Why are you interested in Cybersecurity?

My dad worked on computer networks as a Major in a special forces division of the Army, and he always told me stories of what he did overseas. Looking back and knowing my dad, he knew that sharing those stories would inspire me to take my passion for working with computers and encourage me to make a career out of it, as well as to be a dose of nostalgia for himself. So, after high school, I began researching every tech-based career path I could to see what interested me. However, it wasn’t until I came across a fascinating video posted by Insider Tech that I seriously started looking into Cybersecurity as a career path.

The video was named “Watch Hackers Break Into the US Power Grid” and featured a group of White Hat hackers as they tested the cybersecurity defenses of a power company that they were hired by (Insider Tech, 2016). These hackers used programming skills and social engineering to physically break into their facilities and remotely cause havoc on their systems – which they managed to do quite easily. The video was interesting because while I knew of White Hat hackers, I did not quite know what their job entailed, and it was impressive watching them use social engineering and psychology to take advantage of human error in order to test that power company’s defenses. That video sent me down a rabbit hole as I tried to consume as much information as possible about Cybersecurity as a career path. I wanted to do a job where I could be just as cool as those white hat hackers were! Though as much as “being cool” is a motivation for a career path, my decision wasn’t solidified until I made a connection between Cybersecurity and another passion of mine… gaming.

While listening to Jack Rhysider’s podcast, Darknet Diaries, I came across an episode called “Player Cheater Developer Spy.” This episode detailed the market for hacks that penetrate anti-cheat software and how hackers use malicious software to hijack players’ accounts (Rhysider, 2022). I have run into my fair share of hackers while playing games, and it’s never fun for anyone but the hacker. When listening to the podcast, I was astonished to hear how big the market is for these cheats and how easy it is for a hacker to use that malicious software to ruin the game and steal other players’ accounts. I thought about how brokenhearted I would be if someone got into my Blizzard account – an account I’ve spent tons of money and time gaming on. I’m interested in learning more about Cybersecurity because I want to work towards keeping video games, whose developers have worked hard on at their purest form, without cheats, and work on keeping accounts in the hands of players.

Insider Tech. (2016, May 11). Watch hackers break into the US power grid [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL9q2lOZ1Fw

Rhysider, J. (Host). (2022, April). Player Cheater Developer Spy (No. 115) [Audio podcast episode]. In Darknet Diaries. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2DLn0x8I0w6xR0YhIXO2h7?si=2c6c2a9b599f4356