Nick Mitropoulos

Nick’s career reads like a blueprint for modern cyber defense. At BlueVoyant, he directed SOC operations serving clients across multiple continents. At Alvarez & Marsal, he led global SOC and security engineering teams, strengthening detection pipelines for enterprise-scale environments. As Senior Director of Incident Response at Ankura, he guided enterprises through high-stakes breaches. Earlier in his career, he advanced threat detection and intelligence at S-RM, ASOS, Deloitte, KPMG, JPMorgan Chase, AT&T, and F5. Each of these chapters informs the labs in SEC555, where students recreate adversary log chains, tune detections, and practice workflows tested in real-world conditions.

Nick earned a Master of Science, with distinction, in Advanced Security and Digital Forensics from Edinburgh Napier University, and a Bachelor of Science, with distinction and top departmental honors, in Computer Science and Telecommunications from the University of Thessaly. His credentials include advanced GIAC certifications, as well as CISSP, CISM, and CCSP, alongside additional certifications spanning cloud, penetration testing, and forensics. He is a member of the GIAC Advisory Board, contributes to the SANS CISO Network, and has been recognized in the United Nations Hall of Fame. Nick is also a faculty member of the SANS Technology Institute, an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and multi-year winner of the National Cyber League competition.

In the classroom, Nick is praised for his energy, clarity, and ability to turn complex detection concepts into practical skills. Students describe him as “approachable, engaging, and highly practical,” also noting, “he kept a ton of energy and engagement throughout the week.” By the end of SEC555, learners leave able to craft detections that catch adversary behaviors early, to automate workflows to reduce analyst fatigue, and to validate analytics against simulated attack chains. Beyond the classroom, Nick shares insights through conference talks and SANS webcasts, extending his mentorship to the broader security community. He often likens adversary detection to chess: success comes not from reacting, but from anticipating moves, recognizing subtle patterns, and shaping the game itself.

Qualification Summary

• CEO, Scarlet Dragonfly
• Lead Instructor & Course Author, SEC555: Detection Engineering and SIEM Analytics
• Faculty Member, SANS Technology Institute
• MSc (with distinction) in Advanced Security & Digital Forensics, Edinburgh Napier University
• BSc (with distinction) in Computer Science & Telecommunications, University of Thessaly
• GIAC Certifications: GSEC, GISF), GCIH), GPEN), GWAPT), GBFA), GCLD)
• Other Certifications: CISSP, CISM, CCSP, SSCP, CISMP, CEH, Security+, CYSA+, CASP+, Cisco CCNA/CCDA/CCNA Security/CyberOps, CMFF, CBE, CPIA, CertNexus CFR, ITIL, Splunk Certified User, ZCCA-IA, ZCCA-PA, Qualys (multiple accreditations)
• Former Regional Head of Security Operations, BlueVoyant
• Former Head of Security Operations & Security Engineering, Alvarez & Marsal
• Former Senior Director of Incident Response, Ankura
• Former Global SOC Manager, ITC Secure
• GIAC Advisory Board Member
• SANS CISO Network
• United Nations ICT Security Hall of Fame