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Student of the Month- Taza Asif

-Introduce yourself. Where were you born, where have you lived, what languages do you speak, what and where did you previously study?

Taza Asif: Basketball superstar, lover of the fine arts, southern charmer, cowboy and Pakistani royalty. I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, but my parents hail from Pakistan. I have lived most of my life in Dallas, but I did spend 4 years in Chicago which happens to be my favorite city in the states. I speak Urdu, English and am improving my Spanish day-by-day. I studied law at the University of DePaul and prior to that I studied Political Science at Oklahoma State University.

-Have you worked previous to this Master program? Are you currently working, if so where?

Prior to the Master’s program I have worked at T-Mobile helpdesk, Mesirow Advanced Strategies – one of the world’s largest hedge fund of funds, and Gardere Wynne Sewell -a prestigious mid-sized law firm in the southern US. I am still currently working as an lawyer at Gardere and my practice areas include M&A, private equity and hedge funds.

-What drew you to Cyber Security?

About two years ago, there was a huge data breach of a law firm, which resulted in the release of millions of confidential documents known as the Panama Papers. This gave me an idea that as transactional attorneys, we need not only to be aware of cyber security from an internal perspective to protect our client data but also we need to be conducting cyber due diligence as part of M&A deals in order to protect the value of our clients’ enterprises.

-Are you pursuing any extra-curricular activity/activities? If yes, how do you think it could link with cybersecurity?

I am pursuing certain certifications in the realm of cyber security, that I think will help open up more doors for my future careers.

-What are your short and long-term professional goals after the Masters?

My short term and long term professional goal is the same as it is to be able to bring a cyber security perspective into transactional M&A and transform how lawyers perceive risk in an ever-evolving digital world for all of our businesses.

-What has been the most valuable aspect of your IE education so far?

IE has a great network and so we have met some incredible professionals who hold positions of power and respect in the cyber security world.  This school provides a great ability to create a strong network in your area of choice.

-What would be your advice for future MCS students?

I would suggest that future MCS students read some materials on fundamentals of cyber security and risk so they can hit the ground running.

-What do you think of Madrid so far? Bonus: Best Bar in Madrid?

Madrid is an incredible city with an amazing night life and super friendly people. The food here is absolutely amazing and I would encourage everyone here to truly enjoy the gastronomy offered in Madrid (and definitely all around Spain).  My favorite bar in Madrid is La Venencia – lovers of history and culture should absolutely visit this bar.

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what’s the first thing you’d buy?

I would purchase a 3 week trip around the Mediterranean for all my closest friends and family. We would stay in first class hotels, travel on yachts and eat the finest foods.

What is an interesting thing about you that not many people know about?

Prior to my work career, I was a stuntman and model double for Zayn Malik from One Direction. 


[iemcs]

Cyber-Patriotism: The Effect of Geopolitics on Cybersecurity

The world is at war and many are completely unaware. The main characters of this war are the most likely suspects: Russia, the United States, China, Iran, North Korea and several others. The war I am referring to is the global cyber war. We often hear about how cybersecurity is impacting global politics, but how to geopolitics affect cybersecurity? Due to the rise in political distrust and the development of cheap and effective cyber capabilities, states have begun waging battles in cyber space. The result of these tensions have led nations to begin a form of cyber patriotism that will greatly influence not only the cyber realm but the physical realm as well.1 Securityweek, describes the phenomenon of nations protecting their national internet and promoting local products as balkanization. Nations such as China, have exemplified this effect by attaining an 80% of large Chinese business security expenditure being on locally produced products. Another recent example of a government banning foreign products is that of the U.S government and Kaspersky Labs products. These policies foster a mistrust that cannot be regained. Any efforts made by Kaspersky Lab to prove their innocence would be futile due to the very fact that they have a Russian origin. Business, Mafias and Government ties are so blurred in Russia that it is difficult to distinguish guilt and innocence, but that is an entirely different conversation. Furthermore, even if nations were to completely reject all foreign security products, there is no assurance that there would be no spies within those companies. It is common for cybersecurity companies to outsource throughout their supply chain and hire foreigners. On the other hand, nationalizing security is also not the best choice for security. Prioritizing an inferior product due to its origin could hinder the security of an entire country.  In fact, businesses could also be limited because choosing a foreign product could hurt their reputation and bring them into a political crossroads that they previously avoided.  In addition, geopolitical organization will undoubtedly shape cyber space along the same lines. The European community has always been a solid entity joined through organizations such as the EU and NATO. Regulatory frameworks such as the GDPR will contribute to the foundation of cyberspace in Europe. If such regional organizations have an impact on cyberspace should we be worried about other regional tendencies? When examining Asian geopolitics, we constantly see China pushing for regional hegemony often suppressing the voice of smaller nations. If China could clench leadership in regional organizations like ASEAN, could they also shape cyber space in their favor? Or will the nature of the cyber realm prevent such changes and maintain its pseudo-anarchic state?

