What does a malware analyst do? Find out on today’s episode featuring Dr. Richard Ford, Chief Technology Officer of Cyren. Richard talks about breaking into the field, whether a computer science degree is or isn’t essential for the role, and an early program he wrote to brag about his high score to his classmates!
0:00 – Intro
2:30 – Richard’s cybersecurity origin story
6:07 – Being an IBM anti-malware researcher in the 90s
9:18 – How malware has evolved
11:27 – Major career milestones
18:14 – Two types of malware analysts
21:42 – How to get hired as an entry-level analyst
25:45 – Day-to-day malware analyst tasks
29:40 – Transitioning to an analyst role without any experience
34:30 – What does Cyren do?
37:25 – Outro
Have you seen our new, hands-on training series Cyber Work Applied? Tune in every other week as expert Infosec instructors teach you a new cybersecurity skill and show you how that skill applies to real-world scenarios. You’ll learn how to carry out different cyberattacks, practice using common cybersecurity tools, follow along with walkthroughs of how major breaches occurred, and more. And it’s free! Click the link below to get started.
– Learn cybersecurity with our FREE Cyber Work Applied training series: https://www.infosecinstitute.com/learn/
– View Cyber Work Podcast transcripts and additional episodes: https://www.infosecinstitute.com/podcast
Dr. Richard Ford is the Chief Technology Officer of Cyren. He has over 25 years’ experience in computer security, working with both offensive and defensive technology solutions. During his career, Ford has held positions with Forcepoint, Virus Bulletin, IBM Research, Command Software Systems and NTT Verio. Dr. Ford has also worked in academia, having held an endowed chair in Computer Security, and worked as Head of the Computer Sciences and Cybersecurity Department at the Florida Institute of Technology. Ford holds a bachelor’s, master’s and D.Phil. in Physics from the University of Oxford. In addition to his work, he is an accomplished jazz flutist and instrument rated private pilot.
About Infosec
Infosec believes knowledge is power when fighting cybercrime. We help IT and security professionals advance their careers with skills development and certifications while empowering all employees with security awareness and privacy training to stay cyber-safe at work and home. It’s our mission to equip all organizations and individuals with the know-how and confidence to outsmart cybercrime. Learn more at infosecinstitute.com.