2023-06-13 –, Salon B
Incident response is critical for ensuring the reliability and security of AWS environments. Supporting 28 AWS services, Citi implemented a highly scalable cloud incident response framework specifically designed for their AWS environment. Using AWS Step Functions and AWS Lambda, Citi's automation and orchestration of NIST’s incident response plan has significantly improved response time to security incidents by reducing containment actions by an average of 5 hours and eliminating the risk of human error. Utilizing real-world scenarios and examples, attendees will learn how to leverage AWS Step Functions and core AWS services to effectively build and design scalable incident responses solutions.
Damien Burks (he/him) is an accomplished cybersecurity expert and software developer based in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex. With an analytical mind and a talent for problem-solving, he is an established leader in Cloud Security and DevOps. He has held various roles in his career, with the most recent being Cloud Security Engineer - VP at Citi. At Citi, he designed and built CLI tools to enhance custom security frameworks within AWS. In addition, he has designed and built a CLI tool using boto3 libraries to improve the user experience of the custom security framework, formally known as the Cloud Containment Automation Framework.
Damien maintains DataCop and AWSome-Honey-Pot as an open-source developer while contributing to Open Policy Agent (OPA) and Python Fire. As an AWS Community Builder, he also creates and publishes cloud security content such as articles, YouTube videos, and blog posts. In addition to community contributions, he has spoken at several conferences throughout his career, which include DevOpsDays Dallas, BSides DFW, and FS-ISAC FinCyber Today.
Excelling in his studies and professional training, Damien holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity Technology from the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). In addition, he has several licenses and certifications across multiple cloud service providers such as AWS and GCP. When not working, or studying, Damien is a mentor to BIPOC LGBTQ+ tech professionals who wish to break into the tech industry. His hobbies include playing video games, attending local car meets within the DFW Metroplex, and spending time with his partner, and their two cats.
Elvis is a passionate and dedicated leader in the field of cyber security and Cloud. He has been working with Citibank for the past 10+ years and has held multiple roles in cybersecurity. Due to his extensive expertise and due diligence in the field, he currently leads a multi-disciplinary team of teams as the Global Head of Cloud Security Operations.
Elvis is adept at driving cybersecurity services and solutions that enable Citi to securely adopt private, hybrid, and public cloud platforms. His most notable achievements as the Global Head of Cloud Security Operations include establishing robust cross-functional partnerships with teams building NexGen Cloud applications. Elvis is a natural team player who has helped teams embed and operate security controls across the Identify, Protect, Detect, and Recover cybersecurity pillars.
Elvis' drive for being a skilled Cloud security professional has prompted him to acquire dozens of industry certifications across various cloud providers and technologies. Prior to his role as Global Head of Cloud Security Operations, Elvis worked at Citi for 7+ years in Cyber Security offensive capabilities. Starting off as a penetration tester, he helped build and eventually led the Citi Red Team, an advanced penetration testing team in charge of assessing the enterprise's security posture (people, processes, and technology) through adversary emulation.
Elvis excelled in his studies at Florida International University (FIU) where he earned a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems (MIS) and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Florida International University.