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Austin Stewart
CST 300 Writing Lab
September 9, 2020
Cyber Security

The war on cyber threats continues to grow as our dependence on technology grows. The

fight against cyber attacks requires trained professionals. However, there aren’t enough people

trained in cyber security to fill those roles. This is critical because “hackers attack every 39

seconds, on average 2,244 times a day” (Sobers, 2020). Many companies seek those with several

years of experience, multiple degrees, and specific expertise in various coding languages. This

makes it difficult for new graduates to start their careers in this field. That is why completing a

bachelor’s degree in computer science at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB)

and seeking industry resources outside of school is good preparation for a job in cyber security.

When researching cyber defense companies the first thing anyone will see are top big

names in this industry. Some of those major names include McAFee, IBM, Microsoft, Cisco,

Broadcom, and many more (Robb, 2020). Of course, when it comes to landing a job at one of

these industry titans they will need a hefty background with years of experience for any chance

of getting in. Although some of those companies do offer courses for people to help fill their

portfolio, IBM for example, they still need prior experience (IBM, 2018). What these tech

leaders don’t realize is that it doesn’t take a degree or several years of experience for someone to

get the job, but rather, a person with the aptitude and a yearning to learn. That is why companies

that offer training to people regardless of experience are the real leaders as they are the ones

actively trying to bring as many people into this ever growing and demanding industry.

One company that provides this type of training is CISOSHARE as they can pull anyone,

regardless of prior knowledge, off the street and train them to be at the forefront in the world of

cyber security. They are a small company based in Southern California with their main office in
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San Clemente and a branch in the Bay Area (CISOSHAR, 2020). Across these two offices they

have more than 45 employees and despite their small number in comparison to industry giants,

they more than make up for it in skill and expertise.

They offer a wide variety of security services to businesses that include Vulnerability

Management, Security Architecture, Third-Party Risk Management, Penetration Testing, and

much more. All those services can also be accessed virtually through their virtual CISO (vCISO)

for added flexibility, or when in the midst of an emergency. As for their training program called

CyberForward, it is designed with five different phases with the first finding candidates, second a

four-week training, third an internship, fourth a three to six month contract, and fifth an extended

contract or hire (CISOSHARE, 2020). The goal of their program is to remove the barriers for

entering this field and reduce the shortage of talented workers.

CISOSHARE has over a decade worth of experience in cyber defense as it was founded

by Mike Gentile in 2004. Not only that but they have been implementing all of their business

services into vCISO to allow companies immediate access to their security services since 2006.

Also, in 2019 Mike founded the CyberForward program that allowed anyone with the aptitude to

become a part of their cyber security team. Since then sixteen students have graduated from the

intern phase and have moved onto the three to six-month contract program (CISOSHARE,

2020). CISOSHARE has always strived to be a leader in cyber security and that devotion

continues to grow in this ever-changing age of technology.

Such a company may seem like a fantasy, but it's real, and the one conducting this

symphony is none other than Mike Gentile himself. He is a graduate of Sonoma State University

with a bachelor’s in finance and is the founder, president, and CEO of CISOSHARE (Gentile).

Mike is an entrepreneur who has worked with multiple businesses ranging from startups to multi-
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billion dollar companies, and takes passion in working with talented teams to bring the utmost

out of their company’s services. Of course, let us not forget that a conductor is nothing without

their orchestra. Jason Faulk has been the vice president of operations at CISOSHARE for five

years and was vice president of business development in security solutions for Auxilio prior to

joining the CISOSHARE family (Faulk). Faulk is a graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University

with a bachelor’s in business management, marketing, and related support services (Faulk). He

has also worked as project manager for Pacific Life and as a district sales manager for Samsung

Electronics as well (Faulk). Jason is a leader who focuses on establishing streamlined

communication between all branches of the business as well as building teams whose interests

are aligned with the company’s. Tim Brooks has been the chief technology officer at

CISOSHARE for the past two years and is someone that has insightful knowledge in the industry

of security information. Brooks is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach with a

bachelor’s in management information systems, and is also a graduate of SANS Technology

Institute in security essentials and systems & network auditing (Brooks). He worked as the

director & information security officer for Children’s Hospital of Orange County, was vice

president of security solutions at Auxilio, and was also a director & information security officer

for Resolve Systems (Brooks). Everyone within CISOSHARE serves as an integral part of the

team, and it’s this team that makes this company what it is.

In order for a company to flourish they either need to provide a service or sell a product,

and for CISOSHARE it is services. In the cyber security industry, the service of protection

means everything and if it is not maintained at a consistent and high-quality level across all

contracts, then they are doomed to fail. That is why CISOSHARE is one of the best as they were

ranked #88 as the fastest-growing private company in the Inc. 5000 list of 2019 (Inc.), which is
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no small feat. This company has grown by leaps and bounds since its beginning and will

continue to do so as the demand for cyber security grows.

Another important factor for a company to thrive is that it needs a well-rounded

reputation for it to stay on top. Reputation can range from awards, company income, employee

satisfaction, customer testimonials, and to previous contracts with big named companies and

CISOSHARE exceeds that bar in more ways than one. Their customer relations are superb as

their quality of work never diminishes from one job to the next, and is seen in all of their

customer testimonials (CISOSHARE, 2020). As an employer they also exceed the standards of

an enjoyable working environment as it was ranked #7 in the 2019 “Best Places to Work in

Orange County” for small businesses (User). Financially they have continued to grow rapidly

year over year and have proven so by ranking in the Orange County Business Journal’s “Fastest

Growing Private Companies” two years in a row (Matienzo, 2019). CISOSHARE has proven

more than enough that it can stand at the top with the rest of the industry titans as a leading

provider in cyber defense.

