As a kid, I got into computers when my dad purchased a BBC Micro Model B with 32K of RAM. I witnessed exciting developments such as going from tape to a 5¼-inch disk and a new human interface device called a “mouse”. I taught myself BASIC and my biggest program was Tetris – written from scratch – it even had a 2-player mode! Over time, school got harder, the BBC was superseded and the pub beckoned so I lost touch. When I sat in front of a computer in my year-out job before university it seemed alien.
Several years later, chance played a part (as she often does) in what I laughingly call my career. In 2001, I happened to be working as a non-techie alongside some techies and I gradually fell back into IT and its security. I took a Masters in Computing Science to solidify my knowledge and have been learning ever since. I currently work as a senior penetration tester for NCC Group. In my previous jobs I have done various roles from system administration to incident response tests, and have also authored and taught several well-respected practical security courses. Continuing on the educational theme, I have made presentations at several events and published blogs/whitepapers on various topics.
In 2016 I began to offer technical advice to writers, which has included book and TV output – more details at www.jeromesmith.uk.
Twitter @exploresecurity
Disclaimer: the opinions expressed on this site represent my own and not necessarily those of my employer.