Lilly Chalupowski's Journey Into Malware Analysis

About The Guest: Lilly Chalupowski, also known as Cerberus, is a malware reverse engineer specializing in criminal malware. She has extensive experience in analyzing various malware families and has developed open-source projects to aid in the detection and extraction of intelligence from malware. Lilly is also a talented musician and often incorporates guitar playing into her live Twitch streams. Summary: Lilly Chalupowski shares her inspiring hacker origin story, from starting out in computer science to pursuing a degree in music and facing financial hardships. She discusses the importance of having a healthy relationship with failure and the value of continuous learning and practice. Lilly also provides valuable advice for aspiring malware analysts, emphasizing the significance of creating a portfolio and actively participating in the cybersecurity community. Key Takeaways: Don't be afraid of failure; view it as a normal part of the learning process. Dedicate time each day to practice and improve your skills, even if it's just half an hour. Establish a portfolio to showcase your work and value to potential employers. Attend local cybersecurity meetups and network with professionals in the field. Create a virtual machine and practice analyzing malware samples from open-source resources. Quotes: "Be okay with failure and if you enjoy it, keep doing it and you'll improve over time." "Half an hour to an hour a day, put it on your calendar and make time for what you're passionate about." "Your value is showcased through your output, not just a resume." "You have nothing to lose by applying; what's the worst thing they can tell you? No." "VMs are literally the gateway drug to malware analysis." Socials and Resources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillypads/ https://twitter.com/c3rb3ru5d3d53c https://www.twitch.tv/c3rb3ru5d3d53c https://c3rb3ru5d3d53c.github.io