Daniel Ho’s interest in cyber-security started when he was a teenager. As smart televisions and internet banking systems became mainstream, the Victoria School alumnus began to wonder about the security measures behind these technological devices. There and then, Daniel knew that he wanted a career related to cyber security.

It was no surprise that the Diploma in Infocomm Security Management (DISM) course offered by Singapore Polytechnic (SP) was Daniel’s first choice after getting his G.C.E. ‘O’ Level results. He was particularly interested in SP’s Cyber Wargame Centre, a simulated-practice learning environment where students learn to defend against cyber-attacks and delve into the world of forensics investigation.

During his first year at SP, Daniel was an introverted student who was hesitant to approach his peers. However, that changed during a two-week overseas community service trip to Nepal where he experienced the kindness and empathy exhibited by the locals in helping him to settle in. The unique exposure to a foreign culture brought him out of his shell and sparked his desire to serve the community.

Building on this resolve, Daniel initiated a student mentorship programme to help new DISM students settle into their polytechnic life. A community where seniors and juniors can seek support and share relevant knowledge was thus created. To gain first-hand knowledge of the infocomm industry, Daniel also served as President of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association Student Chapter, where he took charge of organising networking events with industry professionals as well as workshops.

Daniel was also a student leader of SP ACERs where he helped to promote SP to the secondary schools at outreach events. Despite his busy schedule, the determined student still managed to excel in his course.

A recipient of the DSO Diploma Scholarship, Daniel completed a six-month internship as a defence researcher at the DSO National Laboratories. During his internship, he had the unique opportunity to be involved in research projects related to network forensics and malware detection software. For his final-year project, Daniel and his team members worked with the DSO National Laboratories to develop an application that could scan and remove viruses from PDF files. His project was subsequently showcased at the national GovernmentWare conference and exhibition in 2015.

Daniel will pursue a degree in Information Security at the National University of Singapore after serving his national service. He has already been awarded the Public Service Commission Scholarship and wants to be involved in Singapore’s journey towards becoming a Smart Nation. With the rise of security issues world-wide, we certainly look forward to Daniel making a difference in keeping the cyber world safe!