Adam Kujawa

Adam Kujawa

Director of Malware Intelligence


Malwarebytes

New Orleans, LA USA


You might spend a lot of time climbing a hill or trying to make a difference, but when you get someone who comes up and says, ‘You guys really saved me,’ that makes it all worth it.

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By Roadtrip Nation

Adam Kujawa

Milestones

My road in life took a while to figure out.
His interest in computers started when he was a kid; when he was three years old, he helped his dad build an 8-bit home computer called the Commodore 64.
His dad worked in technology and Adam saw him struggling from time to time, so although he enjoyed working on computers, he decided that life wasn’t for him.
Instead, he joined the Navy, where he took a position in signal analysis...which he ultimately didn’t enjoy very much.
So after finishing his service, he decided to start down a new path, and became the first person in his family to go to college.
He originally declared as an art major, but on his first assignment, he received a “D” because he was more focused on the technical aspects of art rather than the emotional components.
He took that grade as the final sign that he was meant to work in programming, and switched his major to software development.
Malware analysis was a class he’d taken and enjoyed while he was in the Navy, so in college, he started to gravitate back towards that field.
He’s now been working for Malwarebytes for over five years; the company blocks malware, which is software designed to extort money from people through an array of hacking tactics.
Keep following my journey

Career

Director of Malware Intelligence

I am a computer scientist with experience in reverse engineering and malware analysis.

Career Roadmap

Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Engineering
Technology
Problem Solving

Day to Day

Every day is different. I lead a team in the identification, classification, and analysis of online threats, be it malware, scams or other nefarious attacks aimed at users. It's a lot like being a detective.

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for everyone

Find a niche or a specialty that sets you apart.

Recommended Education

My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

"I don't want to do this. "

Challenges I Overcame

First-Generation College Student
School Stress

Interviewed By

Life Hackers

Life Hackers

Cybersecurity careers and pathways