Alumni Info Series: Improving Your Online Cybersecurity

As technology continues to advance at a rapid pace and society becomes more reliant on online services and social platforms, it is more important than ever to know how to protect yourself digitally.  

"With so much of our life online, cyber hygiene is an indispensable skill. Julian Pileggi ’07 has years of professional experience and a passion for cybersecurity,” shares Michael Bakaic ’07. “I am excited to learn new techniques and to engage with him during the workshop."

Over the last three years, the pandemic has pushed the use of technology with many working and learning remotely. The St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) Alumni Association is excited to kick off the new year with this valuable discussion. On Wednesday, January 26, 2022, beginning at 6:30 p.m., Pileggi will join moderator Matt Montemurro ’05 to discuss best practices for personal online cybersecurity.

“I am interested in this info series as a way to better understand the risks associated with providing personal information to the numerous websites and apps we are all accessing,” shares Frank Cianciotta ’73. “This includes saving passwords in browsers, managing multiple passwords, and dealing with two-factor authentications.”

Planned discussions include creating and managing passwords, protecting online accounts, safe browsing habits, protecting your home computers, using Internet-connected smart devices, followed by a question period.

“I feel that the topic is very valuable and hope I can share some insights with the community. With organizations and data being breached on a regular basis, it's imperative for users to understand the best ways to protect themselves,” shares Pileggi. “I have always had a passion for cybersecurity and have been working in the industry for 12 years now.” 

Pileggi is currently a security engineer for a big tech company and a part-time instructor for the University of Toronto's Cybersecurity Bootcamp.  

“Teach me goodness, discipline and knowledge was instilled in me many years ago by the Basilian Fathers at St. Mike’s. That motto still holds true for me,” says Andrew Williams ’84. “Today, and with the ever-increasing fraud on the internet, it helps to hear from a trusted source on how to combat this. I’m always looking to learn something new every day.”

After spending over six years in cybersecurity consulting, Pileggi helped organizations that were breached to locate the attackers in their environment, figure out what they did, and determine how to remove them. During that time, he delivered training on digital forensics and incident response to clients, the public, government agencies, and law enforcement.  

“Everyone needs to be prepared to protect themselves as best possible when using online services and sharing information,” shares Pileggi. “We will have an informative discussion centered around personal online cybersecurity.” 

Register for the Alumni Information Series: How to improve your Online Cybersecurity on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at 6:30 p.m.