Black Hat Interview How do you become a cybersecurity lecturer?

This interview was published at Black Hat’s web site, you can read it here

Black Hat MEA weekly delivery of cybersecurity wisdom and inspiration from the global Black Hat MEA community.

This week we’re focused on…

How you go from cybersecurity expert to cybersecurity lecturer.

Why?

Because we interviewed Dr. Erdal Ozkaya (Group CISO at MAVeCap) – a global cybersecurity leader who lectures at cybersecurity organisations and educational institutions. And we thought his story might be inspiring for those of you with ambitions to influence new generations of cybersecurity talent.

Here are our questions – and Ozkaya’s answers.

How did you start lecturing about cybersecurity?

“My path to becoming a cybersecurity lecturer wasn’t exactly linear. Here’s how it unfolded:

• The build-up: I started my career as a hands-on cybersecurity practitioner. This meant years working in the trenches – incident response, penetration testing, system hardening…you name it. Building deep technical experience was absolutely crucial.
• The passion beyond the keyboard: Along the way, I discovered I loved explaining complex cybersecurity concepts to colleagues. Training sessions, mentoring, and internal presentations became something I really looked forward to.
• From practitioner to communicator: The more I taught, the more I realised how many people struggled to understand not just how cyber threats work, but why they mattered. My focus shifted to translating technical details into real-world impact.
• Branching out: Opportunities started to present themselves. First, I was asked to speak at local security meetups. Then, invitations from educational institutions to give guest lectures. Eventually, cybersecurity organisations began seeking me out to give talks and workshops.

What does lecturing mean to you?

“Sharing my knowledge and experience in cybersecurity in this way has become immensely fulfilling.

“Cybersecurity can be intimidating. Being able to break down the concepts, strip away the jargon, and illuminate their real-world consequences…that feels really important.

“The more people in all types of organisations understand the risks and best practices, the safer we all become. My lectures aren’t only about scaring people, but empowering them with actionable steps.

“I especially love interacting with students. It’s incredibly rewarding to potentially plant the seed that sparks a young person’s career in cybersecurity when we desperately need more skilled individuals.

“And when I teach a room of people, it’s not just those individuals who benefit. They go back to their workplaces and communities, spreading the knowledge further. I’m contributing to a broader culture of cybersecurity awareness.”

Believe in your ability to influence new talent

We love Ozkaya’s story – not just because his passion shines through in every word, but because it highlights the potential of every cybersecurity expert (your potential) to influence new generations, new talent, and have an impact on the advancement of cybersecurity that stretches far beyond the work you do day-to-day.

Build your knowledge. Seek out new experiences. And when the invitations to share what you’ve learnt start rolling in, accept them – because it’s real life experience from people like you that will inspire, empower, and enable the next generation of talent.

And cybersecurity needs that talent.

Me in the news, click here