Kevin Garvey

Kevin Garvey is the US IT Security Manager for an international bank responsible for overseeing incident response, vulnerability management, cyber threat intelligence, as well as the security operations center (SOC). Previously, he worked at New York Power Authority, JP Morgan and WarnerMedia (formerly Time Warner). Kevin has always had a passion to hunt down the adversary and has loved tackling the risk and threat challenges his responsibilities have thrown at him. Kevin teaches SANS LDR512: Security Leadership Essentials for Managers.

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Profile

Kevin’s interest in IT security started way back at his alma mater at the help desk. He was always fascinated when someone brought in a laptop that had malware on it. Instead of immediately wiping the hard drive, he found himself trying to figure out how the malware got onto the computer, what the behavior of the malware was and trying to figure out the intent of it. While coworkers simply wiped, he investigated. This investigative prowess and drive to never take the status quo for an answer drove Kevin into the field of IT Security that requires one to not only try and understand what the intent of the bad actor is, but also not to take any assumptions or answers as being correct.

After taking SANS SEC504: Hacker Tolls, Techniques, Exploits, and Incident Handling in 2016, Kevin was instantly hooked on the SANS methodology. Not only was the technical instruction all applicable to his day-to-day responsibilities, but also his instructor connected the dots like no other training he’d ever had before. He knew right then and there he wanted to join the ranks to impart not just the technical knowledge, but to train others on how to be the very best in the industry. Kevin’s previous roles as a cyber security systems analyst and manager of threats and incident response coupled with is years of growing and managing a team of cyber security professionals has prepared Kevin nicely for teaching at SANS. As a practitioner, Kevin’s ability to connect the dots and solve complex problems is something that has allowed him to see solutions others cannot see.

Kevin has presented at SANS conferences throughout the years in order to share his real-world experiences. He wants others to be completely successful in their endeavors and feels one of the best ways to help practitioners grow is to share successes and failures with one another. Kevin enjoys getting in front of a group of individuals to walk them through a journey of knowledge and various thought processes. He goes beyond technical ability into teaching the soft skills that turn a subject matter expert into a star. Not understanding how to make other people’s jobs easier is one of the biggest failures of a manager, according to Kevin. It stunts one’s own growth while inhibiting others. Being successful as a manager requires one to be a mentor to everyone around so each can be successful. Kevin strives to help his students see through those pitfalls and avoid them before they ever become a problem. When his class is over, he wants his students to be the individuals looked up to for solving challenges within their companies.

Kevin keeps in contact with numerous students, many of whom have reached out to discuss business problems, bounce ideas off him, or share how they have seen a noticeable difference in how they lead and problem solve after taking his course. Students leaving smarter and stronger than when they first started the class is a point of pride for Kevin.

Kevin also mentors future cyber security professionals to help bridge the cyber talent gap, has presented at numerous SANS Summits, SANS@Night talks, and webinars on topics including vulnerability management, security operations and management. Kevin holds a bachelors degree in finance and business administration, a masters in computer information science with a focus on cyber security, as well as several industry certifications including the GSLC, GLEG, GFCA, GCFE, GCIH and CISSP. Additionally, Kevin was a member of the Board of Directors for Rescuing Leftover Cuisine in NYC from 2016 – 2019 and won the Presidential Volunteer Service Award in both 2016 and 2017, and the Richard Parsons Community Impact Award in 2018. Kevin loves reading non-fiction, going to museums, and learning more about how other people see the world. In doing so, he challenges himself to see his world through a different lens.

ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY KEVIN GARVEY:

BLOG

Ransomware: Leadership Perspective, May 2021

WEBCASTS

2023 SANS Report: Become Timeless: The Present and Future Skills Needed for Cyber Security Job Success at Any Level, March 2023

Cyber42 Game Day: Ransomware, Nov 2021
SSO - A Managers View, Oct 2021

Cyber42 Game Day: Security Capabilities, May 2021
HR + Cybersecurity Webcast Series

Cyber42 Game Day: Security Capabilities, March 2021

Rekt Casino Hack Assessment Transformational Series – Pulling It All Together, Feb 2021

Rekt
Casino Hack Assessment Transformational Series – Weak Security Program,
Unprotected Systems, and Poor Detection & Response, Feb2021

Hacking Your Way to Business Knowledge, Sept 2019

Keeping the Technical in Technical Management, Sept 2019