It is with a heavy heart I announce that, after five brilliant years at Infosecurity Magazine, I have made the decision to part ways with the publication as I move onto the next stage in my career.
Back when I joined Infosecurity in December 2015, it came as quite a surprise to many (even me). I had previously worked for some other noted publications in the cybersecurity space and also spent time working for an analyst firm in 2015, so it never seemed likely that I would work for the publication that Eleanor and the team had built up over so many years.
I initially joined the team to cover Eleanor’s maternity leave on a temporary contract, which was then extended in order for me to lead the creation of the very first Infosecurity Magazine physical conference – held in Boston in December 2016. Following the successful delivery of that event, I accepted the permanent position of contributing editor in January 2017 before my job title switched to deputy editor in 2019. I can honestly say that I have no regrets whatsoever with regards to how my Infosecurity journey has transpired, particularly given all that I have been able to experience and achieve as part of the team.
I have often said that my time working for another prominent cybersecurity publication (between 2008-2013) was the ‘APT era.’ There I covered the likes of Conficker, Stuxnet, Aurora, Flame and other infamous nation state attacks that so often focused on espionage to hit major targets and collect data with the use of zero day exploits.
However, as I look back on the last five years, it is clear that things have changed quite considerably during this period: yes, we had major attacks like WannaCry and NotPetya, but the last five years have been more about data protection and compliance. We still see headlines in Infosecurity and other industry publications about massive data losses, misconfigurations and missing patches, whilst not forgetting about reports of failures to get the ‘basics’ right.
Across the last decade, I’ve covered the introduction, various delays and eventual approval of the GDPR. This regulation was the standout theme of Infosecurity Magazine’s first State of Cybersecurity Report and truly seemed to stir the compliance pot, influencing a number of global privacy regulations in doing so.
In government, we saw the UK introduce and roll out a cybersecurity strategy and open the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). In the US, we saw the creation of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), offering another tool in the government’s capability to fight cybercrime.
Essentially, with these government steps and privacy and compliance introductions, it’s fair to say that this is the period when data security got taken seriously, which, in my opinion, is a great thing. We work hard to bring you information on the latest threats and changes in the industry, report the statistics and education points, and bring you details of those individuals making waves in the sector. It is great to see that those in power globally are also recognizing that protecting data is a serious issue.
“Whilst I may no longer be part of the Infosecurity team after December 17, I will remain a key supporter of its achievements and the successes of the wider information security industry”
During my time at Infosecurity, I’ve had the opportunity to speak at a number of industry conferences including Steelcon, Irisscon and twice at Westminster. I was also invited more than once to appear on Sky News to talk about cybersecurity issues, and let’s just say that their Daybreak program does involve getting up even earlier than the breaking dawn!
In the immediate aftermath of WannaCry, I was on a train to ITN’s studios in Kings Cross to appear on Channel 4 News, and managed to record a short radio interview with BBC Radio Merseyside during that journey. I’m sure my fellow passengers enjoyed my loud voice discussing what I knew about the attack at that point!
I’ve been involved with countless webinars, 10 online summits and written for the past 20 print editions. I also produced three State of Cybersecurity Reports and my internal education series “Dan Does Ordinary Security” will have hit its 70th episode by the time I leave. I have also been part of the judging for the annual Security Blogger Awards, both in the US and Europe, and have been on the judging panel for the annual Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards – not to mention winning the prize for Best Cyber-Writer in 2019.
However, I’m not here to boast, or even to reflect on my achievements, as I owe it all to working with a fantastic team. The leaders: Eleanor, Becca and Michael, whose vision for this publication constantly drives it forward. The marketing team: Karina, Ankita and Riyhaad, without whom nothing we do would be so visible. The sales people: James and Joel, and the broader ISG and Infosecurity Europe team, you’re the ones making the money for us to be able to do what we do. The writers: James, Phil and Sarah: taking on the task of covering the constantly breaking news means I’ve been able to move into the realm of long form writing and interviews, and it’s great that tasks can be spread amongst us.
My last day working on Infosecurity will be December 17, with my very last act co-moderating our annual end of year webinar. After that, I move into a new world; one in which I hope the impact of COVID-19 is lessened and the security advice we so often talk about is actually embraced by all.
Whilst I may no longer be part of the Infosecurity team after December 17, I will remain a key supporter of its achievements and the successes of the wider information security industry.
Thank you for having me – and best wishes to all.