Jesse Krembs, Offensive Security Practitioner
Jesse Krembs, Offensive Security Practitioner, Consolidated Communications
WHO? Jesse Krembs
ROLE: Jesse is an Offensive Security Practitioner at Consolidated Communications. “I do really cool things for work” Jesse iterates. “Defensive security runs firewall, maintains existing security, stops breaches, logs data, enforces policy… my job is to take exploitive, aggressive measures to emulate attacks”. In essence, Jesse gets paid to break into Consolidated’s computers and provide insight on how to reduce or eliminate those cybersecurity risks. Jesse’s employment history is of great breadth, including the likes of JDK Design, Magic Hat Brewery, and Def Con.
BIGGEST WIN IN THE PAST YEAR: Jesse raised the most money in a non-profit initiative to help save the rainforest, and was given the opportunity to ride a monkey bike across Morocco for a week. “It was a hoot! On the last day I rode out of this little town over miles of mud up through snowing 2200 meter mountain pass, and I won a golden teapot”. Jesse recalls that his little 50cc monkey bike had a tendency to break down on him, and had to rely on the help of a couple different Moroccan mechanics to help him make it through.
HOW? Jesse candidly answers: “I just asked for peoples money… asked all my family and friends for cash”. The non-profit is called Cool Earth. Jesse appreciates their model: take money from affluent people, give it to people living in the rainforest and say: “buy all the land around your place”, effectively allowing indigenous people to retain their land and build permanent capacity.
Consolidated Communications: A telecommunication company with over 36000 miles of fiber optic materials. The company spans from California to Texas, and now with the acquisition of FairPoint Communications, all the way to Vermont. Jesse used to work in this building for FairPoint, using the 4th floor (now VCET) as a private workspace. Jesse came up with the idea to use the 4th floor for a co-working space, and after the FairPoint VT President approved the idea, VCET eventually came to inhabit this lovely space as we know it.
CAN JESSE SEE THE FUTURE?“No… actually YES. You make a plan, and then you work on it”. Well-said, Jesse.
PIZZA OR ICE CREAM? Jesse chooses ice-cream… smoked gelato to be precise. “It tastes like scotch… PROTIP nobody likes that flavor so you get extra for free”.
FUN: Jesse is a fan of the movie Sneakers and currently has the Hip-Hop ground ‘Run The Jewels on repeat. “Killer Mike is a huge Bernie fan, and Bernie needs more street cred” Jesse laughs.
REACH OUT: If you’re in a startup place and looking for an introduction to security, Jesse implores you to reach out. “Risk management should be part of the plan from the get-go”, and Jesse is happy to help.
