Kao Hansell

Cyber Security Advisor at Digital Resilience

Kao Hansell’s entry into the world of cybersecurity was unplanned and almost instantaneous. Looking to change careers and with an eye on becoming a programmer, she was researching courses at TAFE SA when she came across details of an information session on a new cybersecurity course (Certificate IV in Cyber Security, Information

Technology) scheduled to take place just two hours hence.

“I got changed, jumped on a train to the city, was blown away by what I heard and decided that I was going to try cyber instead of programming, which was a great decision,” she says. “I enrolled the next morning and started to surf the web for articles and information on what exactly I was getting myself into.”

Her current position— cyber security advisor at Digital Resilience—also happened by chance. “I was still very much trying to figure out where I wanted to be, what was my place and what I enjoyed. Then the current opportunity arose, and it was like the right place at the right time,” Kao says.

That opportunity came about through a chance meeting with Digital Resilience’s founder and managing director, Paul Dewsnap. “He took a chance after meeting me and has helped steer my career down the path it is currently on,” she says. “Between him and the team at Digital Resilience I have been able to progress so much.”

Since then she has gone on to gain seven LinkedIn Learning certifications, and cites “constantly learning” as one of the most rewarding aspects of her role. “I am a lifelong learner and currently my role is supplying me with a constant stream of new information. On top of that is knowing I am, in my own way, helping people.” However, her career journey has not been all plain sailing. It began with being set on the wrong course by her school career advisor.

Looking back, she would tell her last-year-of-school self “ignore the career advisor and go into IT.” Had she followed her inclination she says she would be a very different person and would have enjoyed her work time much more, but acknowledge that her experience in customer facing jobs improved her interpersonal skills.

And, Kao says her own experience demonstrates that cybersecurity would benefit by attracting more people with experience in other disciplines. “Bringing people in from other industries has led to new perspectives

and new ways to solve problems … and the greater our abilities to protect what matters becomes.”

IMPOSTER SYNDROME STRIKES

“It has been challenging trying to absorb all the information. There is so much happening so fast, and I need to learn on the fly,” she says. “While my studies, past and present, have been helpful, what I have learnt in industry has been amazing. There have been times I have doubted my choices. Imposter syndrome can be a heavy burden when things get tough or stressful.

“I like to do my best with whatever I push into, so it has left me questioning if I am actually good enough to be doing what I am doing, or am I going to let down those who have given me my opportunity.”

And Kao is not done with study: she has set her sights on ISCA entry level certifications. “These include the cybersecurity fundamentals and the IT risk fundamentals. After that likely sec+ and then I will play it by ear.”

Looking forward, Kao says taking on a higher level or more specialised role could be good, but is conscious that there could be a downside. “Moving up or into something more specialised is great, but if it leads to me burning out and not having time to recharge not only will I suffer but my work will as well. Value is not always monetary in nature.”

And she notes that employee burnout is a danger to employers as well as employees. “Insider threat is going to become more of an issue in the post-COVID era. We are going to be seeing more people become burnt out and disgruntled.”

Insider threats are not the only cloud Kao sees on the horizon. “Things that are very likely to happen are that ransomware will increase, data exfiltration is going to get worse before it gets better and cyber insurance is going to become more difficult to maintain.”

www.linkedin.com/in/kao-hansell