This week we’re catching up with Dan Roach, OnSecurity’s Bristol-based Software Developer.

What first attracted you to the world of Pentesting?

My education was in AI & Big data, think; neural networks, genetic algorithms all that fun stuff. So, IT security just wasn’t on my radar, in fact, my first real taste was via an introductory day hosted by the Cyber Security Challenge.

Prior to that I hadn’t appreciated how vast and varied the pentesting industry was. Initially what drew me in was the intricate, ever-evolving nature of ethical hacking but the clincher for me was the potential for using data. I knew pretty much straight away I was going to take the plunge and get stuck in - whatever way I could.

Tell us about what you do here.

I improve the user experience and make things look pretty.

Outline a typical day.

• Wake up
• Smash ‘First Breakfast’
• Smash the gym with Calum Boal
• Arrive at the Bristol office
• Smash a coffee with ’Second Breakfast’
• Bit of ol ‘Plinky-Plonk’ on the keyboard till about 1
• Smash ‘First Lunch’
• Bit more ‘Plinky-Plonk’ in the afternoon till about 4
• Smash ‘Second Lunch’
• Even more ‘Plinky-Plonk’ late afternoon
• Leave office around 7.30
• Smash ‘First Dinner’ at home
• Final bit of ‘Plinky-Plonk’ in the evening (optional)
• Smash ‘Second Dinner’
• Bed

What have you been working on mostly since joining OnSecurity?  

Every once in a while I’ve been able to leverage my data analytics background to help with some of the nitty gritty like smart estimation, data presentation and other intelligent features.

But mostly I’ve had my head down these past few months making sure our new portal’s UX is so slick and beautiful that users “Ooohhh” and “Aaaahhh” like the aliens out of Toy Story.

Quick Q&A with Dan:

Favourite Hobby?

Winding up Marketing by giving unconventional answers in interviews.

If you weren’t at OnSecurity, what would you be doing?

Duck Whisperer

How would you describe your job to a child?

I Plinky Plonk on the old keyboard to make websites easier to use.

What’s your number 1 security tip?

Size matters… The longer and more convoluted the better. When it comes to passwords that is, ahem.

What are your three most overused words/phrases?

• “Do we have any food?”
• “Are you sure we don’t have any food?”
• “Wanna go get some food?”

If your house was burning down, what’s the one non-living thing you would save?

Probably my GIANT fire extinguisher – you just never know when you’re going to need it.

What’s your favourite noise?

My impersonation of a duck

What’s the most important thing you have learned in the last five years?

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck - then it’s probably a duck.

Probably a duck

Unexpected fact

A duck’s quack doesn’t echo or does it? Let me know if you’re ever in a cave with a duck.

Dan, thank you.

If you want to know more about leveraging big data to create more intelligent design or indeed, if you just want to shoot the breeze about ducks - you can contact Dan at Dan.Roach@onsecurity.co.uk or connect with him on LinkedIn