-Carlos Gonzalez Gray 

For more information and commentary on this topic:1. http://www.securityweek.com/increasing-effect-geopolitics-cybersecurity 2. https://eugene.kaspersky.com/2017/06/30/keeping-cybersecurity-separate-from-geopolitics/3. https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/cybercrime-cybersecurity-affects-nations-geopolitics/4. https://www.csoonline.com/article/2948026/cyber-attacks-espionage/looking-on-the-cybersecurity-through-the-prism-of-the-falling-global-economy.html 

[iemcs]

Student of the Month- Brenda Zikonda

Introduce yourself. Where were you born, where have you lived, what languages do you speak, what and where did you previously study?

Hello, my name is Brenda Zikonda. I was born in Zambia and have lived in Zimbabwe and South Africa due to education and my parents work. I pursued a Bachelor in Computers and Information Sciences at Monash University (South African campus) and later started working once I completed my degree.

I speak Nyanja (Slang version of my mother tongue), Shona (Zimbabwe), English (as I am writing this story in it), French (5 years of high school worth) and new to my list is Spanish

Have you worked previously to this Master program? Are you currently working, if so where?

Yes I did work prior to this masters. My previous role was Modern Workplace Solution Specialist at Microsoft – yes fancy name for Pre-Sales. I was responsible for productivity and security solutions in my territory which comprised of Education and Public Sector and in the last year Small Medium Businesses.

What drew you to Cyber Security?

For my pass time, I enjoy watching movies and criminal series. I realised from watching things like CSI, Criminal Minds etc that we lived in a messed-up society. I then wanted to find out what makes people do the things they do and using the technology they use. A passion for computers and then cyber security grew.

Are you pursuing any extra-curricular activity/activities? If yes, how do you think it could link with cybersecurity?

I belong to the following IE clubs – IE Africa, IE AI, IE Consultancy, IE Women and Spanish classes. All these groups have a element that is important to me from a Cyber Security point of view. The Africa group speaks to the networks that I am making for future business in Africa, the Consultancy speaks to how I want to work for a consultancy and learn all the skills possible to go back home and create my own consultancy business. AI is the emerging technology and that needs to be kept secure and finally IE Women speaks to being an advocate for all the women who think they can’t work in a male dominated industry such as Information Technology. Lastly Spanish is going to add to my definition of multi-lingual.

What are your short and long-term professional goals after the Masters?

Short term goals – working in a consultancy preferably one of the big four in Europe for a couple of years to grow my cyber skills.

Long term goals – start building a cyber security consultancy back home and being an Entrepreneur.

What has been the most valuable aspect of your IE education so far?

Diversity from an education point of view. I have always been around diverse people and learnt with them but this master allows me to be immersed in the European culture which I know only from few interactions and education from my school days. I believe it gives me an advantage as coming from Africa and knowing what the challenges are and being able to learn and see what could be used from a Western world point of view. The ability to travel Europe is also a plus with this master as I love travelling and embracing new cultures and experiences.

