74: Tapping Into Natural Curiosity to Develop Your Cybersecurity Career with Chris Sistrunk

(CS)²AI Podcast Show: Control System Cyber Security

Today, Chris Sistrunk joins Derek Harp on the podcast. Chris is currently the Technical Manager at Mandiant, which is now part of Google Cloud.

Chris is a Technical Manager in Mandiant's ICS/OT Consulting practice, focusing on cyber security for industrial control systems (ICS) and critical infrastructure. He focuses on helping secure ICS and critical infrastructure around the world.

Chris grew up in the hills and hollows of North Louisiana, surrounded by swamps, red clay, and pine trees. He is a relied-on expert in the cybersecurity space. He is also a husband and father, one of the co-founders of the BEER-ISAC, musician, dad joke-teller, bourbon aficionado, and an aspiring BBQ pit-master.

In this episode, Chris shares his backstory. He also discusses his education and career path and offers helpful advice for anyone interested in working with control systems and control systems security.

Show highlights:

• Chris had an engineering mindset and was always curious about how things worked while growing up.
• How he got into working with SCADA systems early on in his career.
• How hurricanes taught Chris about instant response and disaster recovery, and prepared him for what he does today.
• Chris offers advice, encouragement, and assistance to anyone who wants to work with control systems and control systems security.
• What Chris learned while working for the power company.
• The kind of thinking he employs when working with cybersecurity.
• How Chris shifted from being an engineer to working with cybersecurity for control systems.
• The various roles Chris has played and the steps he has taken along his career path.
• How Chris got to work at Mandiant.
• The importance of building trust, respect, and working together, to solve difficult problems.

Links and resources:

(CS)²AI

Mandiant

Chris Sistrunk on LinkedIn

Chris Sistrunk on Twitter