Eric Capuano injects his passion for forensics into every facet of his life. "There is nothing dull or boring about studying advanced adversarial tactics in an effort to become a highly effective defender," he says, comparing this work to a never-ending game of chess where the impacts are real, the stakes are high, and a passion for the game makes it worthwhile to play.
Eric's career in information security has centered around defending critical networks, often tied to national security or similarly important missions, starting as an information security tactics developer for the United States Air Force. Later, he specialized in intrusion detection signature development, and since departing active duty he has lead cybersecurity operations in both private and government entities.
Today, Eric serves as a Director at LimaCharlie, focusing on their SecOps Cloud Platform, and is a member of the IANS Faculty. He is also a founder and advisor at Recon Infosec, a Managed Detection & Response provider in Austin, Texas. Before establishing Recon, he managed the Security Operations Center for the Texas Department of Public Safety and created the agency's first Incident Response Team. Currently, Eric is an instructor for SANS FOR508: Advanced Incident Response, Threat Hunting, and Digital Forensics
"SANS has a hard-earned reputation for striving to provide the highest quality student experience of any cybersecurity training program," says Eric.
Eric previously served as a Cyber Warfare Operator in the Texas Air National Guard and led the team behind OpenSOC, a security operations-focused CTF. In his spare time, he builds free, hands-on labs for entry-level cybersecurity enthusiasts, which he shares on his blog.
Eric has extensive experience in building and leading Security Operations teams and handling high-profile intrusion investigations. His expertise in managing incident response teams and developing fast, scalable DFIR (Digital Forensics and Incident Response) processes equips him with practical skills.
Eric's passion for forensics resonates in the classroom, fostering a strong connection with students from diverse backgrounds. He employs various methods to ensure each student has an "aha" moment with the material, emphasizing the importance of meticulous attention to detail and uncompromised integrity in investigations. "My goal as an instructor," Eric explains, "is to teach not only the technical skills necessary for the job but also the core principles and processes essential for maintaining accuracy and fidelity in your investigations."
A mentor and teacher at heart, Eric's greatest career highlight is centered around his role as an instructor. "While I sincerely love the technical, hands-on aspect of the job, I feel my most significant accomplishment is the time spent working with analysts that I have had the distinctive honor to train over the years," he says. "By sharing my passion, knowledge,
and lessons learned, I hope that I have boosted their careers and helped them quickly identify the areas of this field that they will enjoy the most."
In one memorable situation, a young undergrad was participating in an incident response simulation that Eric was operating at a local security conference. "This young lady had no prior experience in this field but through sheer dedication and drive took first place over 42 other participants in the event," he says. "I found out a few weeks later that the employer of a few other participants in that challenge had offered her a job shortly after her accomplishment that day." Seeing the ripple effect of his efforts was an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience for Eric.
Eric is GCFE, GCFA, GCIH, CEH, Security+, Linux+, LPIC-1, PCNSE, and A+ certified. He is also a faculty member of the SANS Technology Institute, an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and multiple winner of the National Cyber League competition. Eric loves to spend time outdoors with his two adventurous and amazing children.
Eric does a fantastic job in helping those of us who were struggling a bit. Great confidence & presentation skills.
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Excellent coverage of topics presented, Eric was able to get into details of each topic.
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FOR508 has a lot of information in a short period of time, but Eric breaks it down so that it's easy to understand, and he provides real-world examples so it's relatable.
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Upcoming Training Courses
Here are upcoming opportunities to train with this expert instructor.
Intermediate - FOR508 - Digital Forensics and Incident Response, Artificial Intelligence
