Guest Teaching Seminar – Reducing the attack surface with Records Management

The University of Manchester – 20th May 2020

Guest Teaching

On Wednesday I guest taught at The University of Manchester for Professor Daniel Dresner (Prof Danny). Last year I had the chance to teach at a University in London and I really enjoyed it. People there to listen to me talk about Records Management because they want to not because I’ve trapped them in a room with me!  This was originally meant to be in person but because of COVID-19, it turned into a webinar that was available for all to attend.

Career

If I’d told me 10 years ago that I would be teaching University students, I’d have laughed at myself. As if.  This isn’t something I had ever dreamt I would be doing. I feel so honoured that Prof Danny asked me to guest teach for his students. Planting the idea with Professor Danny asking me was half a joke. When wandering around InfoSec London together and I said “You never know I might end up guest teaching for you” but Prof Danny took me at my word and next minute I knew I had an invite to teach for him.

I taught his students about “Reducing the attack surface with Records Management”, his students are mostly Post Graduate and Doctorate level students-  people above my qualification but Prof Danny has said his students need to sit and listen to what I have to say because it’s good stuff and will help them in their careers.

When I heard it was open to everyone, I started communicating it across Twitter and LinkedIn. I’m lucky to know some of the Information Security Royalty including the fabulous Ray [Redacted]. You thought I’d be nervous but I love my topic. I love talking about it and I love enthusing others to see that Records Management can help everyone.

There’s another post to come on this topic. The post will be specifically about reducing the surface attack with Records Management. I’m going to save the post for when the recorded version comes out. There will be a chance to enjoy watching it again or watching it for the first time.

Guest Teaching Feedback

Moreover, I got some great feedback of people who watched the info security webinar:

Feedback from the Prof himself:

Why am I telling you about this?  I’m telling you because you should never give up on something even if it doesn’t sound realistic. Even if you couldn’t imagine it happen, there’s always a chance that it will.  I was told as a young adult that I thought I knew too much and realistically I didn’t but actually I did know a lot, just enough to make someone feel threatened. I was told that I would never make anything of myself and I have.  Have faith in others to see you working hard.  It will pay off eventually. I wasn’t paid to do this guest speaking session but the experience was worth way more than the time I made available.

So yes, hang on to your trousers folks – the recording will be coming out soon which I will publish with a post about the topic as well.

My thanks go to Prof Danny and the Uni of Manchester for their kind hosting. I look forward to doing it once again.

Enjoyed this blog?  Check out more posts here.