In today’s digital world, we sometimes focus on the power of technology, as opposed to the skill of the people behind it.

At CrowdStrike, we try not to make that mistake. Even though we leverage some of the most advanced technologies in the world, it’s our people who are on the front lines, working tirelessly to stay a step ahead of hackers and other digital adversaries. We know that our products and services are only as good as the talent behind them. That’s why we seek the best and brightest minds the industry has to offer to put our clients in the best position to defend against some of the most sophisticated attacks in the world.

In this interview, Engineering Team Lead Elli Fraimovich discusses his role with CrowdStrike, what it’s like to work in cybersecurity and what makes the industry a good fit for people who want to be on the cutting edge of technology.

Q. What attracted you to the cybersecurity industry and this organization in particular?

Well, first of all, cybersecurity is a very practical choice. It affects everyone’s day-to-day life and it’s something we are all aware of.

But it’s very interesting to go behind the scenes of security and learn how attacks happen, how you can protect against them and how you can actually identify attackers.

The other thing that drew me to the industry and this company in particular is the technology. Everything is cutting-edge technology — everything. It’s a race between us and the hackers. We’ve all seen the movies where the hackers are coding and other people are trying to stop them, but behind the scenes it’s not really like that — it’s even more interesting.

Also, this is a very challenging industry, things are evolving all the time and there are new developments and new companies with new products. It’s the future basically. So it’s a good place to be.

Q. Can you describe any of the technology or the technical capabilities that really excite you at CrowdStrike?

I think our strength lies in our real-time capabilities. We can actually detect someone doing something bad in real time and block it then and there. I think that’s a very exciting thing, because most companies can only tell you once something has happened or have you check something after the fact. They don’t really act in real time. We’re different. We can stop someone right in the moment.

Q. Are there any misconceptions about working in cybersecurity that you want to clear up?

That’s a tough question. I guess there could be this idea that hackers are just some bad people who probably aren’t very smart. But actually, most of the people who are in this — the bad actors — they’re extremely bright. They’re using crazy tools and very advanced technologies to accomplish their goals. They try to be a step ahead of the researchers who are trying to find the breaches and stop them. So, it’s not just some kids with a laptop or someone who is not well-educated. These are really the brightest people in the world who are working to attack organizations and steal data. We need the brightest people to stop them.

Q. What do you like about working for CrowdStrike?

One of the most important things is that all the people in the company are very smart and very capable. I know we put a lot of effort and resources into our recruiting process so that we can find the right people. Even more important is that all the people in the company are very open to discussion and sharing their knowledge. There’s no egos here. We act as a team, not as individuals. And that helps us achieve a lot of goals because we take a collective approach and focus on our outcomes together.

I would also say that people here really love their jobs. It’s not just, “Okay, what’s my next assignment? I’ll do just that.” They’re thinking outside the box about what else they can change and how they can improve. They really care about the company and the customers. I think this is very important because when people care about what they’re doing, the company succeeds.

Q. Why do you think others should consider a career in cybersecurity?

This is a really exciting and challenging industry — also, you will learn a lot. As a software engineer, my technological skills have improved dramatically since coming here. That’s because I get to work with the newest technologies and the best people in the industry. I think that has made me a lot better as a professional. At the same time, I also learned how to work in the correct way as part of a team full of talented people. I feel like I have the tech skills and the people skills to accomplish what we set out to do.