Student Spotlight: 6 Questions with Roberto Friedlander

Roberto Friedlander is a student at the University at Albany's College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity, pursuing a degree in Cybersecurity. Known for being detail-oriented and dedicated to producing high-quality work, Roberto is actively involved on campus through UAlbany’s Living-Learning Communities, the Cyber Defense Organization and the UAlbany Jazz Band. Motivated and passionate, Roberto strives not only to learn and grow but also to make a positive impact within the campus community and beyond.
 

What’s the coolest project, internship or campus opportunity you’ve taken on lately and what did you do there?

This summer, I had the opportunity to work at Major League Baseball as a Threat Intelligence and Incident Response intern. Some of my responsibilities included responding to and analyzing security incidents, monitoring and investigating threats and working on automation projects.
 

What’s one thing you learned from that experience that you know will help you in your future career?

My time at Major League Baseball gave me hands-on technical experience and opportunities to practically apply security concepts I’ve learned in the classroom. This has included analyzing malware, mapping out threat actor activity, utilizing Python to create automation playbooks and conducting open-source intelligence investigations as needed.
 

While you were there, did you see any interesting ways tech (or AI) was used in your field? 

Artificial intelligence was used to analyze emotional sentiment scores and assist in detecting online threats. AI was also utilized to correlate security alerts from multiple data sources and build a clearer picture of incidents overall.
 

How has CEHC helped you discover or land opportunities like this?

I learned about this opportunity through the weekly CEHC student emails highlighting internships. These emails have introduced me to several valuable opportunities, including this one for the summer.
 

If another student wanted to score an experience like yours, what’s your #1 piece of advice?

Gain technical experience as much as you can, it is one of the best ways to stand out on your resume! By joining hands-on clubs like the Cyber Defense Organization, I was able to learn how to defend systems and networks through workshops and red vs blue team competitions. These experiences allow you to practically apply concepts learned in the classroom, and more of these opportunities exist off-campus through internships. It is crucial to take advantage of these opportunities whenever they are available.
 

What’s next for you? Any big goals, projects, or dream opportunities on the horizon?

As I enter my senior year, I am going to continue my internship with the Center for Internet Security and my role as Blue Team Captain for the Cyber Defense Organization. I am excited to continue creating engaging hands-on workshops for students, preparing for upcoming competitions and further educating myself on the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity.