Overview

“Defender” is the best word to describe Edith Santos. She has never shied away from seeking justice on behalf of others—especially the most vulnerable among us. In fact, before becoming a defender of the cyber universe, she spent the better part of two decades in law enforcement, working undercover as a detective in money laundering, murder and child abuse cases, as well as becoming a hostage negotiator. Needing a change of pace, Edith accepted an invitation to join the Dallas Secret Service task force, where she received training in forensics and network intrusion. Following her successful battle with a brain tumor, Edith switched gears to the private sector, where she joined Bank of America. It was during her tenure with the bank that she became intrigued with cybersecurity. It wasn’t long after that Edith began her career with NTT where she is, once again, defending others – this time from cyberattacks.

Edith possesses a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise from her years in law enforcement supporting cybercrime investigations and incident response. She identifies areas of improvements and establishes action plans to ensure services are meeting the demands of NTT’s clients. She has been a cornerstone for incident response delivery, ensuring high-quality engagements using a client-centric approach. Additionally, Edith was a key influencer in pursuing NTT’s successful certifications with CREST and FIRST (the premier organization and recognized global leader in incident response).

Continually excelling in a male-dominated industry, Edith is an excellent example of why there’s a need for more women in cybersecurity – according to her supervisor, NTT global security Chief Technology Officer Kazu Yozawa, Edith’s unique perspective and thought process as a woman is one of the greatest assets she brings to investigations and problem solving.