Exploring the World of Cybersecurity: Insights from Chigozie Ejeofobiri

Q: Given your position at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation, what motivated your interest in tech and security?

A: My fascination with technology has deep roots that trace back to my childhood in Nigeria. As a young boy, I was the kind of kid who couldn’t resist taking apart radios, often ending up with a pile of parts and an even greater curiosity about how things functioned. I vividly remember attempting to build television antennas from nothing but stainless steel plates and magnets—a project that didn’t always meet my expectations!
This relentless curiosity transformed into a more defined purpose during my university years, where I pursued a degree in Electrical Electronics Engineering with a specialization in Telecommunications. I had my first hands-on experience in the bustling computer village in Ikeja, which opened my eyes to the world of IT. It was there that I transitioned from understanding physical components to navigating the intricate world of computer networks. As I embarked on my journey as a network engineer, I became acutely aware of the vulnerabilities that plagued many systems. This realization ignited a passion for network security within me. The need to safeguard network infrastructure through various technological means, such as VPNs, propelled me deeper into the cybersecurity realm. Even today, I remain motivated by the ever-evolving landscape of tech vulnerabilities and the array of proactive measures we can take to protect against them.

Q: How do different regions approach cybersecurity, and what have you learned from these varied experiences?

A: Each region presents its unique set of challenges and perspectives on cybersecurity. For instance, in Nigeria, the limited infrastructure often fosters a reactive stance towards cybersecurity. Although considerable progress has been made, there’s still a considerable gap to fill. Contrast that with South Africa, where burgeoning investment has led to heightened awareness, despite varying levels of maturity across different sectors.
In the UK, regulations shape the landscape significantly with frameworks such as ISO 27001 guiding organizations toward more proactive measures. Meanwhile, the fast-paced tech sector in the U.S. leans heavily toward automation and AI. It’s fascinating to see how these experiences blend, teaching me the importance of remaining agile and compliant while striving for scalable solutions in cybersecurity.

Q: With diverse industry experiences, how do you tailor security strategies to different business environments?

A: Crafting security strategies is a nuanced process, one that starts with an in-depth analysis of an organization’s business objectives and a clear understanding of its risk appetite and regulatory environment. It’s crucial to map out critical assets while also examining data flows and operational dependencies that are unique to each context.
The architecture of security must be specifically designed to highlight control overlaps across multiple frameworks like GDPR and HIPAA, creating efficiency while ensuring compliance—especially in regulated sectors. For instance, financial services prioritize transaction integrity with controls governed by frameworks like PCI-DSS, while the manufacturing industry might emphasize system resilience. The healthcare sector, on the other hand, demands clinical system isolation while considering interoperability. Ultimately, the governance model must dovetail with the organizational structure, ensuring that security yields tangible business outcomes and doesn’t become an obstacle but rather an enabler for growth.

Q: Zero-Trust Architecture is gaining ground in the cybersecurity industry. How can it effectively scale across hybrid environments?

A: My approach to implementing Zero-Trust Architecture revolves around a delicate balance between security and scalability. The foundation is robust identity and access management, ensuring continuous authentication and authorization for every user, service, and device, irrespective of their location.
By incorporating cloud-native security tools alongside on-premises controls, I can align these elements through unified policy enforcement and centralized monitoring. Integrating micro-segmentation via VLANs and adopting policy-based access controls further strengthens our defenses. Additionally, leveraging Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions allows us to unify multiple security functionalities, ensuring consistent security enforcement across both cloud and on-premise environments. Regular evaluations with IT and business teams foster a collaborative ethos, aligning security policies with shifting operational needs—crucial for maintaining the efficacy of the Zero-Trust model as organizations scale.

Q: What common mistakes do organizations often make when securing hybrid or multi-cloud environments, and how do you address them?

A: Common pitfalls include inconsistent security architectures that lean too heavily on native cloud tools without a cohesive framework, neglecting robust identity management, and failing to validate security continuously across hybrid infrastructures. To counter these mistakes, I advocate for unified security policy management and centralized logging across all environments.
Implementing micro-segmentation and SASE solutions allows for more comprehensive security oversight. I cannot stress enough the importance of identity and access management along with multi-factor authentication to ensure least-privilege access. Conducting routine tabletop exercises to test incident response plans across the hybrid environment can also yield invaluable insights.

