DAY IN THE LIFE: Keeping cyber-attacks at bay

What you need to know:

Looking at the past five years that I have been in this field, I have come to learn that your milestones, innovations and accomplishments are your biggest compensation.
For instance, I remember sometime back I had a client whose server was arrested by a Ransomware, which is a virus from hackers trying to kidnap data in exchange for money.

Although I have always been passionate about information, technology and communication, it was not until August 2012 when I went full throttle and started my own IT firm. Working in the IT sector is not always a walk in the park. It takes constant evolution to stay on top. In most cases, my day usually begins at 4am. Sometimes though, I wake up earlier when I have extra tasks to tend to. On any given day, I begin by having a brief spiritual session and prayer. Thereafter, I log online to find out what is trending and how I can align my social media marketing customers to the current trends in order for them to sell. I also look at the current cyber security threats which include malware, ransomware, spyware, file server security, and phishing and pharming, which form the crux of my work. On a normal day, I get to my office in Kileleshwa at around 9am. My work day involves digital and social media marketing, and running security features for all web applications. This requires me to schedule server backups and ensure that the requisite updates are running.

Nonetheless, on Mondays, I begin my day at the office with a buffer meeting with my assistant and office administrator before ploughing through work. On Tuesdays, I focus on all my prospective customers. On Wednesdays, I meet with my current clients and carry out status reports for our projects. Thursdays and Fridays are easier as I work according to how the day evolves. I usually leave the office at around 2.45pm, and head home to be with my two children. We spend the rest of the day playing and doing homework. Recently, I enrolled in a gym and I am trying to fit in time for my sessions. I am also going back to my old love of horse riding.

Looking at the past five years that I have been in this field, I have come to learn that your milestones, innovations and accomplishments are your biggest compensation. For instance, I remember sometime back I had a client whose server was arrested by a Ransomware, which is a virus from hackers trying to kidnap data in exchange for money. That I was able to stop the spread of this malware before I could even access his system remains one of my moments of pride. There have been strange moments too, mostly from people who express doubts that a woman is fully capable of doing structured cabling or computer maintenance.