About The Guest: James Potter is the CEO and founder of DSE, a professional services firm specializing in Active Directory security. With over 25 years of experience in Active Directory work, James has a deep understanding of the challenges and vulnerabilities associated with this core piece of software. He is passionate about helping organizations secure their boundaries through Active Directory security. Summary: James Potter, CEO and founder of DSE, joins The Phillip Wylie Show to discuss the importance of Active Directory security and the evolving landscape of directory services. James shares his background in Active Directory work and explains how DSE helps organizations secure their Active Directory environments. He highlights the impact of the pandemic on remote work and the challenges faced by companies transitioning to a hybrid or cloud-based environment. James also offers advice for individuals looking to start a career in Active Directory security. Key Takeaways: 1. The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of remote work and highlighted the importance of nimble and flexible organizations. 2. Moving to the cloud can offer cost savings and scalability, but it requires skilled resources to ensure proper management and security. 3. Legacy accounts and configurations in Active Directory can pose significant security vulnerabilities and should be regularly audited and cleaned up. 4. Cloud environments provide resiliency and global availability, but cost considerations are driving organizations to reevaluate their cloud strategies. 5. Starting a career in Active Directory security requires a baseline understanding of networking and certifications such as Network+ and Security+ can provide a solid foundation. Quotes: - "The pandemic allowed us to blossom because we're very nimble. We don't have a lot of overhead office buildings." - James Potter - "Moving to the cloud doesn't automatically fix Active Directory issues. You still need skilled resources to manage and secure it." - James Potter - "Legacy accounts and configurations in Active Directory are low-hanging fruit for threat actors." - James Potter - "The cloud offers maneuverability and speed for startups, but it's important to evaluate cost and long-term scalability." - James Potter - "Imposter syndrome is huge. Don't give up. If you're motivated and pushing yourself, you deserve to be there." - James Potter Socials and resources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesthesecurityguy/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/directoryservicesexpedited/ https://twitter.com/DSEteam https://www.dse.team/

About The Guest: Brandon Colley is a cybersecurity professional who specializes in Active Directory security. He has a background in IT operations and has worked in various roles, including help desk support, desktop support, and server administration. Brandon currently works for Trimarc Security, a well-known Active Directory security company. Summary: In this episode, Brandon discusses his journey from IT operations to his current role in Active Directory security. He shares how he discovered his passion for security and the steps he took to specialize in Active Directory. Brandon also talks about the importance of understanding the technology behind security and the value of having a background in IT operations. He emphasizes the need for continuous learning and recommends playing with Active Directory in a lab environment to gain hands-on experience. Brandon also highlights the benefits of giving talks and being active in the cybersecurity community. Key Takeaways: Understanding the technology behind security is crucial for effective Active Directory security. Playing with Active Directory in a lab environment is a great way to gain hands-on experience. Having a background in IT operations provides valuable insights for defending against attacks. Giving talks and being active in the cybersecurity community can help in learning and sharing knowledge. Quotes: "One of the things I like to do outside of mentoring and teaching is share resources, and some of those resources are awesome people like yourself, where people can learn from." - Brandon "Meet security where you are. See things that are security-related in your current role." - Brandon "Security is everyone's responsibility. Go out and find it, do it, learn about it, and suggest things." - Brandon Socials and resources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/techbrandon/ https://twitter.com/TechBrandon