Cyber Threat Intelligence Podcast Season 1 - Episode 11 (Pedro Kertzman & Ondra Rojčík)
From nuclear weapons research to reshaping Europe's stance on Chinese technology in critical infrastructure, Andra Rojčík's journey into cyber threat intelligence defies conventional career paths. As a principal CTI analyst who teaches intelligence analysis tradecraft, Andra brings unique perspectives from his experience at NATO, the Czech Intelligence Agency, and now Red Hat.
During his time leading the Strategic Cyber Threat Intelligence function at the Czech National Cybersecurity Agency, Andra's team produced analysis on Huawei that transformed the European narrative around technology sovereignty. "Technology is actually a pretty political issue," Andra explains, challenging the previously accepted notion that technology remains neutral regardless of origin.
The conversation explores fascinating contrasts between government and private sector intelligence work. While government analysts often face unpredictable demands from high-level officials who understand intelligence terminology, private sector CTI requires translating insights into actionable steps for stakeholders who may rarely encounter intelligence products. This demands CTI professionals go beyond assessments to help operationalize findings into concrete security controls.
Andra breaks down the discipline into three essential components that every analyst must develop: Cyber (information security concepts), Threat (adversary operations), and Intelligence (analytical principles). Many technically-skilled professionals overlook the intelligence tradecraft element, which Andra addresses through workshops helping analysts avoid "admiring problems" and instead deliver actionable intelligence. For those looking to develop their skills, he recommends resources like "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman and "Critical Thinking for Strategic Intelligence" by Katherine Hibbs Pherson and Randolph H. Pherson.
Whether you're contemplating a career pivot into cyber threat intelligence or seeking to strengthen your analytical capabilities, this episode offers valuable insights from someone who has successfully navigated both government and corporate intelligence landscapes. Connect with us on LinkedIn to share your thoughts or suggest future guests for the Cyber Threat Intelligence Podcast.
References:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/orojcik/
https://medium.com/@orojcik
Books:
Daniel Kahneman: Thinking Fast and Slow
Katherine and Randolph Pherson: Critical Thinking for Strategic Intelligence
Cole Nussebaumer Knaflic: Storytelling With Data
CTI Intro books:
Thomas Roccia: Visual Threat Intelligence
Rebekah Brown and Scott Roberts: Intelligence-Driven Incident Response
Thanks for tuning in! If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review. Got thoughts or questions? Connect with us on our LinkedIn Group: Cyber Threat Intelligence Podcast—we’d love to hear from you. If you know anyone with CTI expertise that would like to be interviewed in the show, just let us know. Until next time, stay sharp and stay secure!