Me and my job

Q: How did you get into security?

IT has been in my life since I was a child. I would say that I was born with a computer in my mouth! I was at Planet Online (an ISP, now part of Energis) in 2000 when IT security was only just becoming prominent.

I was responsible for designing infrastructures and integrating security into that became part of the job.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

There's a lot of freedom in my job and there is always something new to learn. You never know everything and that is a major part of the enjoyment. I feel privileged to be able to go to work and enjoy it.

Q: You've written a few books. Any more to come?

I've written six books, four on network security and another two on networking exams.

I am planning to write another by the end of the year on general corporate internet security. It will be like one of those Rough Guide books.

Q: How hard is it to put pen to paper?

I've written around four million words. There is a lot of research involved in writing and while I'm doing that I am also holding down a full-time job and raising two children.

Q: What satisfaction do you get out of writing?

It is good to see my books on sale in bookshops like Waterstones. I get a great deal of satisfaction when I visit customers and see one of my books on their desk. I get a lot of good feedback from customers.

Q: Who has influenced you the most?

Certainly not my old English teacher. She said I would never write anything in my life. I am influenced most by Bill Gates and Michael Dell. They believe in bettering themselves and are very determined.

Q: How do you describe your job to strangers?

It is hard with people who don't know a lot about IT security. I tend to tell them I install burglar alarms for computer networks.