, communicate more effectively, know more about the business, and match the capabilities of an ever-improving set of adversaries. But, it doesn't seem too long ago that all it took to survive in the field was a dose of strong technical acumen and a shot of creativity to protect the network, solve most problems, and fend off attacks.
[Asking these big questions will help you predict future compromise]
Not so today. The role of the security professional has evolved beyond that of mere technical savvy, and now includes consultant, educator, investigator, and defender of the data.
To understand the traits and habits that matter the most, we reached out to a number of security professionals by phone, email, and social media, who are successful in their respective areas in the field.
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If there's one thing that screamed out from the interviews it was this: security knowledge alone is only the beginning of the skills and habits one needs to succeed.
Effective Habit 1: Communications. As Branden Williams, EVP of Strategy at Sysnet Global Solutions, put it, it's the ability to translate "l33tsp34k to a P&L." Interpersonal communications is critical for security and forensics professionals for a variety of reasons; the most powerful one being self-interest. "Good communicators e