What would be your advice for future MCS students?

You don’t have to be technical to come into this course though it would be an advantage it is not the must. Cyber security is the new commodity and isn’t going away anytime soon so definitely something to invest in for yourself. With the skills you learn in the MCS you will be able to make a difference in your community or where you work.

What do you think of Madrid so far? Bonus: Best Bar in Madrid?

It is a great safe city, living in Johannesburg for so many years, I would never walk around like I do in Madrid by myself at any hour of the day. The transport system is amazing and very efficient. I love the attention to family time and how laid back it is this is great as family is important to me.  Some individuals are not that friendly, but I would like to think that is due to the language barrier.  Best Bar? Sadly, I have not found one yet but open for suggestions.

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what’s the first thing you’d buy?

Invest in property.

What is an interesting thing about you that not many people know about?

I used to play the flute and harmonica many moons ago but sadly, lost that skill.

[iemcs]

Student of the Month- Carlos Gonzalez

Introduce yourself. Where were you born, where have you lived, what languages do you speak, what and where did you previously study? Hola! My name is Carlos González Gray. I am a Spanish/American born in Madrid. I have lived in Madrid for most of my life but I moved to The Hague in the Netherlands for my undergraduate degree and spent 6 months in Taipei, Taiwan for my exchange. I speak English and Spanish fluently and have been trying to learn Mandarin Chinese for over 4 years now. I studied World Politics at Leiden University College The Hague.

Have you worked previous to this Master program? Are you currently working, if so where?

I have interned at a hotel chain in Madrid for a couple of months, and still work as a DJ at private parties, weddings and clubs. In Holland I was also Chair of a student organization that hosted events throughout the city for students.

What drew you to Cyber Security?

Honestly, I believe it's the future. Today, there is potential for incredible technological innovation but we are not able to make them public because of the security risks. Therefore, I hope to be able to contribute to the safety and security of future technology so that we can enjoy the amazing benefits. Also, there is an incredible demand for cybersecurity professionals and the prospect of job security is quite appealing.

Are you pursuing any extra-curricular activity/activities? If yes, how do you think it could link with cybersecurity?

I love to play football with classmates and friends whenever possible. I also enjoy DJ-ing on the weekends. I don't see much of a link between cybersecurity and football but I guess if a hacker managed to get into the computer of a DJ during his performance he could ruin the performance and hurt a club or party quite badly.

What are your short and long-term professional goals after the Masters?

My short-term goals are to find a well-paid job that provides me with diverse professional experiences that allow me to be prepared for any job in the future. I am open to move anywhere in the world and in face would prefer to be out of Spain for a couple years while I am still young and have fewer responsibilities. My long-term goals however would be to become a CIO or CISO of a good company in Spain and be able to live the good life in the best country in the world.

What has been the most valuable aspect of your IE education so far?

So far, I believe that the fact we have a small yet diverse classroom has provided me with a unique insight into a variety of working environments and companies which I would not have obtained otherwise. I think that although IE is a wonderful place to network, it is also a wonderful place to learn about with who and where you want to work in the future, by learning through other experiences.

What would be your advice for future MCS students?

Try to obtain a basic technical background before coming to the program. The program creators made sure that the courses are understandable by non-technical people but the confidence that an IT background provides will be very useful. It is not necessary but it would be very helpful for you to have such a foundation for you to obtain more from each class.  

What do you think of Madrid so far? Bonus: Best Bar in Madrid?

I’ve lived in Madrid most of my life and have travelled to many places throughout the world and I wholeheartedly believe that Madrid is one of the best cities to live in. The culture, history, gastronomy and entertainment is paralleled by a select few cities around the world. If you are looking for a small place that has cheap drinks and good music: Maloney’s. If you are looking for a place with cheap drinks and food, perfect place to before a night club: Mercado Provenzal.

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what’s the first thing you’d buy?

