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It is fair to say that Adenike Cosgrove is a man of the people. She has a deep understanding of the “human factor” in cybersecurity, such as the psychology behind social engineering techniques used by threats and how to properly engage people in awareness training.
Information security Magazine: What is your proudest achievement (could be professional or personal)?
Adenike Cosgrove: Speaking first-hand to clinicians, nurses and other healthcare workers in a large private healthcare organization in the UK. It was the first time they really had contact with a security professional to understand the threats they faced and what to do. We know from our research that these front-line workers are often the most targeted by cybercriminals, who realize they are being swept off their feet and are more focused on treating patients than checking whether an email is spoofed. The nurses had no idea they were at the top of the list because of the access they had to patient data. They now see themselves as advocates not only for patient care, but also for patient data.
IM: What was your path to cybersecurity?
air conditioning: Although I really wanted to be an artist as a child, I was told I could be one of three things: a doctor, an accountant (my father’s preference – he was an accountant) or an engineer. So, being a daddy’s girl but still wanting to rebel, I chose engineering. I then moved through a variety of fascinating roles as an analyst at Canalys and Forrester, developing a deep understanding of the challenges facing CISOs and developing cybersecurity strategies for countless organizations.
My mother has also been a driving force in my career journey. As I grew older and grew closer to my mother, I realized that she grew up very little in Lagos, Nigeria. Despite the lack of opportunity, she made it her mission to succeed so that her children could have a better life. Her hard work and unwavering determination ensured that my siblings and I received the best education possible. Growing up, I remember her always saying “lọ ka iwe rê” in Yoruba, which literally translates to “go and read your books!” Tenacity, determination, hard work and resourcefulness are traits she possesses in spades, and these are traits I strive for in my life and career.
IM: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned?
air conditioner: One thing I will never forget was when I first started as an analyst early in my career and was about to give my first presentation on stage. I was extremely nervous and couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do less at that moment! But the organizer of the event told me, “that audience there, they’re not looking at you thinking, ‘I want her to fail,’ they’re just thinking, ‘I want to learn something new.’ I want to solve this challenge in a new way or develop based on what she has to tell me or tackle the challenge in a different way. Your feeling is that you are afraid because you will potentially fail, but no one here wants that.
From that point on, I thought “Huh. Okay. As long as I tell them something new, it’s fine. This really helped me. Most if not all of us have something new or interesting to say or a different perspective on things that people will learn from.
IM: What advice would you give to someone starting out in the information security industry today?
air conditioner: My advice to anyone who wants to pursue a career in IT is to find your courage and do it without fearing the obstacles you may encounter. That’s what it always comes back to.
Whether you’re just starting your job search or have an established IT career, my advice remains the same: Get your name out there. Constantly put your hand up to attend seminars, technical sessions, networking events and industry expos. Don’t be put off by job postings because they sound too technical – there’s always the opportunity to learn on the job, and remember that IT teams require diversity and a wealth of skills.
Quick Q&A:
IM: If you weren’t an information security professional, what would your DREAM job be? (And you can’t say anything related to IT security!)
air conditioner: Artist.
IM: If you could create an all-star project team to work with you on a really difficult but exciting project, who would you choose and why?
air conditioner: I couldn’t pick a person – there’s some incredible talent out there. For me, it’s more about working with experts who help fill gaps in expertise.
IM: Who do you really admire in the industry?
air conditioner: Anyone who helps fight cybercrime is a superstar in my eyes!
IM: What’s your secret sin?
air conditioner: The fact that my husband thinks I want to move to the country and get a dog, but I’m really a city girl!
biography: Adenike (Nicky) Cosgrove is Vice President, EMEA Cyber Security Strategist at Proofpoint, where she leads the marketing strategy for the EMEA markets. She provides expertise on key regional cybersecurity strategies such as people-centric security, risk management, data privacy and compliance. She works closely with global brands to understand the threats they face and feeds this back to product development teams to help combat today’s sophisticated threat landscape.
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