We are excited to announce our latest addition to the team, Gábor Varjas. Gábor is joining us as Head of Ethical Hacking Services and will lead our efforts in maximizing our cybersecurity capabilities, enabling companies around the world to proactively address vulnerabilities in their systems and strengthen their defenses against evolving cyber threats.
About Gábor
With an impressive 24 years of experience in IT security, Gábor has made his mark in international enterprises, such as Barclays, Qatar Petroleum, Mol Group, and Citi Bank. From San Francisco to Singapore, he led strategic secure digitalization projects that are vital to ensuring the security of corporations.
Gábor is passionate about crafting systems from the ground up, with a strong belief that secure cloud and hybrid environments are the foundation of an organization’s success. Much like an architect carefully designs a building, he loves to meticulously plan and construct digital frameworks, ensuring they are not only robust but also secure.
Now, let’s get to know him better!
Choosing Hackrate
Hackrate: Why did you decide to join the Hackrate team?
Gábor: When it comes to choosing my next role, I always trust my intuition. When I came across Hackrate, something clicked. I sensed that they were at the beginning of a very important journey that I wanted to join so that we could shape its course and make a real impact together.
Addressing today’s biggest challenges in cybersecurity
Hackrate: What do you see as the most significant security challenges and threats organizations are facing today?
Gábor: The biggest challenge in today’s cybersecurity is that people still don’t quite understand how vulnerable they are online. They take precautions to prevent their wallet from being stolen, or their car or home broken into, but when it comes to someone hacking their online profiles and stealing their personal data, that’s always something that only happens to other people.
As I see, there are three levels when it comes to how companies approach cybersecurity. A select few security-conscious enterprises have heavily invested in cybersecurity and built an advanced level of protection that seems almost impossible to break into. Then, there is the ‘average’ company; they are aware of online vulnerabilities and have taken steps to safeguard its assets, but there’s still room for improvement in its security posture. Finally, at the other end of the spectrum are the most vulnerable ones, without “illness awareness” that operate without worrying about the potential risks and go about their business with little to no concern for security breaches.
The beauty of ethical hacking
Hackrate: What’s Hackrate’s role in helping companies address these challenges?
Gábor: As you can see, it’s evident that a significant portion of organizations out there still have a long way to go when it comes to strengthening their security posture — and that’s exactly what Hackrate helps with!
What makes Hackrate brilliant is that it provides an opportunity to virtually everyone around the world by offering a platform where they can simulate their worst nightmare — a cyberattack. They line up a “Navy SEAL” team of ethical hackers who understand and employ the tactics and strategies of malicious hackers but it all happens within a secure, controlled simulation environment.
This simulation helps them prepare for the very scenarios that keep them up at night, offering a comprehensive security assessment that would otherwise be a costly and complex undertaking. In this regard, they help everyone.
“The beauty of ethical hacking lies in protecting something important and standing on the right side.“
Building resilience in cybersecurity
Hackrate: What are the essential elements of a robust cybersecurity strategy?
Gábor: The cornerstone of an organization’s security posture is resilience. It lies in developing a comprehensive strategy where every single conceivable security concern is addressed. This strategy is a proactive approach that anticipates and neutralizes potential risks and equips the organization with a well-defined plan for countering threats.
Waiting until a security breach occurs is too late and leaves organizations vulnerable. The true strength lies in preparing for potential breaches beforehand, ensuring that when threats arise, the organization is not caught off guard but ready to respond with a detailed script in hand.
In protecting our assets, it’s equally important to understand the value they hold and be aware of who may have their eyes on them. This awareness forms the foundation of a robust tactical strategy.
And one more thing: no matter how robust your security strategy may be, malicious hackers can always find a way to exploit the weakest link in the chain. This often involves targeting employees through phishing attacks, scams, or social engineering techniques. Unfortunately, these tactics tend to be most successful when directed at individuals with limited security awareness.
For an effective security strategy, it’s imperative to include a comprehensive education program for employees. This initiative ensures that every single team member is prepared for potential cybersecurity risks and remains up to date with the latest hacking tactics.
Hackrate’s future
Hackrate: What is your long-term vision for Hackrate?
Gábor: I believe that no company should embark on their digital journey without first encountering Hackrate. Before exposing their assets to the internet, any individual or organization must conduct a comprehensive security assessment. Only after being 100% confident in their security posture should they kick off their ventures.
Many organizations start with grand ambitions, which is a great thing — but they should never forget that security needs to come first.
Welcome to the team, Gábor! We are looking forward to building Hackrate together.
