—
“When it comes to the cybersecurity war, we can’t guess and hope for solutions.” – Christian Espinosa
As technology advances, society has accomplished some awe-inspiring feats. Day by day, new technologies such as AI, IoT, Blockchain, and 5G, are becoming an integral part of our everyday lives. However, with this increased reliance on technology and connectivity comes the risk of being a cybercrime target. The harsh reality is that governments and private organizations have struggled to fight back against cybercriminals that constantly find new and improved ways to carry out cyberattacks over the past decade.
After observing the rising threat of cybercrime, Christian Espinosa founded Alpine Security in 2014. The vision behind Alpine Security was to provide training for cybersecurity professionals and provide services such as penetration testing, cybersecurity strategy, and medical device cybersecurity. The aim was to disrupt the status quo by looking at the challenges holistically rather than through a microscope.
Alpine Security’s Mission
Alpine Security’s mission was simple; they aimed to make people and organizations safe amidst a rising tide of cybersecurity threats. This singular focus drove their cybersecurity training programs and threat assessment services. Despite providing efficient cybersecurity protocols to some major clients, Alpine Security chose to remain lean, allowing them to adapt and overcome new challenges in an ever-changing industry.
At the heart of Alpine Security’s business model was the crucial understanding that their clients, from singular individuals to large-scale corporations, were different. Alpine Security knew that it was their responsibility to find the right solutions that cater to a diverse portfolio of clients. To put it simply – one size does not fit all. This holistic approach to cybersecurity made Alpine Security a unique presence in the industry.
A New Chapter for Alpine Security
In December 2020, Alpine Security announced that Cerberus Sentinel was acquiring them. The acquisition allowed them to reach a broader clientele and make an even more significant impact on the cybersecurity industry. In addition, Alpine Security’s founder, Christian Espinosa, was brought on as a new Managing Director of Cerberus Sentinel as part of the acquisition.
At the time, the founder of Cerberus Sentinel, David Jemmett, spoke very highly of the acquisition. He expressed his confidence that Alpine Security’s unique training program would prove to be a significant asset to Cerberus Sentinel’s organization and the fight against cybercrime. Jemmett was quoted saying, “They [Alpine Security] are talented and share a culture of excellence that we strive to bring to each client engagement.”
Christian Espinosa’s Solution to The Cybersecurity Problem
As the founder of Alpine Security, and the current Managing Director of Cerberus Sentinel, Christian Espinosa began to notice a severe problem prevalent in the cybersecurity industry. According to Christian, this problem wasn’t technical but psychological. The cybersecurity industry is very demanding, and by the very nature of the job, full of knowledgeable people. In a field with so many high IQs in one room, tensions tend to run high, and egos butt heads.
Taking notice of this behavioral trend in the industry, Christian Espinosa realized that what cybersecurity needed more than anything wasn’t more intelligent people or more advanced software. Instead, what was needed was empathy. To this end, Christian Espinosa set about writing ‘The Smartest Person in the Room,’ a book that documents his own personal experiences, while offering leaders in cybersecurity an actionable guide to integrate empathy and emotional intelligence in their workforce.
To better understand Christian’s perspective, those interested should read Christian Espinosa’s ‘The Smartest Person in the Room’ today.
About The Smartest Person in the Room Author
Christian Espinosa has always been the kind of person who thinks out of the box. This unique perspective and critical problem-solving skills have allowed him to see problems in the cybersecurity industry and innovate new ways to solve them.
Christian Espinosa is an entrepreneur, white-hat hacker, and holds over 15 cybersecurity industry certifications. After establishing and selling Alpine Security, he is now a Managing Director with Cerberus Sentinel. His next mission is to change the cybersecurity industry as we know it by helping leaders foster emotional intelligence, empathy, and understanding within their teams.
—
This content is brought to you by Shahbaz Ahmed
Photo provided by the author with written permission from Christian Espinosa.