Introduction
Greetings and welcome to the nexus of industrial fortitude, where cyber meets safety, and complex systems bow to simpler solutions. I am Aaron Boyd, your guide and ally in the intricate arena of Operational Technology (OT) security. My mission is clear: to lead with expertise, assess with precision, and secure the industrial heartbeat of our world’s critical infrastructure.
From the relentless tides of energy sectors to the meticulous assembly lines of manufacturing giants, my professional journey has been a quest across a spectrum of industry verticals. I delve into the core of industrial control systems (ICS), dissecting their layers, diagnosing their vulnerabilities, and deploying robust defenses against an onslaught of digital adversaries.
The joy of my work though, springs from a deep well of problem-solving – the more complex the challenge, the greater the reward when solving it. There is a unique breed of satisfaction in deconstructing an OT security conundrum, revealing its components, and reassembling them into a stronghold of resilience. My commitment to each customer I serve is a testament to this philosophy: transform complexity into clarity, risk into reliability, and concern into confidence.
The digital space is crafted as an extension of my commitment to openness and knowledge-sharing in the shadowy world of ICS/OT cybersecurity. Here, I shed light on the dark corners of our industry, offering experiences, insights, and practical wisdom. From hardened veterans to curious newcomers, I hope this website is a beacon for those who seek to understand, master, and navigate the treacherous currents of cyber threats to operational technologies.
Dive in, and let’s chart the depths together. Share in the narratives of past engagements, pick apart the tactics and strategies that have turned the tide in critical battles, and arm yourself with the tips and tricks that make a difference. Welcome to a place where sharing trumps secrecy, community trumps solitude, and secure operations are a shared success story.
How It All Started…
As a kid, I was always the one taking things apart and putting them back together which drove my mother nuts. It wasn’t until I was an early teenager where I got my hands on a computer and started experiencing restrictions not allowing certain things. As many might attest to, being told you can’t do something only motivates me to prove them wrong. I quickly started finding ways to circumvent these restrictions and gain access to things I probably shouldn’t have been able to with ease. Fast forward a couple of months in my computer class and the teacher walked in to find out that a few of us were playing StarCraft and he was completely baffled due to the restrictions on the network and computers. I ended up getting detention for a while (worth it compared to some of the alternative punishments I have heard about) and the schools technology administrator just had to find me to find out how I was able to do what I did. By the end of the conversation I was informed that there is a potential career opportunity in this line of work ethically.
Certifications & Formal Education
Certified Red Team Operator (CRTO)
Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE)
Bachelors of Science, Information Technology – Security Specialization