Cyber Security

Hi! I'm Peter Connolly. My professional journey started after graduating high school at Vermont Technical College, where I studied Computer Engineering in an accelerated program for high school seniors. I studied Computer Science and Philosophy at Amherst College, during which time I taught programming in a TA role, as well as during the summer at a technology camp for kids. My cyber security career started as an intern as Stroz Friedberg in San Francisco, where I had my first experience with Digital Forensics and Incident Response. I graduated from Amherst in 2018 with a double major in Computer Science and Philosophy. Since then I have worked as a DFIR consultant for Stroz Friedberg in Boston, MA, and remotely from Columbus, OH.

Looking forward, I’m particularly interested in the intersection of AI and cyber security - from the increase threat of threat actor use of machine learning and LLMs to conduct attacks, to the use of AI in detection and response for internal and external threats, and the development of trust and safety as AI technologies continue to become more integral in our everyday life.

Resume

Cyber security professional with over 5 years of experience in digital forensics and incident response consulting. Conducted hundreds of investigations in breach response, civil litigations, and internal investigations. Skilled at analyzing, presenting, and documenting complex technical concepts in a clear and approachable manner.  

Experience

Stroz Friedberg, an Aon Company – Boston, MA and Remote

Senior Consultant, DFIR – April 2021 – Present

Consultant, DFIR – June 2019 – April 2021

Cyber Associate, DFIR – August 2018 – June 2019

Summer Cyber Associate, DFIR – June 2017 – August 2017

Key Responsibilities

Lead response and investigation into business email compromises, trade secret theft, data breaches, and ransomware attacks, investigating evidence of intrusion, lateral movement, and data access and exfiltration.

Preserve evidence from computers, servers, mobile devices, cloud systems and log sources. Conduct analysis using industry standard tooling. Deliver presentations and written reports.

Establish documentation, conduct research and testing, and develop tooling to address unique challenges, increase capabilities, and improve efficiency for DFIR investigations.

Manage and mentor junior employees in DFIR, ensuring continuous improvement and skill enhancement.


Education

Amherst College – Amherst, MA

Bachelor of Arts, Computer Science and Philosophy 2014 – 2018


Vermont Technical College – Randolph, VT

Vermont Academy of Science and Technology, Computer Engineering 2013 – 2014

Competitive, accelerated program for high school seniors

Certifications

  • GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA)

  • GIAC Certified Forensic Examiner (GCFE) 

Skills and Proficiencies

  • Skilled in industry-standard tooling, including X-Ways, FTK, Magnet Axiom, Encase, Cellebrite, Velociraptor, Intella

  • Proficiency in scripting languages including Python and Powershell

  • Experience with various security products and tooling, including Microsoft Azure, Splunk, Mimecast, Carbon Black, Fortinet