The Foxes of Mexico: A Security Roundtable

The Fox Den is buzzing with excitement about our international expansion to bring onboard so many talented cybersecurity professionals who call Mexico home. With our office opening in Guadalajara in late 2021, we are on the hunt for even more Foxes to join the ranks on our Mexico team.

In honor of Día del Trabajo (Labor Day) on May 1, we are celebrating our Foxes in Mexico that lead the pack in many different ways to support our offensive security services. We recently talked with our Foxes about their journeys to cybersecurity, life at Bishop Fox, Mexico as a tech leader, and advice to fellow Mexicans who want to join the industry.

Featuring...

• Carlos Canedo, Security Consultant III
• Rafael Jasso, Engagement Manager
• Sarah Muriel Ramirez, Cosmos Intern

What inspired you to enter the cybersecurity/tech field?

Carlos: When I was in secondary school, I started to see news about hacking and unauthorized access to systems. Around this time, I also saw the movies Hackers, Pirates of Silicon Valley, and Takedown.

Rafael: My background as a project manager comes mostly from long-term ERP implementation projects, so cybersecurity represented a new concept, experience, and growth opportunity for a challenge in my career.

Sarah: Computers have always been part of my life ever since I was little. Once it was time to choose my career, I knew it had to be something involving computers. Hackers, breaches, and the deep web were starting to become popular topics on the Internet by the time I was old enough to research on my own so ending up in the cybersecurity field was a natural progression from that.

What brought you to Bishop Fox?

Carlos: One day I received a message from a Bishop Fox recruiter on LinkedIn introducing me to the expansion project for Mexico. After my interview with Andrew Wilson, VP and General Manager of Latin America, and learning more about the project and the plans they had for the future, I didn't hesitate to say I wanted to be part of it... and here I am!

Rafael: For me it was more of “who” rather than “what” led me to Bishop Fox. Kaitlin O'Neil, Recruiting Manager, reached out and explained what Bishop Fox does and what the company culture is like. I instantly fell in love with Bishop Fox. I remember saying in my interviews that what we do sounds like the stuff you see in movies. I also remember watching Sneakers during the interviews.

Sarah: I made my way to Bishop Fox by asking questions. I discovered Bishop Fox through an event at my university and the speaker that day was Andrew Wilson. He spoke to us about his experience working as a consultant, and I waited to speak with him after the crowd of students dwindled. I’ve always been more interested in the intelligence side of cybersecurity rather than classic penetration testing work, so I asked him if any intelligence work like that gets done at Bishop Fox and turns out it does! I applied for an internship last year and the rest is history.

What do you find meaningful about your work in cybersecurity?

Carlos: I enjoy helping companies be more secure and protecting people's information; making the world a better place.

Rafael: Well, in the wake of many recent hacks the term ‘cyber security’ is making headlines constantly. Threats to organizations have never been greater, and that impact has changed the landscape in which governments, corporations, and we as individuals operate. I like being a part of this side of the industry.

Sarah: I love finding things, especially finding things others haven’t been able to find before. I was doing intelligence gathering for fun with CTFs and challenges before and getting to do something similar as a profession seems like a dream.

Given the rich history of information technology in Mexico since the 1960s, what impact do you think Mexico can have on the cybersecurity industry?

Carlos: The production of talent in Mexico is growing, and many companies are counting on international firms like Bishop Fox that are establishing offices in Mexico to expand their operations and services to support their global clients.

Rafael: Mexico ranks as the second most targeted country in Latin America with cyberattacks. Cybersecurity is not only necessary for Mexico’s safekeeping but also for our economic development. I look forward to seeing Bishop Fox Mexico expanding our services to Mexican enterprises.

Sarah: The cybersecurity industry continues to get bigger; however, it feels like new threats emerge monthly and there are never enough people to fix the problems. I think there’s a lot of experienced and capable people working with information technology in Mexico that could very easily make the switch to working on cybersecurity, and there’s always room for more people like that.

What advice would you give fellow Mexicans who may be interested in joining the industry?

Carlos: I think it is important to learn English since most of the courses and information are in English. Nowadays there is a lot of free information available to learn about cybersecurity as well as platforms to create labs and practice different vulnerabilities and exploitation techniques.

Rafael: Although acceptance of cybersecurity has grown in Mexico, it has not been as quick as the hackers’ abilities to develop new avenues of attack. My advice for professionals is that the demand for cybersecurity consultants is by far exceeding the supply, and there is a great opportunity for career and personal growth in the field. Plus, it is so cool!

Sarah: Find something within cybersecurity you really like and then stick to it. It’s good to get familiar with a little bit of everything when you’re starting out. In my cybersecurity experience I’ve found that having found my niche has opened a lot of doors for me. Never settle and work on what really interests you!

Cybersecurity in Mexico is Here to Stay

As Mexico’s modernization and economic development continue, Internet reliability and accessibility will be critical and the need for cybersecurity will be too large to ignore. At Bishop Fox, we are proud to be a part of this rapidly growing career field for Mexicans who love working in the technology field and have a desire to protect people and organizations in their home country.

“I am happy to be a part of the Bishop Fox Mexico Team and being the tip of spear at this stage in the development of this industry in Mexico.” - Rafael Jasso, Engagement Manager