Cyber can come across as a dry subject which may be a reason why it finds itself in a skills shortage. Also, it can seem difficult to know what people in cyber are like. Hence in the cause of ‘getting to know you’ some non-technical questions to Bernard Montel, pictured, EMEA Technical Director and Security Strategist, Tenable; and his answers.
Question: What made you choose cybersecurity?
Bernard Montel: I don’t believe in coincidences. Yes, I studied network and security during my engineering lessons, but I didn’t begin my career in cybersecurity. I began as a consultant, in emails and directories, and took the opportunity to study a public key infrastructure (PKI) solution the company I worked for planned to launch. This experience gave me the chance to join another company, called RSA, where I really started to hone my cybersecurity expertise.
Q: What is the most surprising fact you’ve learnt about yourself through your profession?
BM: I’m, by nature, rather reserved so not really the guy shouting in the middle of a group. And as an engineer I was passionate about technology. Over my career I’ve learned to explain, in simple terms, complex technologies. The first time I presented this kind of “explanation” to an audience I not only surprised myself, but had a level of satisfaction, that I was confident and comfortable doing so.
Q: What is your favourite way to spend a day off?
BM: Spending time with family and friends in the countryside. But also playing music or just getting on my bike to discover new tracks or scenery.
Q: We hear you’re a big music fan and even play the guitar and bass. If you had to choose one, which would it be?
BM: That’s like asking me to choose between cheese or dessert? If I had to choose one, and while I love my bass, it would be a guitar because I can play alone or just a few friends and its still enjoyable.
Q: We also hear you’re a big Beatles fan, which song or lyric by the fab four has most stuck with you?
BM: Selecting a Beatles song is so difficult. It’s like “which child do you prefer” ? As I have three children, can I answer with three songs: “In My Life” is one that I sing a lot, also “With a Little Help From My Friends.” “Something” is a wonderful ballad from George Harrison.
Q: What is something that will never go out of fashion, no matter how much time passes?
BM: Jeans. Since they were first created to today they’ve gone through a variety of styles and colours, but Jeans are jeans, no matter how much time passes.
Q: What makes you roll your eyes every time you hear it?
BM: How people can be self-centric, narrow-minded, thinking they are better than others.
Q: What is your favourite decade of film and why?
BM: Sixties-seventies. During this decade, movie makers didn’t have multi-million dollar budgets or special effects but they still created fantastic movies. The focus was more on the directors’ skill and the actors’ performance.
Q: What goal do you think humanity is not focused enough on achieving?
BM: Saving “human beings”. Not only the planet, which is of course a key element of it. But just saving people. Never forget the human part of what we do, how we behave, and transmit this value for future generations. It sounds naive and simple, but this is not evident everywhere.
Q: If you could give some advice for someone who’s on the fence about a life in Cybersecurity, what would it be?
BM: The challenges (the positive aspect of it) are great, exciting and we still have a lot to do. You think attackers are always winning, but this is simply not true. Altogether the entire cybersecurity industry is preventing a huge number of attacks every single day. We might not be directly saving lives, but what we do impacts on some people’s lives. If you are curious and eager to learn then bingo, this is the right career path to follow.
