Secure Ninja Shorts: Tom Updegrove

Secure Ninja TV speaks with Lead Information Security Instructor Tom Updegrove.

As chief consultant for InterNetwork Service, an Information Security services company, Tom is responsible for daily support of the IT security infrastructure for many Philadelphia based firms. Tom regularly maintains back office support for firewalls, VPNs, IDS, malware protection, secure email , IP based CCTV, VOIP, cloud computing and many other of today's cutting edge technology issues including conducting regular penetration tests as part of patch management services. Tom also holds a number of IT certifications including Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP), CompTIA Security+, CEH Microsoft MCSE.

As a martial artist, Tom's experience is as vast as any. Tom has studied Martial Arts for over 40 years and is currently a 8th Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate and holds many other belts from other styles as well including 7th Degree Black Belt in JLFS Kick Boxing. He teaches the adults in the Kenpo, Kickboxing, Grappling, and Tai Chi classes at Martial Posture, one of Philadelphia's oldest martial arts schools. His teaching style is ultimately student guided. What he recommends to new students is "set goals, the road to mastery is laden with many pitfalls, goal setting is done by anyone who has achieved mastery in some field." He has studied under legendary coaches such as Ed Parker, founder of the Ed Parker Kenpo Karate System, Joe Lewis, founder of the Joe Lewis Fighting System (JLFS) and the Godfather of American Kickboxing, Royce and Relson Gracie of the Gracie Jiu Jitsu System to name a few. Tom recommends to his students -- "Take the slow boat" because mastery takes time, energy and, more importantly, patience.

Tom is also an ex Philadelphia Firefighter, who also served in the Army's 34th Signal Battalion during the Vietnam era. Tom's interest in electronic communication started back in the late 60's as a microwave telephony specialist. After a 30 year career as a Professional Martial Arts instructor, in 1999 Tom along with Larry Greenblatt started developing Cisco CCNA and CCSP courseware, Tom's specialty is labs. According to Tom "Labs can easily make or break the class. If the complexity of setting up the equipment consumes too much time the student gets frustrated and doesn't draw much vocation experience from the exercises". Tom is a founding member of Internetwork Defense and the "Cyber Kung Fu" brand of information security training. Tom was awarded a challenge coin from the United States Forces in Korea (USFK), where award presenter Colonel James Henderson told him and Sifu Greenblatt, "You came here to help us pass a test; you taught us how to secure the future." Tom's approach to teaching is in the Mahayana style, in that not only do we need to enlighten our own minds but the minds of others as well.

Category:

Science & Technology

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• CEH
• v7
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• information
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• cyber
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