IBM X-ForceRed
Vulnerability Management Services
Chief Architect
Senior Technical Staff Member
Lt-Colonel (Retired), Senior Cybersecurity Expert, and Cloud Architect
Johnny Shaieb has worked at IBM for over 20 years, where he is the Chief Architect of the X-Force Red Vulnerability Management practice. X-Force Red is an elite unit of offensive minded practitioners that span the disciplines of penetration testing, adversary simulation, and vulnerability management.
His journey in cyber security commenced in the summer of 1998 when he started his first job at WorldCom after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Oklahoma State University (OSU). WorldCom became his new Unix and networking playground that pushed him to learn more about the vast array of security topics. In the spring of 1999, he started a master’s degree at OSU in Telecommunications in which he learned both offensive and defensive security tactics utilizing the open systems interconnection (OSI) model. During his final semester he took an elective class called “Digital Cyber Warfare”. After reading his final project entitled “Unix Hacking”, the professor recommended that Johnny contact the University of Tulsa concerning their cyber security program. Four years later, he was able to earn his second master’s degree from the University of Tulsa in computer science, with emphasis in NSA CyberCorps security. Currently, Johnny is a PhD candidate at the University of Tulsa focusing in Cyber Security.
For the past 25 years, he continued to sharpen his security skillset throughout his career both academically and professionally. To maintain and advance his offensive skillset, Johnny has taught ethical hacking year around as an adjunct instructor in various institutions since 2011, which presently includes Houston Community College. During that time, he created a cyber security framework known as “Hac-King-Do” to provide free ethical hacker training.
Johnny is part of an offensive security unit within IBM, known as X-Force Red. As an ethical hacker, he performed engagements against Fortune 100 companies. Recognizing an adjacent service offering, he helped to patent a methodology to automate hacker research by prioritizing vulnerability scan results using weaponized intelligence. This innovation and other patents were the catalyst to help build IBM’s global vulnerability management practice. To support this growth, Johnny co-founded the X-Force Red Hacker internship, that serves as a pipeline to recruit winners of the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC) and Collegiate Penetration Testing Competition (CPTC).
Dr. Tian Lan is a professor at the Department of ECE George Washington University. He received PhD from Princeton University in 2010. His research focuses on machine learning and optimization, with applications to networking, security, and human-AI teaming. He received 6 best paper awards (e.g., IEEE INFOCOM, ACM MobiHoc, IEEE Signal Processing Society, IEEE VR) and 6 industry research awards (e.g., from CISCO, Meta, and AT&T). The research projects have been supported by various government agencies including NSF, ONR, DARPA, ARO, and USMA. He is currently serving as a member of Federal Communications Commission Technological Advisory Council (FCC TAC), a senior member of GW Competition Innovation Lab (GW CIL), an area TPC Chair for IEEE INFOCOM, an associate editor for IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking, and a fellow at National Quantum Lab at UMD (NQL).
Originally from the Bronx, New York, Rafael is a seasoned veteran in the security field, bringing over 15 years of extensive experience as a Network Security Architect. His career has been marked by a deep focus on the analysis of malicious traffic, the implementation and fine-tuning of intrusion detection systems, and the strategic deployment of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and log management systems. Rafael’s expertise has consistently ensured robust security postures for a variety of organizations, helping them to navigate and mitigate complex cybersecurity threats.
Rafael’s skill set is diverse and comprehensive, covering a wide range of critical security domains. He excels in Computer Network Defense (CND), where he has developed and executed comprehensive strategies to protect network infrastructure from a myriad of threats. His proficiency in vulnerability management ensures that potential security weaknesses are identified and addressed proactively, reducing the risk of exploitation.
In the realm of traffic analysis, Rafael’s keen analytical skills enable him to detect and interpret suspicious activities, providing actionable insights to fortify defenses. His incident response capabilities are honed through years of managing and resolving security breaches swiftly and effectively, minimizing damage and ensuring rapid recovery.
Rafael is also highly adept at intrusion detection, employing sophisticated techniques and tools to identify and neutralize threats before they can compromise systems. His extensive experience with SIEM deployment and analysis ensures that organizations can leverage these powerful tools to gain comprehensive visibility into their security landscape and respond to incidents with precision.
– Computer Network Defense (CND)
– Vulnerability Management
– Traffic Analysis
– Incident Response
– Intrusion Detection
– SIEM Architecture and Deployment/Analysis
With a strong foundation in network security and a proven track record of success, Rafael is dedicated to advancing the security posture of any organization he works with, safeguarding their critical assets and ensuring business continuity in an ever-evolving threat landscape.
With a distinguished career spanning over two decades, Farell Folly has established himself as a leading expert in cybersecurity, cloud architecture, and IT project management. His extensive experience in both military and civilian sectors showcases a unique blend of strategic leadership, technical expertise, and a deep commitment to enhancing security in diverse environments.
Farell began his journey with a solid educational foundation, earning a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering with a specialization in Telecommunications from the Royal Military Academy in Brussels. He further advanced his academic pursuits with ongoing Ph.D. studies at Bundeswehr University, Munich, focusing on IoT security and graph-theoretic approaches
to mitigate malware propagation.
His professional career is marked by notable positions and achievements. As a Senior Expert in Industrial Cybersecurity at TÜV SÜD Industry Service in Munich, Farell enriched the global service portfolio and developed comprehensive cybersecurity evaluation criteria and guidelines. His role involved supporting industrial clients, implementing pilot projects, and representing TÜV SÜD in national and international cybersecurity committees.
At the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Farell served as a Councillor, where he played a pivotal role in developing policies for Internationalized Domain Names, assessing the impacts of DNS policies on internet security, and mentoring the next generation of internet governance innovators.
Farell’s military career is equally impressive. As an Information Security Officer with the United Nations in Bamako, he developed and maintained secure IT systems for a mission involving 12,000 soldiers. His tenure with the United States Army (AFRICOM) in Stuttgart saw him planning and conducting critical communication interoperability tests and establishing secure networks across the African continent.
His earlier roles include Director of IT Projects and Telecoms Engineer at the Ministry of ICT in Cotonou, where he spearheaded major national ICT projects and ensured compliance with security standards for government entities. As a Communication and Information Systems Officer in Peutie (Belgium) and later Manager for the Benin Armed Forces HQ, Farell managed secure communication networks and developed the first intranet with a functional mail system.
Farell’s expertise is underscored by an array of certifications, including Google Cloud Architect, CISSP, and ISA/IEC 62443. He is also proficient in a wide range of security domains, from network and software security to disaster recovery and AI. Known for his leadership, strategic vision, and technical acumen, Farell Folly continues to drive innovation and excellence in cybersecurity and cloud solutions, ensuring robust and resilient infrastructures for the organizations he serves.
Distinctions and Awards:
