Celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month with Fred Rica

Meet Fred Rica, your go-to Partner in cybersecurity and technology risk management. With a rich background in handling complex projects across industries like financial services and tech, Fred offers valuable insights without the jargon. Plus, he's a competitive cyclist and community leader, keeping life as well-rounded as his career.?Learn more about Fred in the Q&A below.

What sparked your initial interest in cybersecurity?

When I was in college, I read Alvin Toffler's book "Power Shift." In it, he discussed the future role of computers and technology. I can't say precisely why, but I thought protecting those computers and technology would be necessary at the time.

Can you describe a mentor or role model who has influenced your career in this field?

I was fortunate to have landed my first “real job” with PriceWaterhouse. I was even more fortunate to work for a fantastic Partner named Jonathan Harris. To this day, I don’t know what Jonathan saw in me, but he took me under his wing and mentored me for over ten years until I became a partner. Jonathan had a clear vision that led to the creation of PwC's cybersecurity practice. There were only four of us initially, but we laid the foundation.

What legacy do you hope to leave in the cybersecurity field?

When I first entered this field, penetration testing , as we know it today, didn’t exist. Along with a small group of practitioners, we developed the tools and methodologies that became the foundation of that business. Though penetration testing is now widespread, it remains a distinctive practice. I’m not sure we realized it at the time, but we were shaping much of what defines that field today.

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