A white-hat hacker by the pseudonym k3r3n3, Keren Elazari was raised in Tel Aviv on the fledgling internet – later joining the intelligence arm of the Israel Defense Forces as a cybersecurity officer. Her Master’s in Security Studies and the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification she earned, positioned her as a bona fide expert in the field. This led to her 2014 TED talk on hacking which was well-received. She was the first Israeli woman to ever give a TED talk and she’s continued to share her perspectives with leading organisations like Wired, ASC and Scientific American.
Keren also contributed to a popular IT book, “Women In Tech: Take Your Career to the Next Level with Practical Advice and Inspiring Stories” and continues to work as a security consultant. Her organisation, BSides Tel Aviv works to educate and promote research into hacking & cybersecurity and this operates in tandem with a professional networking group she runs for women in cybersecurity. As a speaker, she’s confident and warm with a natural comfort on stage honed from years in the forces and within the corporate world. Audiences naturally connect with her love affair of future tech, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence; humbly launched by the 90s film “Hackers”.