My Experience at SANS London July 2024
July 2024
The following is a recollection of my first SANS in-person event at SANS London, July 2024. I was also selected for the SANS Work Study Programme, which allowed me to take part in a course of my selection, at a fraction of the price, while assisting with venue setup & tear-down as well as providing any other assistance that the course instructor or SANS event team may require.
THE SANS WORK STUDY PROGRAMME
For those unfamiliar, the SANS Work Study Programme is a fantastic opportunity for cybersecurity professionals to learn from industry experts while also supporting the smooth running of the event. As a facilitator, my role was to assist with course logistics, ensure everything ran smoothly, and help students with their queries.
I applied for the SANS London July 2024 event sometime in December 2023, and received the acceptance about 2 weeks prior to the event. It was fantastic news as I had recently completed my GWEB and was given a chance to attend a second SANS course and pursue another GIAC certification in the span of a few months.
SEC450
The course I had applied for was SEC450 and is designed to equip students with essential skills for working in a Security Operations Center (SOC). I would essentially learn how to efficiently collect and analyze security data, implement effective incident response strategies, reduce false positives, and automate routine tasks. The course includes hands-on labs and a capstone Defend the Flag competition, providing practical experience with real-world tools and scenarios. Succesful students will be well-prepared to detect and counter advanced cyber threats, making them invaluable assets to any cyber defense team.
DAY-BY-DAY HIGHLIGHTS
Set-up (Sunday)
This consisted mainly of getting acquainted with both the SANS Event Team as well as the other facilitators for the courses running at SANS London July 2024. It consisted of an orientation session followed by unpacking all student course content and swag, and subsequently arranging them. It was a great team effort and was fun to meet with like-minded cybersecurity professionals, some travelling from as far as Italy and Spain to be part of the Work Study Programme. It offered a good chance to network amongst facilitators and work as a team to complete the set-up of each of the rooms as well as “SANS-ify” all the floors that were to be in use. We also got to meet a few of the instructors in the evening who came to familiarize themselves with the venue.
Day 1 & 2
The day started bright and early as we had to get ready for registration of all the students coming in. I got to meet my instructor, Cristian Mihai-Vidu, and the real action began. The course content on Day 1 was really enjoyable, especially considering that I was the only one in the classroom who has never formally worked in a SOC. It was truly lots of information to take in, however, I really took the most out of Cristian’s real-world stories and experience which brought life to the course. There were lots of demos run that broke the monotony of learning from slides.
Day 3
There was a social event held on Day 3 which allowed all the students to meet and mingle with the SANS instructors which was a super fun time. Lots of interesting stories were shared as well as laughs had, and I really enjoyed the fact that most SANS instructors were really genuinely passionate about cybersecurity and extremely down-to-earth.
Day 4 & 5
After class on these days, the SANS NetWars CTF was held which spanned both days between 6:30pm - 9:30 pm that allowed students to participate as individuals or in teams. This was extremely fun as I quite enjoy partaking in CTFs and the top 5 individuals as well as the top team would earn themselves a SANS Coin.
I managed to garner 4th place individually 🎉 in the CTF which I was super proud of, and the SANS Coin I won is here:
Day 6 (Saturday)
This was the final day of the course and we took part in the SEC450 Defend the Flag CTF. This CTF was specific to the class incorporating learnings and tools introduced throughout the duration of the course. We were grouped into teams and given about 5 hours to get through the challenges. The top team here was then awarded the SEC450 SANS Coin. The team I was a part of came 2nd, and we were all super proud of the achievement. It was a great experience, quite competitive and also decently fun to work together to find flags or brainstorm on a given challenge.
The facilitators then stayed on to assist with tear-down of the venue, removing SANS banners and so on, as well as assisting with loading all SANS-related equipment throughout the course of the event.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- 📚 Absorb what you can: The In-Person SANS experience is literally being firehosed with tonnes of information; take in whatever you can from the instructor and reinforce the rest of the knowledge via the on-demand videos.
- 🤝 Networking is invaluable: The connections I made at SANS London are ones I will cherish and maintain.
- 🔄 Adaptability is crucial: From unboxing to arranging course content and swag, staying flexible and having fun is key.
- 📈 Continuous learning: The cybersecurity field is ever-evolving, and events like these are essential for staying updated and learning from other cybsersecurity professionals.
In conclusion, being a SANS facilitator at the London July 2024 event was a transformative experience. Even though it was initially tiring, it ended up being super fun and worth it in the end. It reinforced my passion for cybersecurity and my commitment to continuous learning and community engagement. If you’re considering participating in a SANS Work Study programme, I highly recommend it. You’ll gain knowledge, make lasting connections, and contribute to the vibrant cybersecurity community.
