Today is indeed Thursday, not Friday—no need to adjust your calendars. Tomorrow is a holiday here in the U.S., and I will be at home, just recharging. In the words of immortal thought leader Forrest Gump:
That’s all I’ve got to say about that.
It’s been a bit of a busy week, being short staffed with people taking extra long weekends. I’ve even had to jump back in and help out with tending to some of the open tickets, chiefly access requests. It’s good to know that I haven’t entirely forgotten how to do them—especially since most of the shares that our group manages were created by me. 😅
I’ve been taking some rather big strides—for me, anyway—towards making myself more visible, and to shine my light a little more brightly in the cybersecurity realm. I was able to connect with one individual, and had lunch the other day with them. It was very interesting to learn the story of their own journey into cybersecurity. I was even informed of a Slack channel in our local area that has some security-related channels.
I had no idea it even existed! What’s more, there are a number of people on it that I interact with pretty regularly at work. I might be making very frequent use of Slack now! 😁
Looks like this recap post will be a little on the shorter side, as I’m still working through a few things here at work, and I want to make sure I finish up as much as I can before it’s time to go home.
This Got Me Thinking
My remark above about putting myself out there more certainly has me thinking. In cybersecurity, we’re trained to think in layers: defense in depth, zero trust, containment zones, and so on. We speak in terms like “authentication”, “monitoring”, “segmentation”—all of which are crucial and technical, but necessary. But lately, I’ve been thinking about another kind of defense that can’t be found in a diagram or a whitepaper: the quiet power of being approachable.
If you recall, a little while back, I launched security open office hours—a space for anyone in our school to stop by, ask questions, or just talk through something that may be security-related. No pressure, no jargon, just a calm presence and a simple message:
I’m here if you need me.
So far… no one’s come.
It’s a bit deflating, to say the least. But you know what? I’m learning to tell myself, that’s okay. It’s so easy to measure one’s successes by numbers—how many emails we answer, how many tickets we close, how many people show up. Sometimes, the real impact is slower, quieter. Sometimes, it can be about just showing up period, even when no one’s watching.
In a field that can feel cold or intimidating, being approachable can be its own kind of protection. When people know that there’s someone who won’t judge them for not knowing the right buzzwords, or asking the “wrong” questions, they feel safe. And when they feel safe, they tend to open up. They learn. They trust. And it’s not because of a policy—it’s because of a person.
Maybe no one needs that door open for them right now. But someday they just might. And when that moment comes, I want to be ready. I will be the person they feel safe turning to.
Because sometimes, the best security posture isn’t about firewalls or multi-factor authentication.
Sometimes, it’s about kindness. Stillness. Steadiness.
The kind of posture that says, “You’re not alone here.“
Finally, here’s a look back at what I wore to work this week. I hope you enjoy them. Have a wonderful and safe weekend!
-Terry
June 30
July 1
July 3
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