“In the age of AI, the challenge is keeping the human factor at the center of cybersecurity”» Interview with Dan Tofan
- imworldro
- Nov 5
- 3 min read
We sat down with Dan Tofan, Global Head Cybersecurity Service Excellence Manager at Cegeka before his session at GoTech World.
With over 15 years of experience across leading private sector companies, EU institutions, national government agencies, and academia, Dan has led numerous teams and projects in diverse organizations. Let’s get to know him better and find out how he got started and what keeps him going in the ever-changing world of cybersecurity.
💡 It all started with a boy and a computer game…
Dan’s first contact with the IT world happened when he was in middle school, and he discovered the games on the ICE Felix HC-90. Later on, in high school, he dived into programming with Borland Pascal and C++.
But he wasn’t planning to study IT – he wanted to become a police officer. The turning point came when his parents secretly enrolled him in an IT faculty after he failed the Police Academy exams. “They said: This is your real passion anyway, so follow it.” Ironically his first job was in the IT department of the Police Force. Some call it destiny!
🏢 A start-up mindset can take you far.
Three years ago, when Dan joined Cegeka, the cybersecurity business line had just been set up, so he jumped at the chance to shape and grow an entire business unit from the ground up. “I wanted to be part of a company that truly values both people and technology. I found here a culture of close collaboration, openness, and continuous learning.”
When thinking back to the beginning, Dan tells us that the Security Business Line is more of a start-up within Cegeka. At first, the focus was on the building blocks needed to support growth: processes, tools, and teams. Dan has never been afraid to roll up his sleeves and get the job done: “I’ve worked on everything from creating security reporting tools to developing frameworks for service excellence across our global operations.”
🛡️ In May this year, Dan has become the president of the Romanian chapter of ISC2, the world's leading member association for cybersecurity professionals.
“Cybersecurity has been my passion for over 15 years – so strong that even my hobbies revolve around it! Bringing ISC2 to Romania is a huge achievement, both personally but mostly for the local market.” The Romanian cybersecurity industry has reached a level of maturity where organizations like ISC2 are not just valuable – they’re essential. That’s why ISC2 is now focused on building the community and connecting professionals on a local level.
👨👩👧👦 When he doesn’t have cybersecurity on his mind…
Traveling, reading, watching movies, listening to music, and sports – Dan loves all of them. But these days, he devotes his time to the best activity he could ever ask for: his two kids.
📚 Words to live by
“People don’t always realize it, but many generic life lessons or concepts apply perfectly in IT. Divide et impera always works, as long as you apply it to tasks and projects, not people. What goes around, comes around is a concept that fits very well with Jira tickets.”
🧠 The challenges that lie ahead for cybersecurity professionals in the age of AI
“The most important skills have always been, and will remain non-technical ones: critical thinking, empathy, courage, resilience, and adaptability. Combine those with strong technical literacy, and you have the winning recipe. In the age of AI, the challenge will be keeping the human factor (judgment, ethics, and creativity) at the center of cybersecurity”.
🎓 Passion above all
Passion is the biggest driver for Dan, and all the other factors, like money, recognition or success are secondary. That’s what motivated him to obtain a PhD in Cybersecurity from the University of Economic Studies in Bucharest.
Dan describes this experience as a rare opportunity to dive deep into something you genuinely are enthusiastic about. “A PhD is passion applied in the most accurate manner. It’s one of the few times in life when someone tells you to do what you love and take the time to do it right.”
🎙️ Meet Dan on November 11 at GoTech World
Dan Tofan will be taking the Cybersecurity Stage at GoTech World this year. His session will take you inside the anatomy of the modern SOC: its architecture, playbooks, and human dynamics.
Join him for an exploration of the ways AI, automation, and orchestration are reshaping incident response. “One should never miss any topic about the future. We're at crossroads in the IT industry, largely driven by AI, so a lot will change in the next years in terms of security operations. My session with give you a glimpse into that, so don’t miss it!”
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