This month’s member spotlight is Victoria Lau, CTI analyst at Saks OFF 5TH
Victoria is new to the cybersecurity field, having recently graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and information security from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She originally started her college journey studying pre-law at Vassar, but decided to transfer schools and switch majors, intrigued by the prospect of applying her interest in law to cyber crime.
During her summer before senior year, she interned at Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), where she was exposed to the security operation center (SOC) and the field of digital forensics. When she graduated in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, she was hired full-time by Saks OFF 5TH to work as a SOC analyst.
Since then, Victoria has transitioned internally to a CTI analyst role. In her day-to-day, she is responsible for looking at newsfeeds/blogs/postings on current cyber threats, prioritizing those in the retail industry, then searching for related IOCs and proactively blocking them if discovered in the Saks OFF 5TH environment.
In addition to her role at Saks OFF 5TH, Victoria is also completing her master’s degree in cybersecurity from Johns Hopkins University.
We asked Victoria to tell us more about her experiences as a member of the cybersecurity and RH-ISAC communities.
RH-ISAC: What do you enjoy most about working in the cybersecurity field?
Victoria: I enjoy that each day comes with different challenges. It forces me to think and problem solve, and keeps me on my toes. I think my role at Saks OFF 5TH gives me the best of both worlds with my passions for law and cybersecurity. I feel like my passions coincide because, at the end of the day, I like to help people, especially those whose voices may be silent. I look forward to learning so much more, as cybersecurity is such a vast field.
RH-ISAC: Sharing and collaboration are key to what we do. Can you share a story of how you were helped or when you helped another?
Victoria: Related to what I enjoy the most about working in cybersecurity, because the work can be challenging, I am fortunate enough to have such great team members and enjoy going to work each day. As someone who had no previous experience in the SOC or in CTI, my team members have guided me and let me grow as my own person to shape me into who I am today. Our team continues to expand, so I look forward to helping our new members and providing them with the same support and guidance I was given. As cliche as it is, there really is no “I” in “team.”
RH-ISAC: What do you think is the greatest benefit that the RH-ISAC community brings to your company?
Victoria: With all the cyber news out there, RH-ISAC helps to prioritize threats specific to the industry and provides real-time updates as everyone collaborates to share trends and inquire about threats going on within their own environments. There is a homey feeling to a community like this that helps us feel connected to one another, as we’re all “cyber warriors” trying to defend our universes.
RH-ISAC: What do you enjoy outside of work?
Victoria: Outside of work, I dedicate most of my time to my very yappy, sassy, and dramatic yorkie. Occasionally, I like to attend EDM shows with my friends and like to go out and explore new restaurants to satisfy the foodie in me. I have a big sweet tooth, too, and like to cook, bake, and try different recipes. Lately, I’ve been on a baking madeleine craze and have been experimenting with different flavors such as ube and coconut!
