As I reflect back on 2020—a year filled with challenges and heartbreak for so many—I am reminded of all my own silver linings from during that time. In January 2020, I earned the title of “Manager” at Schellman and soon after in June, I became the first manager at the company to become a mother. With Schellman’s new maternity policy in place, I was able to take 12 weeks of leave as I juggled the challenges of caring for a newborn and recovering from childbirth, all in the midst of a global pandemic. Schellman‘s policy allows new mothers the flexibility of taking staggered leave throughout the year or all once – I chose the latter and dedicated my time to establishing a new routine and bonding with my daughter, Kaylee. Without the added stress of work, I experienced the joys and new challenges of parenting while acclimating to life with a newborn—it was an invaluable time for me, filled with experiences I will forever cherish.

While the latest version of any product is often seen as the greatest, there is more nuance involved when trying to determine which version of the HITRUST CSF® framework to utilize for certification. Currently, users can choose from versions 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, and 9.4. With the impending release of HITRUST CSF v10p (preview) in mid-May 2021, and a full release of v10 scheduled for later in the year, it adds more questions about whether to make the jump to 10 right away, if you have to make the jump to 10, and when will you be required to make the jump to version 10; all of which we’ll tackle.

Overview Offensive Security has released several new courses recently, including Evasion Techniques and Breaching Defenses (PEN-300), which primarily focuses on “penetration tests against mature organizations with an established security function.” After reading that overview on the website, I was excited to take on the challenge and expand my knowledge base in preparation for obtaining the OSEP certification.