The industry of cyber security is a growing field in which there are not enough people to

fill the role. In the past six years the demand for these jobs has increased by 94% while IT

listings increased by only 30% (Leaser, 2019). Nationwide there are over 500,000 open listings

and Californis has nearly 68,000 of them (CyberSeek). A major reason behind this sudden surge

is due to the increased rate of cyber attacks across the globe, and companies are in need of the

extra help. Despite the demand for cyber security professionals, the industry continues to push

people away. Companies are seeking individuals with college degrees, several years of

experience, and expertise in various forms of software or coding languages. Unfortunately,

recent college graduates and those without a degree or years of experience have a hard time
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filling these criteria which turns people away from this industry (Leaser, 2019). So, companies

like CISOSHARE are introducing programs, like their CyberForward, to help welcome and train

people in cyber security without all of the heavy requirements. The demand in this industry will

never stop growing but if companies are willing to lend a helping hand to those entering this

field, then it can definitely be lessened.

In cyber security there isn’t just one specific role, instead there are several that make up

this industry, such as security analyst, security engineer, and software developer (CyberSeek,).

Software development, for example, allows almost anyone with a degree in computer science to

pursue this career as they can create programs for defense against cyber threats. That is why

companies like CISOSHARE and universities like CSUMB, offer a greatest opportunity to

prepare for a job in this industry.

Preparing oneself to start learning software development is no easy task, especially in

cyber security, as taking the first step in the right direction is what will set them apart from all

the rest. When pursuing this career that first step means everything and there’s no better place to

start than at CSUMB. The programming classes offered here will prepare anyone, no matter the

industry, with the necessary skills to obtain the job they want. As for software development in

cyber security classes like CST 336, Internet Programming, and CST 363, Introduction to

Database Systems, can offer students the tools necessary to protect businesses from cyber

attacks. Also, classes like CST 311, Intro to Computer Networks, can prove to be quite versatile

for anyone pursuing a career in this field. This class introduces students to the different types of

area networks and how they all work individually. It also paves the way for them to take more

advanced classes in the future too. These mentioned courses help create the foundation necessary

for pursuing a job in this industry, and help add to a cyber security worker’s tool belt.
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Unfortunately, just taking classes and obtaining a degree won’t always land someone a

job in this field. That is why proper preparation is more important now than ever as companies

continue to raise the bar. The first step that anyone should take would be to build up their

portfolio with all the necessary coding skills (e.g. Java, SQL, Python, etc.) and certifications (e.g.

CompTIA Security+, IT Infrastructure Library, etc.). Companies won’t always hire someone

based on word from mouth, they will need proof of their accomplishments before moving

forward, and a portfolio is the best way to do it. The second step would be to take on internships

at local cyber security companies to gain the much needed knowledge and experience. This also

opens up an avenue of potential connections within the industry that can even lead to securing a

job in it. Lastly, engaging with cyber security associations like Information Systems Security

Association (ISSA) and taking workshops, networking, or attending conferences will expand

their knowledge and help make important industry connections. Companies like CISOSHARE

with their CyberForward program would be a great starting point for anyone searching for

resources outside of their school. Preparation is vital to landing a job in cyber security as no

company will hire someone just by asking for it.

The trends in IT and cyber security indicate a continued demand for trained professionals.

A solid educational plan combined with industry training and connections is critical for career

preparation and employment. Therefore, completed a bachelor’s degree in computer science

from CSUMB, participating in CISOSHARE’s CyberForward program, as well as connecting

with cyber security associations is a path to employment in this field.

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References

Brooks, T. (n.d.) Tim Brooks. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/in/timbrooks/

CISOSHARE. (2020, August 06). CISOSHARE. Retrieved September 05, 2020, from

https://cisoshare.com/

CyberSeek. (n.d.). Cybersecurity Supply And Demand Heat Map. Retrieved from

https://www.cyberseek.org/heatmap.html

Faulk, J. (n.d.) Jason Faulk. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonfaulk/

Gentile, M. (n.d.) Mike Gentile. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikegentileii/

IBM. (2018, September 26). Learning Journeys. Retrieved from

https://www.ibm.com/training/journeys?lnk=hpmls_butr

Inc. (n.d.). Inc. 5000 2020: Introducing the 5,000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in

America. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/inc5000/2019

Leaser, D. (2019, July 24). The demand for cybersecurity professionals is outstripping the supply

of skilled workers. Retrieved from https://www.ibm.com/blogs/ibm-training/new-

cybersecurity-threat-not-enough-talent-to-fill-open-security-jobs/

Matienzo, C. (2019, September 24). For the Second Year in a Row, CISOSHARE Ranks for

Orange County Busine. Retrieved from

http://www.prweb.com/releases/for_the_second_year_in_a_row_cisoshare_ranks_for_ora

nge_county_business_journals_fastest_growing_private_companies_of_2019/prweb1659
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1221.htm

Robb, D. (2020, January 3). Top Cybersecurity Companies. Retrieved from

https://www.esecurityplanet.com/products/top-cybersecurity-companies.html

Sobers, R. (2020, July 21). 110 Must-Know Cybersecurity Statistics for 2020: Varonis.

Retrieved from https://www.varonis.com/blog/cybersecurity-statistics/

User, S. (n.d.). 2019 "Best Places to Work in Orange County". Retrieved from

https://www.bestplacestoworkoc.com/2019-best-places-to-work-in-orange-county-

rankings