing those who held the checkbook. As he continued to work in the field, he found that the attack surface had broadened and that IoT security was an ever-growing challenge. Steven Edwards has a master's degree in cybersecurity and enjoys the challenge of solving problems and learning new things in the security field.

In this episode, Brian and John discuss with Steven:
1. The need for those with an investigative mindset and their curiosity to enter into the security field.
2. How the remote work model has changed the security mindset and how organizations must adapt.
3. The challenge of identifying, cataloging, and patching devices such as phones, TVs, and printers in the network.

Let’s connect about IoT Security!

Follow John Vecchi at https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnvecchi

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