A Chat with WITS Virtual Summit Speaker — Shannon Schriver
Shannon Schriver works in Security Assurance at Susquehanna International Group. Her session at the WITS Virtual Summit is Phishing — Threats, Trends, and Tactics.
Why is speaking at WITS important to you?
I am always looking for ways to reach out and connect with other women in Technology, and WITS is a great venue for that! I’d love to be able to teach people something that they didn’t know before when it comes to cybersecurity, particularly since it’s such a hot topic right now. Maybe I could inspire someone to dig a bit more into the field, or at least put 2 factor authentication on their online accounts!
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by people that are able to build strong, collaborative teams. Leaders that are able to impart a vision on a large group of people and have them buy-in to a single path forward — it is not an easy thing to do! And those that do it well seem to do it effortlessly.
When you were a kid what was your dream job?
I wanted to be a marine biologist. I spent all of my summers at the Jersey Shore and fell in love with looking for shells and critters at the shore line. I kept the dream alive until freshman year Biology in high school … where I quickly realized that a life in the biological sciences was not for me!
Tell us something about your session
I’m hoping to give a glimpse into the world of a cybercriminal that uses phishing as their attack technique — Who are they? What are they after? How do they make money? It’s important context for every “netizen” to have — if you can think like the attacker, you can often outsmart them.
What advice do you have for women interested in beginning or expanding their careers in technology?
Think about the long term. When looking at a role at a new company, consider the company culture, your long arc plan, and how those two could fit together. What are you interested in learning, and how will that company will enable you to do and pursue that? Also, talk to colleagues and managers alike to learn about new technologies, opportunities, projects. So much of a career journey involves investigation — learning about what people do, how that relates to your role, and what options could be available for you either now or in the future. And don’t be afraid to try something out of your comfort zone. One of the cool things about technology is that it’s always evolving — everyone is in a constant state of learning, failing fast, figuring things out. Why not you?
What has been the most interesting thing you have learned during quarantine?
We’ve been living with my husband’s family who have been a tremendous help in caring for our 18-month-old twin boys so we can have some dedicated work time. In the time we’ve been with them, we’ve all been able to get to know each other so much more deeply. Once a week, all of the adults order take out and sit down to dinner together. I’ve come to really look forward to this time — I learn so much more about my in laws, and I get to hear some great stories about my husband as a kid! And for them, having some extra bonus time with our children has been a blessing during a really challenging time.
Register here to see Shannon and the other amazing women in tech at the WITS Virtual Summit.
