Roshni Bedi

ROSHNI BEDI

Roshni Bedi was born in India but spent most of her childhood in Kuwait and Dubai. She now lives in Melbourne and is about to start her third year studying for a bachelor’s degree in information technology at Monash University.

Bachelor of Information Technology Student at Monash University

Suppose you met an old friend from your last year at school who, knowing nothing about cybersecurity or what you do, asks you what you are doing. How do you answer them to ‘sell’ them on the idea of a career in cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is so much more than the stereotype movies have constructed in our brains. A career in cyber is basically the same as being in forensics or the police. We work as the ‘cyber police’ protecting the digital world from cybercriminals and tracing any malicious activity or attacks. We are always developing ways to defend systems, data and computers from being compromised by attackers in the most effective and simple manner.

How does the reality of cybersecurity as you experience it today fit with your understanding when you first thought about studying it?

Cybersecurity for me included hours of coding and trying to break into systems and being something of a ‘tech-god’. However, being able to study it at university has helped me understand the technical and nontechnical side of this profession.

I have learnt how easy it is to be attacked and have your data stolen by someone who is simply a script kiddie, and seen the detrimental impacts that can have. Studying in this field has equipped me with the knowledge and skills to protect personal information and to understand what measures can be taken to defend myself from cyberattacks.

Who, or what would you say has had the biggest influence on your cybersecurity career journey to date, and why?

My decision to choose cybersecurity as a career was guided by my father, himself a cybersecurity professional. In high school I was a science student with a passion for biology and chemistry and did not particularly enjoy computing or IT. Because I did not enjoy coding, I avoided any technical or computer-based subjects, but my perspective slowly changed when I opened my mind to cybersecurity and its possibilities. My father and I always had conversations about his job, what it entailed and what he enjoyed about it. Listening to him speak with such passion for the field inspired me to choose IT as my degree.

After some research, and speaking to people working in cyber I decided to enrol in my current course. It has changed my perspective of technology and its benefits. I enjoy studying, researching and testing the tools and technologies cybersecurity offers, and am proud of my decision to become a second-generation cyber professional.

Furthermore, I love being engrossed and having intellectual conversations about current cybersecurity news, data breaches and attacks, or talking with my father about cybersecurity concepts and how things work. I would attribute all my achievements to him.

In addition to your studies, what employment experience do you have in cybersecurity?

I am in my second year and have applied for several internships with Big Four banks and consulting firms so I can expose myself to the industry and experience corporate culture alongside university culture. I will be starting as an EY Consulting summer intern in the banking and financial sector, and I have also secured a 12-month internship with National Australia Bank as a security analyst next year. I am looking forward to starting at both organisations so I can learn from a team of supportive and talented professionals and advance my skills as a cybersecurity professional.

What aspect of your studies excites you the most?

For me, hands-on learning is the most exciting part of university. More than memorising content and watching lectures, I enjoy workshops and tutorials where I am taught how to work with tools and where I experience cyber technologies in action in real time. I have loved working with technologies like Wireshark, GNS3, Burp Suite, etc and I have enjoyed the opportunity to simulate cyber attacks against machines to see their impacts in real life.

What aspect do you find least interesting or useful?

In addition to hands-on learning my studies involve watching lectures, reading textbooks and doing research. These studies are more passive and selfpaced and do not excite me as much. Having said this, it is still very important to understand underlying fundamental concepts and learn the theory side of things.

Is there any aspect of cybersecurity you think should be given greater focus in your course, or any aspect you think should be given less focus?

Having studied cybersecurity for two years now, I think it is important to move the focus onto training students for industry and what to expect in the corporate world. I have faced these challenges, and university has not really shed light on building nontechnical skills like networking, public speaking or confidence in the workplace. Although it is crucial for students to understand cybersecurity concepts and learn how to use technologies, it is equally important to train students on topics such as how to apply for internships or jobs, how and what to expect in interviews, how to build a professional network in the workplace, etc. I think such training would greatly benefit students when they graduate and have to look for their first jobs.

Are you involved in the wider cybersecurity community, eg AWSN if so, how and what has been your experience?

I am an active member of AWSN, and being a part of a community of exceptionally talented and inspiring women has helped me gain confidence and inspired me to grow and flourish as they have. AWSN has been a crucial part of my journey in cybersecurity because it has helped me develop interpersonal skills such as networking, public speaking and working as a team with new people. Attending several networking events, gatherings and workshops has helped me build a professional network I can depend on for guidance and support whenever I need.

I am involved in several exciting events like Incidence Response and CTF, which encourages women to work in teams and challenges us to push each other to learn and apply new skills.

Have you ever felt disadvantaged or discriminated against by being a woman in cyber, if so, please provide details?

Cybersecurity and IT are quite male-dominated industries. Personally, I have found it daunting at times because most of my peers and my teachers have been men. Whenever I have walked into a class for any of the subjects I have taken at university, I have always been surrounded by more men than women. However, my feelings of being disadvantaged and scared changed when I noticed all my peers as well as the teachers were supportive and wanted me to excel.

I have made long-lasting friendships with several people at my university, and also become part of a close-knit group of women who support each other throughout all our classes. Furthermore, organisations like AWSN have helped me feel more

confident and secure in being a woman in a male-dominated industry and I feel proud to be in this field.

Have you already sought employment in cybersecurity, if so, what has been your experience of applications/interviews?

As mentioned above, I have been interviewed by both EY and NAB for their internship positions. Both companies required an initial written application with some questions as well as a resumé and academic transcripts. After being accepted by both, the second stage included interviews with the appropriate team members. Because I am quite an extrovert and love talking to new people, I found the interviews quite fun and exciting.

I also had to participate in group interviews with other interviewees in which we worked on a case study while being assessed by interviewers. I loved having the opportunity to express my views as well as listen to a variety of opinions on the same topic, because it gave me a more holistic perspective on problems and how people approach them. Furthermore, the one-on-one interviews with panellists were quite enjoyable and comfortable because they played out more like conversations in which we were getting to know each other.

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