Rasa Padunyte is a dedicated Focal Analyst at NormCyber, bringing extensive experience to her role.
With two years of expertise in Security Operations Centers and eight years of experiences in customer service, she has honed her skills in identifying and mitigating security threats as well as communication and problem-solving. In her current role, she focuses on fully understanding her customers’ setups and ensuring they can best utilise NormCyber’s services to enhance their security posture.
Starting afresh in a new career can seem intimidating – especially in a technically-focused field like cyber.
Before entering the sector, I spent several years in the travel insurance industry, and whilst I enjoyed working with people and building relationships, it left my curious side craving a challenge.
Growing up, I always had a keen interest in technology and the way things work. Watching my dad take apart anything from old radios to box TVs and piece it back together piqued my interest in technology – we even built our computer together! Later, this turned into passion and drive for cyber security. Finally, it was the pandemic that gave me the impetus I needed to make the leap into cybersecurity, and I enrolled in a bootcamp.
Your journey into cyber is what you make it
Boot camps are short-term, intensive training programmes designed to teach the essential principles of cyber. As someone who entered the field with no prior training, a bootcamp gave me a good understanding of the field. Crucially, I then went on to build on this with more self-training and learning to eventually lay a proper foundation to land my first cyber role.
However, a short burst of learning alone won’t set you up for success – you need to have genuine passion and enthusiasm to make it in this field. If you don’t, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. There is a vast array of programs to learn, and technology never stands still – no two days are the same, but with a genuine passion for cyber, you’ll embrace the fast-paced nature of the job.
If I could recommend one thing to somebody just starting out in cyber, it would be this: build a community. Seek out a mentor – somebody further along in their career who is open to providing guidance and counsel as you progress in your career. Mentorship programmes are a great way to build a network, get expert advice and, just as importantly, boost your confidence – especially for women who may feel underrepresented in their field.
You can start small – send out a few personalised LinkedIn invitations briefly outlining your journey into cyber and current position, and ask if people are open to mentoring. I took this route when I started out and was met with nothing but positive reception. There are also groups and online communities centred around women in tech, that host their own events and spaces. Reach out and involve yourself in as many as possible. You never know what big opportunities – and even friendships – are just around the corner!
Merging cyber skills with the human touch
After graduating from bootcamp, my first role was in a Security Operations Centre (SOC). It was a great starting point that provided hands-on experience in hunting and resolving real-world cyber security threats, but something was missing: the intensive human contact that was so integral to my day-to-day work outside of the field. When I decided to change jobs, I was looking for that middle ground between deep technical insight and building customer relationships. I found it when I became a Focal Analyst at Hampshire-based managed security services provider, NormCyber.
‘Focal Analyst’ is an exciting and unique role I had never heard before. Focal Analysts work closely with Threat Detection and Response Teams to ensure that assigned clients are able to maximise their service experience and cyber resiliency. We aim to be a trusted contact for them, monitoring their threat landscapes, escalating business-critical events, reporting to leadership and handling day-to-day enquiries. This role marries technical skills and intricate industry knowledge with the interpersonal skills needed to build a truly consultative relationship with clients.
Don’t picture a dull Zoom meeting where Focal Analysts deliver the same stale reports to clients – our meetings are goal-oriented and there is always an element of personality. Cyber is no joking matter, but it helps to stay human about it!
What does a day in the life of a Focal Analyst look like?
A typical day entails a combination of reporting, analysis, monitoring and collaboration. Focal Analysts need to be up to speed on the latest cyber threats and vulnerabilities in order to keep clients ahead of the curve. Mornings can typically include reviewing any overnight alerts and checking threat intelligence feeds, ensuring we are up to speed on any new developments.
During the day, if we’re not meeting with our clients, answering their different queries or analysing how they can improve their environment, we’re working in close concert with Norm’s own Threat Detection and Response team to maintain watertight security standards. Of course, my day could change at any minute if a cyber incident occurs, and Focal Analysts are trained to rapidly adapt and be prepared for anything – part of why I love it so much.
Succeeding in cyber: Passion and perseverance are the key
Roles like Focal Analysts will play an important part in the future of cyber. Whilst technology is constantly evolving, the human touch is still an essential part of the process. Building relationships and getting to see customers grow and strengthen their cyber defences are hugely rewarding aspects of the job. It’s a team effort, but you can take pride in the fact that your expert guidance and personal contributions translate into concrete cyber resilience improvements.
In cyber, passion is just as important as technical skills. It drives the desire to learn, adapt and be creative, and is the cornerstone of success in the field. If you’re looking to thrive in cyber, rest assured that you can acquire all the knowledge and skills you need – just let your passion lead the way and the rest will fall into place!
