Email Threat Detection and Response

By: Symantec CR and the Symantec Veteran Employee Resource Group (ERG)- VETS

“Veterans Day is important to pay tribute to those that have served. I also personally feel that it is vital, as a veteran, to recognize and be grateful for the support that this country and our communities provide.“ — Stewart Summers, Marine Corps veteran and graduate of Symantec’s Cyber Career Connection program.

This Saturday, Symantec joins people around the world in honoring, thanking, and paying our respects to the military veterans that have provided selfless service to their countries. On November 11, “Veterans Day” is celebrated in the United States, while Canada and Australia observe "Remembrance Day,” France commemorates the day the Armistice after World War I was signed (Fête de la Victoire), and Great Britain observes "Remembrance Day" on the Sunday nearest to November 11. As we unite and pay special tribute to all military veterans, and their families, across the globe we take time to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy within our workplace and at home.

Symantec Cyber Career Connection helps vets transition to jobs in cyber security

Noelle Summers grew up in a church right next to a Marine Corps base in Kaneohe, Hawaii and admired the courage and service of the Marines she met. She knew she wanted to travel, gain new experiences, and challenge herself. Stewart Summers was also looking for a challenge, and wanted to develop other talents and life skills before pursuing college. They both chose the Marine Corps and signed on to be cryptologic linguists, one of the most difficult military occupations with regard to education.

In addition to mastering a new language in less than two years (her Pashtu, him Arabic), they were also trained to be fluent in Signals Intelligence, helping the Corps decode messages. After five years of service, deployments to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and numerous accolades for each of them, they returned to the U.S. and needed to decide what was next.

Stewart completed his bachelor’s degree in Management and Information Systems (MIS), knowing technology was the right next step for him. “Understanding that I needed a new skill set to be successful in the civilian job market, technology seemed like the perfect fit. I had already been building computers for quite some time before I joined the Marine Corps, but I also understood that building computers and programming or exploiting vulnerabilities on systems were two completely different things,” Stewart said. Noelle began studying accounting and thought she’d go into Business Administration, but after seeing what Stewart was learning, she switched her bachelor’s from Accounting to MIS and never looked back.

They both grew passionate about cyber security. For Noelle, the agile and expansive nature of cyber security was the first thing that caught her attention, and she liked the various job paths the field could offer. She also saw cyberspace and the global impacts of security incidents as the next war front, and saw an opportunity to continue to serve her country in a new way. For Stewart, the appeal was how integrated technology and security were into our lives. “Security is everywhere. Cyber security really is what allows us to continue our way of life. Every aspect of our lives revolves around technology and sensitive information. Learning to protect this is a crucial skill.” Even with impressive military service, bachelor’s degrees, and a strong desire to work in the field, they couldn’t find a way to break into cyber security.

Stewart learned about the Symantec Cyber Career Connection (Symantec C3) program hosted by educational nonprofit NPower from a friend. The 26-week program, designed to train young adults and military veterans in computer sciences and cyber security fields, was appealing. For Stewart, “The transition from Signals Intelligence to a cyber security related job was tough. Even for a veteran working as a contractor for a prominent government agency. I had already finished my degree and started to complete a few certifications, but the barrier into the security field was still unforgiving. I decided to take a leap and participate in the Symantec C3 program. Not only was there the opportunity to learn more and gain certifications needed to get a foot in the door of cyber security, but the chance to gain exposure with industry leaders felt like it would pay off in and of itself.” Noelle also decided to complete the Symantec C3 program at NPower because she didn’t have the basic network and information security skills required for cyber security job positions. She had tried to learn these skills on her free time while working full-time, but that didn’t work very well. She was excited that the Symantec C3 program covered all the basic skills she needed to break into the cyber security industry.

Both Stewart and Noelle found the Symantec C3 program hosted by NPower to be a positive experience. Their class in Dallas, Texas was comprised completely of veterans who were excited to learn and supportive of each other. For Stewart, advancing his knowledge in Linux was the crucial step to a better understanding of most of the security related tools that are used in the field. He also appreciated that the program felt authentic in its support of veterans. “The program created by Symantec and hosted by NPower really felt as if it was there to truly support the veteran. It was extremely important for me to find a program that didn’t use veterans to advance an agenda used for publicity purposes. I was not let down in this regard.”

For Noelle, Symantec C3 is directly related to her success today. “I have never been a computer nerd and barely knew my way around an operating system before I joined the program. I knew I desperately needed this basic computer network knowledge and looked forward to each day we were learning about this section. I was interviewed and hired directly by a large consumer brands company after meeting a recruiter at an NPower cyber security luncheon. The program allowed me to forget all other distractions, to focus on building my skill-set, and to break into the cyber security industry,” she said. Noelle now works as a Network Defense Cyber Security Engineer and this fall started her Master’s in Information Sciences and Technology at Pennsylvania State University.

