by Kathryn McKenna
Lara Sunday, Senior Product Manager at Rapid7 and one of the Directors at BSides Belfast, speaks to Sync NI about her unique pathway into technology.
Having studied Anthropology at Queen’s University, Lara was working in organic farming and social care when she handed in her notice to take the leap and join the Microsoft Security Academy. Just three days later, the Covid pandemic hit – but Lara remained dedicated to her career change.
At the age of 16, Lara was inspired by the film Hackers to learn more about cybersecurity and began a coding course in North Street, Belfast, where she was the only female in the room. After giving birth to her eldest son, Lara began working in farming and later in events but made the decision to attend university, having taken an Access course and began studying International Politics and Conflict Studies, changing direction whilst at university; she then majored in Anthropology. Whilst attending university, a friend working in a large global firm as a Principal Security Architect encouraged Lara to work in the field, explaining her transferable skills were highly sought after.
Having graduated with a First from Queen's University and gone back into farming, Lara came to the decision that she wanted “to do more” with her life. Lara tells Sync NI: “I reached a point where I wanted to make a change. University truly changes the way you think, and I realised I wasn’t reaching my full potential.”
READ MORE: The Tech Craic Podcast: Lara Sunday, Senior Product Manager at Rapid7
In serendipitous timing, when Lara began to look into potential opportunities, Microsoft published details of their first ever Microsoft Security Academy. The competitive selection process saw 600 candidates apply. When Lara was told she was one of just 25 candidates to be selected, she vowed to hand in her notice to her current role the very next day in order to seize the opportunity with both hands. Lara says: “I thought I had nothing to lose. Of course, I had a young family, and there were things to lose. But I prefer to go through life taking opportunities, so I jumped in with both feet.”
Despite Lara’s optimism, the Covid pandemic hit just three days later. With no job guaranteed at the end of the academy, Lara could have been forgiven for doubting her decision. “There were moments where I thought, what have I done? But it was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my life, and I have now ended up in my dream job,” Lara reveals.
Joining the Rapid7 team
When the academy ended, Lara began working at Microsoft as an Associate Consultant and later as a Consultant before becoming a Security Architect working with large enterprises and the public sector. Lara joined the Rapid7 team in September 2023, hitting the ground running with the Cloud Coverage team and is now heavily involved in governance and compliance.
A highlight for Lara was creating the first proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) compliance pack, launched by her team in December 2023. She recalls: “To be at the forefront of the development was amazing.”
Attackers versus defenders
In terms of the most common security challenges for clients, Lara points to customers having visibility of their environments and having an understanding of a company's dependencies and risks of exposure. This is where the importance of collaboration and cutting out SILOs becomes crucial, as well as the challenges faced in keeping abreast of new regulations.
On the subject of who has the advantage, attackers or defenders, Lara explains there is no definitive answer as the process is a journey rather than a game with a definitive end. Attackers do not face the same challenges of adoption as defenders, they have no need to concern themselves with ethics of how they develop or regulations of who they are able to collaborate with. AI has also significantly lowered the level of talent and skill required to carry out attacks.
In terms of cyber defence, Lara emphasises the strength in the skills, knowledge, and collaboration between governments, public sector, and private sector. “I strongly believe we will always have an advantage of skill and innovation alongside the force in numbers through collaboration. I know people discuss the skills shortages, but when you actually see the work that’s being done, it’s incredible,” she says.
Ethics and regulations at Rapid7
One of the things Lara reveals she values most highly about working at Rapid7 is the diversity of thought and the importance of upholding company values. She explains: “At Rapid7 we work on the basis of TRiSM – which stands for Trust, Risk and Security Management. We often think about AI and ML in terms of technology. One of the things we've heavily leaned into at Rapid7 is our business values as a company. The diversity of thought at Rapid7 is vital.”
Rapid7’s AI Centre of Excellence is made up of stakeholders from across teams who collaborate in the AI space within the company, ensuring the company’s business values are upheld. “Our company values are intrinsic and are developed into our products. It is very important that we carry regulation and compliance in hand with how we develop products. It is foundational to what we do at Rapid7.”
CSIT
Reflecting on the relationship, Lara summarises that Northern Ireland is “excellent” at collaborating between the private sector and academia. Rapid7 has been building upon its relationship with CSIT since Dr Stuart Millar’s award-winning research in collaboration with the team in 2022, with the official partnership announced in 2023.
READ MORE: Rapid7 launches new AI security research partnership with Queen’s University Belfast
“The collaboration, the partnership and the talent pipeline our collaboration with CSIT brings about is extraordinary,” she says. “I believe Accademia plays a pivotal role in connecting the Private and Public Sectors.”
Diversity and accessibility
Having become one of the Directors at BSides Belfast last year, Lara possesses a particular interest in diversity and accessibility. In a bid to improve the experience of people attending BSides Belfast, the team is dedicated to ensuring the conference is as accessible as possible.
The team ensures that the conference is physically accessible for people with disabilities, in addition to providing childcare facilities for anyone without access to childcare to attend the conference, thus removing this important barrier. Additionally, to ensure diversity of thought within the speakers on the day, everybody is encouraged to put forward a proposal when the CFP opens. “Security teams that are more diverse perform better – it is a statistical fact,” Lara explains. “Diversity and accessibility are both vital in terms of measuring our success as a conference.”
Closing the gender gap
With females currently representing just 27 per cent of the tech industry in Northern Ireland, significant work is being conducted to close the gender gap. Speaking from first-hand experience, Lara emphasises the opportunities within tech for those wishing to pursue a career change.
Lara explains: “Don’t let not coming from a tech background put you off. If tech interests you, you can make the transition by finding the correct pathway.” Lara points to the vast array of academies and apprenticeships on offer in Northern Ireland, including Rapid7’s Emerging Talent Programmes.
“There is a fantastic, friendly, welcoming tech community here in Northern Ireland. I would encourage anyone to reach out if they have any questions.”
Reflecting on how studying anthropology helped her gain skills that have helped her tech career, Lara encourages those interested in tech who initially chose a different career path to consider taking up opportunities such as the academy programmes. “Companies have realised the benefits of hiring based on character and attitudes they value, they can develop a successful candidate's technical side.”
For young girls interested in STEM subjects at school, Lara advises: “If you are truly interested in STEM, absolutely do it and don’t let anyone put you off. You only regret the things you don’t try, not the things you do.”
READ MORE: Rapid7 Belfast celebrates 10 year success story with 500-strong staff
Find out more about Rapid7, including Rapid7’s Emerging Talent Programmes at: rapid7.com.
For Thought Leadership pieces, interviews, Tech Trailblazers and current career opportunities at Rapid7, visit: syncni.com/company/Rapid7.