The first thing that comes to mind is a car because my car broke down last week and I am in desperate need for a car that doesn't need to go to the repair shop every other week, a Tesla perhaps. I would probably invest some of it in Bitcoin, as current trends seem to indicate it is a good investment. If I were to have any of it left I would probably keep it in a savings account.

What is an interesting thing about you that not many people know about?

I was a child actor. I appeared once in Disney Channel (No, I will not say which show) and have dubbed several movies and advertisements.  

[iemcs]

A Critical Take On: “Javier Sirvent in Cómo Madrid” 

On the 16th of October I attended a talk in Madrid at Cómo, a buzzing venue that hosts a variety of talks and events throughout the year. This specific talk was hosted by Javier Sirvent, a proclaimed “Technology Evangelist”. Ignoring the cheesy label, Javier Sirvent is a passionate man who clearly has a great deal of experience presenting in front of crowds. He is quite charismatic and maintains a delicate balance between a humorous and informative talk that holds the attention of the audience. The talk was titled “Como trabajaremos en el futuro?” which translates to “How will we work in the future?” The lecture began with a poignant quote, “Lifetime jobs as we know them are over.” The reasoning behind this quote, is that the new generation of workers are changing jobs in an unprecedented manner, and the typical worker profile is evolving from a loyal life-time employee to a freelancer working from home without any loyalty to a single company. We do see this trend occurring with fewer job positions requiring the employee to attend the work place and having the ability to work online. New technologies like Skype, Office 365 etc. have allowed the worker to efficiently work as a team and deliver completed assignments instantly from a remote location. He then moved on to discuss the speed of technology’s development. He mentioned how Moore’s law can still be applied today to observe the advancement of technology. However, he showed how Moore’s law doesn't apply to the automobile industry as progression in this field has not been in accordance with the rate of change in Moore’s law. Nonetheless, he indicated that we should be expecting self-driving cars and trucks in the very near future. He also mentioned how even though the automobile industry has not caught up with its expected growth, many other industries have, including medicine. In fact, he presented an article that showed how a Chinese developer is working on enhancing our eyes to see at night, resulting in a lower energy consumption after the sun has set. My main critique of this talk stems from his presentation of these technologies without any caveats. He never mentioned at any point the enormous barriers that technologies such as these must first overcome to reach the public. As a student of the Master in Cybersecurity, I was shocked at the complete lack of consideration for the security of these advancements.  The vulnerabilities to hackers that driver-less cars, drones and human enhancements still have are huge. Even though the point of the talk was not to discuss security, a mention is still necessary. Furthermore, he did not mention another element that often comes hand in hand with discussions of security which is regulation. The legal and social parameters of these technologies were not discussed. The regulatory hindrances on these technologies could harm their development and appropriate implementation in society. If we do not consider the regulation of these technologies we will sink into a chaotic nightmare. The development of these technologies is occurring faster than we can ponder the ethical implications that they carry and we must consider that before we make them available.        Javier Sirvent discussed how robots and AI will replace many of the jobs that we may consider mundane and easy. Taxi drivers, construction workers, factory staff and grocery store clerks will be easily replaced by robots in the future. Therefore, he argued for the next generation to study the arts. His claim was that creativity and emotion cannot be replaced by a machine and we must foster these human peculiarities. I wholeheartedly agree with his message. Today, many potential artists and creative thinkers will dedicate their lives to more “serious jobs” like finance and law to attain financial security. Imagine all the potential we have lost throughout the years because we were not encouraging these young innovators to explore their passions.      Overall, the talk made for an interesting afternoon and gave a good introduction to the types of ethical and practical discussion we should all begin to have about this fast approaching future.          -Carlos González Gray

[iemcs]

Welcome to our page! After our busy Introduction Week filled with interesting and informative sessions, we are ready to begin our program. Keep checking this blog for updates and informative posts related to Cybersecurity and the IE Masters in Cybersecurity. The picture was taken during the Paella activity that brought students from across the Human Sciences and Technology (HST) sections together. Have a great weekend!