Josh Darby MacLellan

Certified Instructor CandidateStaff Threat Intelligence Advisor at Feedly

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Josh Darby MacLellan

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About Josh Darby MacLellan

Josh has spent approximately a decade in private-sector threat intelligence and has worked in multiple intelligence disciplines. He began his career as a geopolitical risk analyst in the Canadian financial sector, before pivoting into CTI, where he worked in both dedicated CTI teams and a fusion centre. Josh also had roles focused on strategic cyber threat intelligence and protective intelligence, including a period providing tactical intelligence during Russia's invasion of Ukraine to support decisions about the safety of employees on the ground. This cross-disciplinary background has given him an appreciation for how the different disciplines of intelligence reinforce one another.

At the heart of Josh's teaching philosophy is a commitment to clarity and impact over complexity. "If I cannot break something in CTI down and explain it to my mum, who is a retired architect, then I truly do not understand it," he says. His approach is to strip away pretension, keep things simple, and anchor teaching firmly to what will drive the most value for practitioners.

Josh is a firm believer in paying it forward. He vividly remembers the people who helped him first get a foothold in the threat intelligence field and then pivot into CTI, and he has made it a mission to pay forward that support many times over. Part of this mission has involved contributing via industry associations: he’s held leadership roles in (ISC)2 Toronto Chapter, ASIS International, and TIER (Threat Intelligence Exchange Roundtable), where he founded and ran a mentorship program for intelligence analysts. Josh also speaks at conferences, including the SANS CTI Summit and the FIRST CTI Conference, writes articles, hosts and participates in webinars (e.g., see CTI Sessions), and leads the TI Essentials site, a free resource hub for CTI practitioners.

Josh has a B.A. in International Relations and two master's degrees focused on security and conflict. He holds the CISSP and CCSP certifications from (ISC)2 and the Associate Protection Professional (APP) certification from ASIS International. He has received multiple industry awards including Cybersecurity's 40 Under 40 by Top Cyber News Magazine and the Emerging Leader Award by Canadian Security Magazine.

Qualifications Summary

SANS co-author and instructor in development for FOR478: Cyber Threat Intelligence Foundations
B.A. in International Relations and two master's degrees focused on security and conflict
Experience across cyber threat intelligence, geopolitical risk, and protective intelligence
Former director and board member in (ISC)2 Toronto Chapter, ASIS International, and TIER (Threat Intelligence Exchange Roundtable)
CISSP and CCSP certified by (ISC)2; APP certified by ASIS International
Speaker at conferences, including SANS CTI Summit and FIRST CTI Conference
Recipient of Cybersecurity's 40 Under 40 (Top Cyber News Magazine), Emerging Leader Award (Canadian Security Magazine), One to Watch Award (IFSEC Global), and the Young Professionals GSX Experience Award (ASIS International)