Sam Ayanda
Dallas,TX
Summary
Dynamic and innovative cybersecurity professional with over 7 years of diverse experience, I have led teams to fortify digital landscapes against evolving threats, significantly strengthening security postures in diverse operational environments. With a proven track record in developing NIST-aligned risk frameworks, privacy impact assessments, and refining IAM processes, my initiatives have markedly reduced vulnerabilities and unauthorized access incidents. Proactive SIEM tools optimization, robust network defense, and cybersecurity training have actively reduced security incidents and also elevated organizational awareness and resilience against threats. My analytical skills and collaborative approach empower me to direct teams, develop security measures, and deliver impactful compliance solutions.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Security Analyst III
CivicPlus
Dallas, TX
07.2021 - Current
- Initiated the development and implementation of a comprehensive risk management framework, leveraging NIST SP 800-53, resulting in a significant decrease in system vulnerabilities and enhanced security posture across organizational information systems.
- Administered user access management, enhancing system security and user access integrity by streamlining the IAM lifecycle process and developing role-based access control (RBAC) policies, leading to a significant decrease in unauthorized access incidents.
- Administered IDS/IPS systems and advanced firewall configurations, significantly reducing unauthorized access incidents and enhancing network security posture through strategic network segmentation strategies.
- Optimized and customized SIEM dashboards and alerts, streamlining security monitoring processes and reducing false positives alerts by 40% improving threat detection and analysis, leading to a more proactive security monitoring strategy.
- Led comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training programs, focusing on phishing, malware, and secure computing practices, which significantly increased employee security awareness and 35% reduction phishing email click-through rates.
Security Analyst
COLAB MULTIMEDIA
Richmond, VA
03.2019 - 07.2021
- Directed compliance initiatives to achieve and also maintain compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS regulatory requirements through continuous security audits and assessments, significantly reducing regulatory risks and fines and bolstering operational security.
- Developed and implemented of security policies, procedures and standards including access control, risk assessment, and audit accountability, ensuring comprehensive coverage of security and compliance requirements.
- Conducted vulnerability assessments and collaborated on penetration testing using automated tools and manual techniques, analyzing system configurations and identifying applications attack vectors. Implemented targeted remediation strategies, effectively strengthening security posture.
- Crafted detailed documentation to bolster compliance efforts and served as a liaison to product engineering teams, guiding the strategic incorporation of compliance standards into new software development. This initiative significantly minimized compliance risks and reduced the attack surfaces of new applications.
- Led a comprehensive security hardening initiative across the organization, employing a defense-in-depth strategy and Linux-based systems to bolster security measures. This strategic approach included implementing risk mitigation strategies that significantly enhanced the organizational security posture verified by internal audits and external assessments.
IT AUDITOR
University Of Findlay
Findlay, OH
01.2017 - 03.2019
- Crafted and utilized a vendor security assessment template to conduct comprehensive third-party vendor and supplier risk assessments, streamlining the evaluation and onboarding process. This initiative enhanced vendor security compliance, effectively safeguarding organizational data and assets.
- Performed threat modeling using PASTA framework on organizational assets, identifying risks and vulnerabilities from emerging security issues to guide stakeholders on appropriate mitigation measures.
- Initiated CPDR awareness training and developed comprehensive security plans including cybersecurity strategy and incident response plans, which bolstered the organization’s preparedness and response capabilities to cyber threats.
- Led and Conducted in-depth internal privacy impact assessments by collaborating with legal and compliance teams to align data protection practices with regulatory standards, enhancing privacy protection measures by 26%.
Education
Master of Science - EHS Management
The University of Findlay
Findlay, OH05-2019
Bachelor of Science - Information Technology
University of Ilorin
Ilorin, Nigeria10-2014
Skills
- Risk Assessment and Management
- Project Management
- Compliance and Audit
- Python
- Linux
- SQL
- SIEM
- Jira
- Security Awareness and Training
- Process Improvement
- SOC
Certification
- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
- CompTIA Security+
- Professional Scrum Master I (PSM)
Timeline
Security Analyst III
CivicPlus
07.2021 - Current
Security Analyst
COLAB MULTIMEDIA
03.2019 - 07.2021
IT AUDITOR
University Of Findlay
01.2017 - 03.2019
Master of Science - EHS Management
The University of Findlay
Bachelor of Science - Information Technology
University of Ilorin
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