I am Niels Maes — a cybersecurity specialist who believes the best defense starts with thinking like an attacker.

Currently in my third year of cybersecurity studies, with hands-on experience as a security engineer at AZ Sint-Jan hospital in Bruges. I focus on the defensive side of security — monitoring systems, detecting threats, and keeping incidents under control.

My interest lies in SOC operations and the legal side of cybersecurity — from compliance frameworks to the regulations that shape how organisations handle security. I am actively building my portfolio and looking for my first professional step in defensive security.

My name is Niels Maes, a 21-year-old Cybersecurity student at Howest Brugge. From an early age, I was fascinated by computers and technology. A passion I undoubtedly inherited from my father, a software engineer. That early curiosity evolved into a genuine calling within the world of information security. My main areas of interest include security engineering, SecOps, and privacy & compliance. I believe that good cybersecurity is not just about technical solutions, but also about understanding processes, regulations, and the people behind the systems. I gained hands-on experience as an ICT staff member and later as a Security Engineer Intern at AZ Sint-Jan Brugge, where I worked alongside the SecOps team and independently developed security solutions. That combination of theory and practice gives me a solid foundation to build on. Outside of my studies, I enjoy following the competitive Counter-Strike scene and I'm still just as passionate about everything computer-related as I was when I was young.