Muzaffer Satiroglu (Cyber Security)

Muzaffer Satiroglu graduated in 2020 and was one of the first graduates of Cyber Security at the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg.

Hello Muzaffer, what fascinates you about Cyber Security and why did you start your studies at the BTU?
In the last 30 years, we observe a transition from mechanical to a digital world. We enjoy the benefits of digitalization. However, every comfort comes with a prize. Almost every single day, we witness the occurrence of new types of cyber attacks that endanger our online security and privacy. I consider the area of cybersecurity as a growing and less regulated field. I decided to be part of the community that shapes the future. While I was searching for the possible master programs, I realized the BTU, and after I checked the content of the program, I immediately decided that it is the one that I am searching for.

What was your previous IT-background and was it difficult to get by in your studies?
I have a bachelor's degree in system engineering. After my bachelor's, I have specialized in IT system administration and system room management. After 2015, I changed the course of my professional life to the direction of IT security. Although I have several years of practical experience, I wanted to support my knowledge with a master's degree. I can not claim that the study program offered by BTU is grueling. However, it was not full of fun too. All in all, at the end of the study, I felt that I gained crucial capabilities that are required to get a good job position.

What is your tip for prospective students of Cyber Security?
My first recommendation to the prospective students of the CS is they should expect some theoretical challenges during their study in BTU. More clearly, there will be some lectures that are related to abstract mathematic and cryptography. My second advice is they should better to specialize at least in one programming language. This is because there will be a considerable amount of programming tasks throughout the lectures and practical projects that are related to security. My last tip is they should not underestimate the effort required to complete the master's thesis. I can clearly say that the thesis was the most challenging part of my study.

How was your experience living in Cottbus?
Cottbus is a mid-sized city. There exist shopping opportunities and theaters around the central campus. The best thing about the city is the rents are low, compared to big cities. It is also not far away from Berlin. Students can travel to Berlin and Dresden with their student ID cards for free.

After your graduation, what were your experiences regarding the job searching process?
I can clearly say that the possibilities are almost limitless for CS graduates. There are vacancies in nearly every sector, from banking to automotive. From my own job application experiences, I observe that the employers are most of the time satisfied with the content that is covered during the program.

What are you doing in your current job at at RWE Power AG?
Currently, I evaluate vulnerabilities that are collected through different sources, make risk assessments and deploy mitigation measures to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. Apart from that, with my team, I evaluate the security compliance of networks and IT systems. Literally, we develop and propose a secure way of doing things. Additionally, we develop workflows and road maps to describe a secure and structured way of doing daily operations. Finally, training of colleagues and increase awareness against existing cyber threats is an important part of my job.

What do you remember the most of your time studying at BTU?
Firstly, the relationship between the professors and the students were always friendly. This is one thing that I will always remember as a positive aspect of studying in the BTU. Secondly, the library in the central campus is fascinating. It provides a comfortable and quiet working environment, especially out of the exam periods.