Steffen shares his story

Who are you and what do you do at Northwave?

Hi, I'm Steffen, I'm 32 years old and my job in the CERT at Northwave is to search for forensic artifacts from cyber attacks of all kinds. As an incident responder, I am deployed throughout the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). 

How do you describe your job to your family/friends?
 
The job of a digital forensics investigator is like a paper chase! Once you've found a clue, you start looking for further traces until you can reconstruct a coherent path that someone used to break into a system. During an incident, we often provide our customers with on-site support and advice. 

When we are not dealing with incidents, we at CERT are not twiddling our thumbs. We continue to work on our efficiency and bring ourselves up to date through training and joint projects. 

When did you become part of the Northwave team, and what background equipped you for your current position?
 
Before I started at Northwave in April 2024, I was a digital forensic investigator with the German police force (in Hessen). During this time, I also completed my studies in this field. The police background is very helpful for my work because, in addition to the technical tools, you also understand the mindset of an investigator.  

What is your impression of your Northwave colleagues after your first weeks so far?

For someone who likes to think outside the box, the Northwave team is perfect! You don't just work with IT experts, but also with former investigators, negotiation professionals, psychologists and crisis managers, for example. All the colleagues I've spoken to so far have been happy to give an insight into their professional field. After a few weeks, you really realise that there is much more to IT security than just technology. The informal working atmosphere gives me the confidence to develop both personally and professionally and to contribute my ideas. 

What do you do outside of work?

Besides work, I make a lot of music with different instruments. I'm also often drawn out at weekends and on days off, I love hiking and short trips within Europe.