Eric Smith
FireOak’s Chief Technologist & Information Security Officer
Meet Eric
Eric Smith is FireOak’s Chief Technologist and Information Security Officer, where he provides technical oversight for client projects and internal initiatives. With over twenty years of experience in information security, cloud computing, systems administration, and network engineering, Eric brings a wealth of strategic, tactical, and technical expertise to FireOak and our clients.
Since joining FireOak Strategies, Eric has launched the FireOak Tech Lab, where he can likely be found with a soldering iron in his hand, fine-tuning one of our 3D printers, or making parts for a FireOak Acorn on the laser cutter.
Eric serves as the technical lead for our consulting engagements. In this capacity, he is often traveling to client sites to meet with staff, examine a client’s technical infrastructure, or conduct a cybersecurity assessment.
Prior to becoming FireOak’s Chief Technologist, Eric Smith served in various roles in information technology in higher education, most recently as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Franklin & Marshall College, Susquehanna University, and Bucknell University. Eric began his career as a network engineer in the private sector.
In his spare time, Eric is likely spending time rearing queens for his honeybee colonies and working on developing technical solutions to beekeeping-related challenges. Eric is a certified Master Beekeeper.
Certifications, Awards, and Memberships
Industry Certifications
Eric Smith holds a number of industry certifications including:
- (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) Solutions Architect
- RedHat Linux Certified Engineer (RHCE)
- Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
- Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
- Salesforce Administrator & Platform Developer
Defcon Black Badge
Eric also holds a Defcon Black Badge, awarded for winning the wireless security competition at the world’s largest and longest-operating information security conference.
InfraGard Member
Eric is a member of InfraGard, a public-private partnership with the FBI, a community of practice for individuals working in security-related areas, designed to encourage knowledge sharing and exchange to promote the security of the U.S. critical infrastructure.
Master Beekeeper
Eric has been a Master Beekeeper, certified by the Eastern Apiculture Society (EAS), since 2012.
Research, Writing, and Presentations
Eric’s current research focuses on designing systems to enhance the findability and discoverability of knowledge while protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data assets. He has written several articles and presented at various national and regional security-focused events.
Selected recent presentations & panel discussions
- “Issues Surrounding Security, Privacy, and Ethics in Enterprise Search,” a panel at KMWorld
- “Spotlight on Solutions” at the Office 365 Symposium
- “Technologies of Privacy and Analysis,” a session at the CGIAR Big Data in Agriculture Convention
- “Security Presentations that Keep Your Campus Awake at Night,” a presentation at the Coalition of Liberal Arts Colleges (CLAC) Annual Meeting
- “Bring Your Own Cloud,” a presentation at the Educause Security Conference
Recent Articles and Blog Posts
- “Scan This or Scan Me? User Privacy & Barcode-Scanning Applications,” a guest blog post on Freedom to Tinker
- “The Security Dilemma: Desktop Access to ERP System,” published in Educause Review
- “iPhone Applications & Privacy Issues: An Analysis of Application Transmission of iPhone Unique Device Identifiers,” a white paper that was highlighted in Ars Technica, Engadget, Slashdot, and other international tech news venues
From the FireOak Blog
News and insights from the FireOak team about managing, securing, and sharing knowledge
FireOak’s Recommended Bitwarden Settings
Bitwarden is a great password management tool. Following are FireOak’s recommended Bitwarden settings, all of which we strongly recommend enabling for enterprise accounts. If possible, configure these organizational policies and settings before deploying for users.
It’s Time to Retire Your File Servers
While on-premises file servers (i.e., the S:\ drive) may have been the go-to solution in the past for collaboration, they pose several knowledge management and cybersecurity challenges – as well other operational issues – for organizations. It’s time to retire file servers in favor of more modern technologies.
SharePoint Online Analytics
Want to understand how your SharePoint Online (SPO) site is performing? Take a look at these analytics, all of which are part of SharePoint’s native capabilities.