Stewart was fortunate enough to gain employment at a major defense contractor outside of the program, however, feels the program’s resume enhancement and general interviewing practice contributed to his success. He was recently promoted to work on his company’s Vulnerability Assessment team and is working on his Master’s Degree in Penn State’s Information Assurance and Cyber Security program.

Both Noelle and Stewart would recommend the Symantec C3 program at NPower to other veterans. “Without a doubt, I would recommend the program to any other veteran that knows they want to enter the field,” and goes on to offer advice to fellow veterans. “Whether you were in the military for two years or twenty, be a humble learner. Expect to have a book open in the morning when class starts, during your lunch break, on the dinner table, and on the nightstand. In the end, success is completely dependent on how you approach the mission.” Noelle adds, “I would recommend the Symantec C3 program to any of my fellow veterans. I would encourage them to wring every piece of value they can from the program, study hard, ask questions, get involved, and rub elbows with as many cyber security professionals as they can. Treat the program like boot camp: eat, sleep, and breathe information security and you will learn the basic skills you need to break into the cyber security industry.”

Symantec’s commitment to helping transitioning service members find careers they love

Both Stewart and Noelle feel that one of the biggest barriers for veterans entering private sector careers is the lack of directly translatable skills. “I believe that many veterans fail to realize that they will most likely have to learn an entirely new skill set before entering the work force. Whether it be technical school, an undergraduate degree, or relevant certifications, veterans must be willing to accept that they need to undertake continuing education, and that their civilian peers are now their competition,” said Stewart. Noelle added, “Finding a way to market your military skills to fulfill the requirements of most cyber security job positions is very difficult.”

To make this easier for veterans like Noelle and Stewart, Symantec partners with Hire Purpose, a job board designed specifically to support transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses. Symantec values the skills and experience of military veterans, and uses this dedicated platform to post job openings that target veterans, offering links between the skills we need and those we know many veterans possess.

As the leader in cyber security, we hire veterans to leverage their skills and experiences gained through military service. Our team provides security expertise to make the world a safer place by helping people, businesses, and governments protect and manage their information. Being the global leader in cyber security means we are uniquely positioned to protect against cybercrime, and our veteran employees are uniquely positioned to help us combat these threats.

Fostering a network of support

We encourage veterans at Symantec to join our Veteran Employees and Troop Support (VETS) Employee Resource Group (ERG). Like all of our ERGs, these groups play an important role in delivering on our diversity and inclusion strategies, while building cultural awareness and a sense of belonging for our employees. VETS works to support the efforts of our employees who have served our country and to make sure we value their unique experience. The group also strives to assist veterans and military spouses in their transition to the corporate environment.

“I began my career as a carrier-based Naval Aviator in the Air Reconnaissance community and am proud to serve as the Executive Sponsor for VETS today. Symantec provides veterans with an opportunity for a fulfilling and dynamic career in cyber security, and one that makes a difference. VETS provides a space for veterans across the globe to come together, support each other, and continue to make our world a safer place. I am proud to be a veteran, proud to work at Symantec, and would like to express my gratitude to all the veterans, and their families, who have sacrificed to serve their countries.”

– Scott Behm, Vice President, Consumer Business Information Security and VETS ERG Executive Sponsor

Supporting veterans outside of Symantec’s walls

We pride ourselves on living our corporate responsibility values both as a company and when working with our broader community and world. This November we became a Bronze Sponsor of the Vets in Tech (VIT) Gala. VIT supports current and returning veterans with re-integration services and provides educational, employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities for veterans.

We also have provided charitable support to Team Rubicon, a nonprofit that utilizes the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams devastated by natural disasters. Through monetary contributions and volunteer hours, Symantec’s support furthers Team Rubicon’s mission to provide military veterans with opportunities to help restore communities hit hard by hurricanes, earthquakes, and fires. Symantec volunteer Tom Castellano, shown in the photo on the left, deploys with Team Rubicon to Beaumont Texas for Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery operations.

This December, Symantec will host two free webinars for military victim advocates, as military families are frequent targets of identity theft. According to a report by the Federal Trade Commission, military families report identity theft at twice the rate of civilians. Working with the Department of Defense (DOD) and National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA), Symantec’s LifeLock team will offer educational trainings on identifying common types of identity theft, strategies for enhancing digital safety, and resources and tips for military victim advocates.

Thank you to our Military Heroes

“Veterans deserve a day where the nation celebrates our service and what it has provided for our country.” — Noelle Summers, Marine Corps veteran and graduate of Symantec’s Cyber Career Connection program.

We appreciate and recognize all military veterans and their families across our company and thank them for their selfless service.

We’d like to thank Molly Handy and Tom Castellano for providing much of the content for this article. For veterans interested in cyber security, learn more about the Symantec Cyber Career Connection and feel free to connect with Stewart Summers on LinkedIn.