Alex Harmon
Senior Security Analyst
Microsoft
Redmond, WA USA
“Have a keen interest: keep practicing as much as you can, as much as is reasonable.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationAlex Harmon
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
When he was a teenager, he decided that he wanted to work in the field of information security.
After his family would go to bed, he’d often stay up late and use IRC servers to talk to people “who were up to no good.”
He was fascinated by the idea that hacking could be used to protect or to destroy, but ultimately, decided that the idea of hacking for good was much more appealing to him.
He started studying digital forensics, specifically, because he knew it’d help him gather evidence and form criminal cases against the malicious hackers he regularly encountered online.
Although he discovered his chosen profession at a young age, there was a downside to his fascination: he fell behind in his schoolwork, and ultimately had to drop out of high school.
Because he didn’t have a degree, he felt he had to “force the door open” by proving that companies needed his services; once he did that, he had no problem finding work.
His current job requires him to stay on-call at all times, and even though he loves the work, he admits that this can make it difficult for him to maintain a work-life balance.
He’s found that practicing mindful meditation helps him keep his work-life balance in check, and he advises others in the world of cybersecurity to dedicate time to their own mental health.
Keep following my journey
Education
GED
Career
Senior Security Analyst
I'm a hacker-for-good using digital forensics to gather evidence against malicious hackers.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Business
Technology
Problem Solving
Day to Day
I drive threat-monitoring programs and respond to threats with my digital forensics background. My expertise helps the company resolve the most critical and sophisticated issues that may arise in the Center. I frequently work in close partnership with the Corporate, External, & Legal Affairs (CELA), Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC), and Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) teams to build capabilities and provide DFIR at cloud-scale, serving the needs of cybersecurity, compliance, and the law.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
My educational path was a fluke; it worked out for me, but it's not a sure thing. I'd recommend a college education for almost anyone else wanting to get into the InfoSec industry.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Peers:
"You won't get ahead if you don't have a high school education. "
Challenges I Overcame
Learning Issues
Interviewed By
Life Hackers
Cybersecurity careers and pathways