Q: How have you utilized AI or machine learning in your security operations, and how do you mitigate associated risks?

A: My journey with AI began during my MSc research, where I developed AI-driven intrusion detection models emphasizing anomaly detection in IoT networks. In a production environment, I’ve leveraged AI-enabled web application firewalls and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools to promptly identify anomalies, assess alerts, and focus on high-risk threats.
Further, I have explored machine learning to pinpoint patterns indicative of advanced persistent threats or insider risks, significantly speeding up response times and reducing false positives. AI has also streamlined routine tasks like malware analysis and phishing email detection, thus lowering incident response times and alleviating alert fatigue.
However, AI is not without its challenges, including susceptibility to false positives and bias in training data. To mitigate these risks, I believe in maintaining human oversight in decision-making processes and continually retraining models with diverse datasets. Additionally, regular red team exercises help test the resilience of AI in place and ensure critical security functions have a fallback process.

Q: What is your strategy for mentoring junior security professionals within your team and the broader cybersecurity community?

A: Ensuring a strong pipeline of security professionals remains critical, especially in Nigeria and Africa. My mentoring approach begins with understanding the individual career histories, current trajectories, and aspirations of junior professionals. This insight helps me tailor effective learning objectives that align with their growth.
Providing pathways to essential certifications, offering hands-on lab opportunities, and creating real-world project scenarios accelerates their learning. I cultivate a nurturing environment where questions are welcomed, and mistakes are transformed into valuable learning moments. Through my active participation in the ISACA Mentorship Program, I guide aspiring security professionals worldwide for six months, helping them navigate their career paths and tackle real-world challenges.
I also enjoy one-on-one mentorship outside of structured frameworks. It’s gratifying to see some of my mentees lead their own teams, contribute significantly to their organizations, and engage with the community as mentors themselves.

Q: How do you stay ahead of emerging threats and technologies in cybersecurity?

A: In an ever-changing landscape, staying informed is paramount. I prioritize continuous learning, actively seeking courses to broaden my understanding, and engaging with the community. Attending pivotal conferences like Black Hat and DEFCON allows me to not only gain insights into the latest threats and technologies but also to network with peers and thought leaders in the field.
As a member of esteemed organizations like ISC2 and ISACA, I benefit from professional development and networking opportunities that keep me abreast of contemporary issues. Engaging with local cybersecurity groups, such as NaijaSecCon and Cyblack, also helps me grasp region-specific threats and best practices.
I encourage innovation within my team by participating in Capture The Flag events and promoting security awareness programs. Encouraging team members to experiment with new tools in a controlled environment fosters a thriving culture of growth and adaptation.

Q: Where do you envision the future of cybersecurity heading, and how are you preparing for it?

A: The future seems poised for a significant embrace of AI-driven defensive systems that can ensure real-time threat detection and response. This, alongside widespread adoption of zero-trust architectures, is where I see the world’s cybersecurity landscape moving.
My current focus is on AI and machine learning applications aimed at predictive threat modeling and automated response. Additionally, I anticipate the necessity of quantum-resilient cryptography and am actively exploring post-quantum algorithms to safeguard against future threats.

Q: Outside of cybersecurity, what do you do to unwind?

A: Life outside of work is equally important to me. I cherish spending time with my son, whether we’re cycling or strolling through a park. Football and music, especially Afrobeat and House, are my go-to forms of relaxation. Music helps me strike a balance in my life. Traveling is another passion—each trip means exploring new cultures, which often brings fresh perspectives to my work.

About Chigozie Ejeofobiri

Chigozie holds an MSc in Information Security and Digital Forensics from the University of East London, along with various certifications including CISSP, CISM, CCIE Security, and AWS. He is also a published researcher focused on AI-enhanced cybersecurity and blockchain security. A firm believer in security as a critical business enabler, Chigozie is dedicated to creating scalable solutions that drive progress while ensuring robust protection.

Edited by Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.