CyberWire Daily - Ann Johnson: Trying to make the world safer. [Business Development] [Career Notes]

Episode Date: September 8, 2024

Enjoy this special encore episode where we are joined by, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President of Cybersecurity Business Development Ann Johnson brings us on her career journey from aspiring lawyer to cybersecurity executive. After pivoting from studying law, Ann started working with computers and found she had a deep technical aptitude for technology and started earning certifications landing in cybersecurity because she found an interest in PKI. At Microsoft, Ann says she solves some of the hardest problems every day. She recommends getting a mentor and finding your area of expertise. She leaves us with three dimensions she hopes to be her legacy: 1. diversity in more than just gender, 2. bringing a human aspect to the industry, and 3. being empathetic to the user experience. We thank Ann for sharing her story with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to the Cyber Wire Network, powered by N2K. of you, I was concerned about my data being sold by data brokers. So I decided to try Delete.me. I have to say, Delete.me is a game changer. Within days of signing up, they started removing my personal information from hundreds of data brokers. I finally have peace of mind knowing my data privacy is protected. Delete.me's team does all the work for you with detailed reports so you know exactly what's been done. Take control of your data and keep your private life Thank you. JoinDeleteMe.com slash N2K and use promo code N2K at checkout. The only way to get 20% off is to go to JoinDeleteMe.com slash N2K and enter code N2K at checkout. That's JoinDeleteMe.com slash N2K, code N2K. Hi, I'm Anne Johnson.

I'm the Corporate Vice President of Cybersecurity Business Development at Microsoft. My family would tell you from the time I was very young, I was going to be a lawyer. And I went to undergraduate and I ended up with a degree, a dual major in communication and political science with a minor in history, all with the intent of going to law school. I wanted to understand, you know, how the world worked, but I also wanted to make sure I could speak effectively. And somewhere over that summer, I just decided I didn't want to be a lawyer, which was like a shock to everyone. Honestly, I said, you know what, I can go work the magical, I can go work and then I'll go back to school. So I moved to Los Angeles because I thought there would be greater career opportunity there. And I really didn't have any idea what I was going to do. So I ended up in technology fairly accidentally. And I've never left, by the way.

I walked into a, at the time, there were computer stores in like retail malls, and they were hiring a floor salesperson. And I said, well, I know I can talk to people. And I know something about personal computers, because I've used one. So I'm sure I can do this job. And literally, that is how the career started. So from there, I realized that I had a deep technical aptitude for technology. And I did not go back to formal education, but I took every course and every certification that was available to me, did some like Cisco certifications and IBM certifications and Microsoft certifications

so that I could learn the technology. Then I went on, ultimately ended up in cybersecurity because I became fascinated with public and private key infrastructure with PKI. So I actually started my cybersecurity career as a PKI architect and specialist. And from there, it just grew as I learned all of the different things and ultimately ended up spending 14 years at RSA Security. I get up every day and get to solve some of the world's hardest problems, and they don't even know they're being solved, right? I work with a team of brilliant professionals.

We're solving some of the world's hardest problems. We're helping make things as straightforward as their online banking transactions safe, right? Everyone can kind of understand that analogy. When I talk about online banking transactions or I talk about you have your ATM card, it has a pin. Well, we're doing that for all of your online type transactions, whether you're shopping online, you're banking online. We're trying to just make the world safer. A lot of cybersecurity folks like me love to mentor talent that wants to come into the industry. I'll give you one example. Every year, I personally sponsor five people to attend Black Hat.

And I try to look at folks that are new in the industry or career-changing or diverse, from some diverse background or transitioning from U.S. military. I have people come to me and apply, and then I choose based on those criteria. So find a good mentor. Attend, you know, SANS training, Black Hat, the RSA conference. Try to attend the experiences. And cybersecurity is a really broad and vast field. So decide what is interesting to you, right?

really broad and vast field. So decide what is interesting to you, right? And you should develop, you know, you should have a lot of different fundamental knowledge, but develop some type of expertise, whether it's, you know, secure coding, whether it's anti-fraud, whether it's identity, but decide what it is you want to do and then work with a mentor or work with the entities that you're getting training from to really develop a career path via training. I hope that the impact I have had in the industry is to do a few things. Number one, bring more diversity to the industry. And like I talked about, diversity is a broad spectrum. I talked about diversity is a broad spectrum.

It's not just the man and woman type of diversity, but people from different backgrounds, educational backgrounds, socioeconomic backgrounds, global backgrounds. Number one, that's what I want to be known for. Number two, bringing a human aspect to cybersecurity. Cybersecurity can be a very insular industry. I hope that the work that I've been doing and just changing the language of cybersecurity

over the past 18 months is something that will have a long-term impact. And the final thing I would say is that really, truly being empathetic to the end user experience. So truly changing the culture of the industry and being one of those change agents for the industry and developing tools and that are easier to use, easier to consume is one of my big objectives. And that's really, you know, if I put it in those three dimensions, if I can accomplish those things, I will feel like I've had an impact and a legacy that's worthwhile. Thank you. AI solutions that are not only ambitious, but also practical and adaptable. That's where Domo's AI and data products platform comes in. With Domo, you can channel AI and data into innovative uses that deliver measurable impact. Secure AI agents connect, prepare, and automate your data workflows,

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