Welcome to our first installment of Meet the Team for 2021. Each week, we’re taking you behind the scenes to meet our talented staff. You’ll get the chance to see what it’s like to work at MRW Systems and the tech industry. But don’t worry, it’s not all technical stuff. We also threw in some fun questions.
To kick things off, we’re starting with our incredible cybersecurity team. They work to help keep our clients safe from cybercriminals. If you think about it, they are like modern superheroes. And I can’t think of anything cooler.
But here’s the kicker, that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what they do! To learn more about our cybersecurity program, please check out our NetGarde page.
Now without further ado, let’s get into those questions. And first up is Joe.
Joe, MRW’s Supervisor/Security Administrator
Who are you and what is your job title at MRW?
I’m Joe, and I’m the Supervisor/Security Administrator of the NetGarde security team.
How long have you’ve been with the company?
I’ve been at MRW for about 3 years.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
I work on a lot of different stuff from threat monitoring to vulnerability analysis to security policy drafting. A typical workday can vary based on what’s going on with our clients at any given time.
What do you enjoy most about working in the technology industry?
I like the variety. It benefits me in my position to know how a lot of different technologies work, so there’s always more room to grow, branch out, and apply myself in different ways.
What is your favorite piece of tech and why?
Video game controllers, hands down! Since I spend a lot of time playing games, I like to treat myself with fancy controllers. Whether that’s a custom Xbox controller or a mechanical keyboard.
What’s a common end-user problem you see a lot of? And how do you fix it?
In our department, we see a lot of people worried about spam and phishing emails. While our spam filters catch a lot of it, sometimes malicious emails slip through and end up in people’s inboxes. Part of our process for diagnosing whether an email is bad or not is pretending to be a duped user. We (safely!) click those links and open those attachments so you don’t have to. Usually, observing the behavior of the link or attachment tells us all we need to know about whether it’s up to no good. Our tools allow us to interact with these suspect files without causing any damage.
What’s your most-used productivity hack?
We get a lot of internal security reports, and they drop into our Outlook inboxes. Since a lot of our processes rely on the data in those reports, I use a tool called Power Automate, which comes bundled with Office 365. It sees reports as they enter my inbox and automatically saves them to shared folders for use by the rest of the team. Huge time-saver and project management hack!
Now, it’s time for the fun questions! What is your favorite activity to do on the weekends?
I like to wear out those luxury video game controllers, of course! Just hang out on the couch with my pup and play some games.
What’s your favorite place you’ve ever visited?
During my undergrad days, I studied abroad in Oxford, England. I haven’t travelled abroad much (yet), but that one stands out – mainly because I lived there for a time. It really makes a difference, makes you feel part of the place in a way you can’t get if you just roll through tourist attractions and leave. Not to mention that city is amazing. Lots of hole-in-the-wall, legendary pubs.
Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?
I make a mean shrimp puttanesca.
What are your favorite and least favorite foods?
I really don’t like brussels sprouts. You cannot prepare them in any way that makes me go, “Yeah, that’s pretty good.” On the flip side, I guess a favorite one that I can’t get enough of are… olives. I like olives. All kinds.
What three items would you take with you to a deserted island?
Is my dog an item? I’m bringing my dog anyway. I’d also bring a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s super long, super cool, and will keep the spark of hope alive that I’ll find treasure or find a way off the island one day. And finally, I’d bring a large knife or hatchet of some sort. Boring answer, but you can’t deny how useful it would be.
Tyler, MRW’s Security Specialist
Who are you and what is your job title at MRW?
My name is Tyler, and my title is Security Specialist.
How long have you have been with the company?
2 years.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
Monitoring for threats, analyzing vulnerabilities, examining phishing emails for clients, managing security training and occasionally compliance work.
What do you enjoy most about working in the technology industry?
The work environment, everyone is like minded and easy to get along with.
What is your favorite piece of tech and why?
It might be lame, but mine is my phone. I can play games, watch videos, and search the internet. There is not much more I need.
What’s a common end-user problem you see a lot of? And how do you fix it?
I do not typically see end user issues, but I take care of a lot of phishing tickets. I usually check the email headers and sender address first. If I still need more info, I will open a secure VM to scan and analyze attachments and links.
What is your most-used productivity hack?
Not sure that this is a hack, but if I have a good playlist, I can get a ton of work done and enjoy doing it.
Now, it’s time for the fun questions! What is your favorite activity to do on the weekends?
Relax and Play video games.
What is your favorite place you have ever visited?
Capri Italy, the water was clear, and the island was fun to walk around. This was also my first trip out of the country.
Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?
A hobby I have recently gotten into is building keyboards. Its tedious and time consuming, but fun and worth the result.
What are your favorite and least favorite foods?
My favorite food would have to be ramen. Not the packs you buy in the store, the traditional ramen you can get at restaurants. My least favorite would be shellfish, only because I am allergic.
What three items would you take with you to a deserted island?
Assuming I have food and water, I would bring bug spray, sunscreen, and a hammock. Then I could relax without too many worries, what else is there to do on a deserted island.