Arthur Press got his Information Technology start when his father bought him a ZX80 Sinclair. The $200 computer sported 1k of memory and a 3.2 Mhz processor! Despite its limitations, Arthur was immediately hooked and has been involved with computers ever since. In 1999 he graduated from Cal Lutheran University with an MBA in Information Technology. In 2008 he became a Volunteer Deputy with the Ventura County Sheriff’s department. Being exposed to both law enforcement and IT Security gave Arthur a deep appreciation for those that protect and defend our lives and our computer systems. In 2010 he was awarded “Officer of the Year” by his peers.
Arthur’s interested in IT Security came when he learned about the 2013 Target credit card hack. It fascinated him that unknown hackers broke into a 3rd party HVAC company and used that to pivot into Target’s credit card POS systems. From there Arthur became intensely interested in IT Security. In early 2015 he joined the local Ventura County chapter of the ISSA (Information Systems Security Association) as their Vice President. In 2017 Arthur studied hard and passed the CISSP exam. He also started teaching IT Security at Cal Lutheran University as an adjunct professor. Late in 2017 Arthur was promoted to President of the Ventura County ISSA and continues leading it to this day.
He is the Cyber Security Manager for Semtech. His team oversees IT security of Semtech’s worldwide operations.
Arthur conducts many all day, “hands on the keyboard,” training sessions for the Ventura County ISSA. Recent sessions include, “How to break into WiFi” and “How to build your own Pen Testing Network.” His hobbies include photography and swimming.