Atsunori Hattori
Alumni Spotlight.
Meet Atsunori Hattori, candidate for the MS Computer Information Systems degree with a concentration in Security, Computer Networks, and IT Project Management. He is a Cybersecurity Analyst Intern at Technical Consulting and Research, Inc. and holds a BS Computer Science from University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
Please tell us about yourself.
My name is Atsunori Hattori, originally from Japan. I am a former kickboxer in the K-1 league, currently practicing Taekwondo. I am also a hiker for 4000m class mountains as a landscape photographer, a rescue scuba diver, a motorcyclist, a backpacker, and a dog lover.
What is your undergraduate background and your current program of study?
I acquired a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. I am currently taking a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems with triple concentrations (Cybersecurity, Computer Networking, and IT Project Management) at Boston University.
What compelled you to return to school and pursue a graduate education?
I was originally obsessed with cybersecurity when I was an undergrad. In my undergrad program, I programmed an anti-virus application and an actual virus, and I planned to present it to one of the professors before the development of computer viruses was regulated. However, my presentation and programs were considered non-academic contents and were permanently banned. Since then, I have shifted my career towards to a middleware developer/project manager. In recent years, IT engineers are more aware of the necessity of preventive measures of cybersecurity threats. Thus, I thought it was the best timing to step into the cybersecurity field.
Why did you choose MET for your graduate studies? What set MET apart from other programs you were considering?
I applied to 10 graduate schools and was accepted into all of them. I chose Boston University’s Metropolitan College because it was one of schools that first started a cybersecurity program online.
While studying at MET, I had an opportunity to take some courses at another school and transfer one course to BU. It was a very interesting experience to study at other schools simultaneously. When considering my entire journey in various academic institutions, I am still fully satisfied with Boston University Metropolitan College.
What company are you interning for? How did you connect to it, and what is your role?
I am interning for a consulting company called Technical Consulting and Research, Inc., as a cybersecurity analyst. It is a research position and I am responsible for analyzing the utilization of mobile devices at various corporations and ensuring a compliance with NIST standards as well as CUI handling.
I found the internship position myself. Because I didn’t have a strong cybersecurity background, I was looking for an opportunity to gain some experience last year.
Have you been able to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to your internship?
Yes. My primary learning objective in this semester is mobile security. I have been taking a mobile security class simultaneously with my internship program, and the same professor, Dr. Yuting Zhang, leads both. That made it like a small joint program for me. I am fully enjoying it.
What specific concepts or skills from mobile security (or any other class) are you able to apply in your internship? How do you apply these concepts?
The following courses were very helpful in accomplishing my internship project:
IT Security Policies and Procedures (MET CS 684) provided a baselines of security policies and procedures, risk assessment/analysis, BCP, and DR Plan. Enterprise Cyber Security (MET CS 695) introduced infrastructural enterprise security models and security domain concepts. Network Security (MET CS 690) offered technical knowledge about network security and encryptions. Mobile Forensics and Security (MET CS 694) covered the basic structures of various mobile phones, concepts of mobile security, and basic knowledge of Mobile Device Management systems.
What new skills have you learned since beginning your internship?
Technical details of various smartphones, the feasibility of Mobile Device Management systems, and up-to-date industrial standards such as NIST standards, EU GDPR, and CUI.
How does this internship relate to your long-term career goals?
My primary concentration is Cybersecurity. As a long-term goal, I plan to start-up my own business at some point. The cybersecurity field requires all-round knowledge of IT. The internship helps me to learn cutting-edge products and to brush up my work ethic from a few years’ break in full-time employment.
Do you have any advice for students who are looking for internships?
The internship is definitely worth it. Since actual work requires a different mindset from academia, it helps you to find jobs easier when you have finished your program.
What are your plans after you graduate?
With the internship experience and triple concentrations, I have been getting job offers not only from recruiters but also from HR managers at major IT companies directly. After I graduate, I am planning to work as a freelancer for a few months while studying for Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP®) and Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification exams, and then apply for a job while working on a start-up plan with my attorney.