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Draft:Nathan Sportsman

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Nathan Sportsman

Founder and CEO of Praetorian[1]

'Nathan Sportsman is an American entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Praetorian[2]', a cybersecurity company focused on providing advanced security solutions for businesses and organizations. Sportsman is known for his leadership in the field of cybersecurity, having built Praetorian into a leading firm in the security consulting and penetration testing industry.

Early Life and Education

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Nathan Sportsman was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, and grew up with an early interest in computers. While attending Richard King High School, his first job was at Whataburger, where he saved up to buy his first computer instead of a car. He attended The University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2004. Prior to founding Praetorian, Sportsman worked in various technical roles at industry-leading companies such as Sun Microsystems, Symantec, and McAfee.

Career

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Founding Praetorian

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In 2010, Sportsman founded Praetorian,[3] with the vision of providing high-quality, trusted security solutions to enterprises. The company quickly gained recognition in the cybersecurity industry for its focus on advanced offensive security, penetration testing, and managed services. Under his leadership, Praetorian has successfully instilled a "customer first" mentality that has become part of the DNA of the company, which has led to unprecedented customer satisfaction reviews as reflected in a historical net promoter score of 92%.

Sportsman's work has had a significant impact on the cybersecurity sector. His expertise in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities has made him a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and events. He has been featured in several prominent cybersecurity publications and is known for advocating for more comprehensive security strategies in the face of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.[4][5][6][7][8]

Investment

In 2020, Sportsman took his first and only round of funding from worldwide management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company and Bill Wood, one of the most experienced venture capitalist in Texas.[9][10] Praetorian is only the seventh company to ever receive funding from McKinsey.

U.S. Patents

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Sportsman holds two U.S. Patents:

  1. Method and system for validating a vulnerability submitted by a tester in a crowdsourcing environment[11]

2. Method and apparatus for identifying a drift in a quantized signal in a computer system[12]

Adjunct Professor

In August 2015, Sportsman taught CS 378[13] Ethical Hacking at the University of Texas at Austin.

"Hacking Exposed" Book Series

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Sportsman was a contributing author for Hacking Exposed 6[14] and 7.[15] His expertise, particularly in identifying and mitigating complex security threats, has helped shape the depth and accuracy of the information presented in these volumes. The Hacking Exposed series continues to serve as a vital resource for those looking to understand and defend against cybersecurity threats, with contributions from leaders in the field like Sportsman adding significant value to its reputation and effectiveness.

Where Warlocks Stay Up Late Podcast

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In June 2024, Sportsman launched the "Where Warlocks Stay Up Late[16]" podcast, an interview series dedicated to documenting the history of cybersecurity.[17] Inspired by the seminal book "Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet[18]", this interview series aims to capture the stories, insights, and legacies of the pioneering figures who shaped the field of cybersecurity from its inception to the present day.

Praetorian's Achievements

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Under Sportsman's leadership, the company has earned national recognition on the Inc. 5000 list 8 times in a row, the Inc. Best Work Places,[19][20] the Cybersecurity 500, CIO Top 20, and locally on Austin's "Fastest 50" growing firms.

Personal Life

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Nathan Sportsman is known for his commitment to personal growth and professional development. He often speaks about the importance of continual learning, both in technology and leadership. He resides in Austin, Texas, with his wife and daughter.

References

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  1. "[Meet Praetorian, A Profitable Austin-Based Startup That Just Raised A $10M Series A]" - [crunchbase.com], [February 13, 2020].
  2. "[Apple issues fix for security risk]" - [money.cnn.com], [February 23, 2014].
  3. "[Charlie Sheen Is Infecting PCs Everywhere, Experts Warn]" - [foxnews.com], [March 4, 2011].
  4. "[Weak Security In Most Mobile Banking Apps]" - [darkreading.com], [December 12, 2013].
  5. "[Original Fix for Log4j Flaw Fails to Fully Protect Against DoS Attacks, Data Theft]" - [darkreading.com], [December 15, 2021].
  6. "[Cybersecurity's dual mission during the coronavirus crisis]" - [mckinsey.com], [March 25, 2020].
  7. "[McKinsey invests in cybersecurity company Praetorian]" - [Consulting.us], [February 28, 2020].
  8. "[Praetorian Closes $10M Series A to Help Enterprises Navigate Future Cybersecurity Risks]" - [darkreading.com], [February 18, 2020].
  9. "[United States Patent]" - [ppubs.uspto.gov], [May 14, 2019].
  10. "[United States Patent]" - [ppubs.uspto.gov, [October 28, 2008].
  11. "[Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets and Solutions, Sixth Edition]" - [Amazon.com], [January 5, 2009].
  12. "[Hacking Exposed 7: Network Security Secrets and Solutions]" - [Amazon.com], [August 1, 2012].
  13. [Terry Sweeney], "[Black Hat 2024: Praetorian CEO Teases 'Warlock' Series on Cyber Pioneers]" – [Dark Reading], [August 14, 2024].
  14. "[Making Craters: The Cybersecurity Company on a Mission to Leave a Mark]" - [Inc.com], [August 22, 2022].
  15. "[Inc. Company Profile]" - [Inc.com], [2024].
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  • Praetorian Official Website: link]
  • Nathan Sportsman's LinkedIn: [link
  1. ^ https://www.praetorian.com/
  2. ^ https://praetorian.com/
  3. ^ Azevedo, Mary Ann (February 13, 2020). "Meet Praetorian, A Profitable Austin-Based Startup That Just Raised A $10M Series A". Crunchbase.
  4. ^ Wallace, Gregory (February 23, 2014). "Apple issues fix for security risk". Money.cnn.com. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  5. ^ Grush, Loren (March 4, 2011). "Charlie Sheen Is Infecting PCs Everywhere, Experts Warn". Fox News.
  6. ^ Higgins, Kelly Jackson (December 12, 2013). "Weak Security In Most Mobile Banking Apps". Dark Reading.
  7. ^ Vijayan, Jai (December 15, 2021). "Original Fix for Log4j Flaw Fails to Fully Protect Against DoS Attacks, Data Theft". Dark Reading.
  8. ^ Boehm, Jim; Kaplan, James; Sportsman, Nathan (March 25, 2020). "Cybersecurity's dual mission during the coronavirus crisis". McKinsey.
  9. ^ "McKinsey invests in cybersecurity company Praetorian". www.consulting.us. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  10. ^ https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/praetorian-closes-10m-series-a-to-help-enterprises-navigate-future-cybersecurity-risks
  11. ^ "United States Patent Publication". ppubs.uspto.gov. May 14, 2019.
  12. ^ "United States Patent". United States Patent Publication. October 28, 2008.
  13. ^ https://www.cs.utexas.edu/courses/378-ethical-hacking
  14. ^ "Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets and Solutions, Sixth Edition". Amazon. January 5, 2009.
  15. ^ "Hacking Exposed 7: Network Security Secrets and Solutions". Amazon. August 1, 2012.
  16. ^ https://https//wherewarlocksstayuplate.com/
  17. ^ "Black Hat 2024: Praetorian CEO Teases 'Warlock' Series on Cyber Pioneers". www.darkreading.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  18. ^ https://https//www.amazon.com/Where-Wizards-Stay-Up-Late/dp/0684832674
  19. ^ "INC-CUSTOM-STUDIO". Inc. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  20. ^ "Best Workplaces 2024". Inc. 2024.
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