Howard Solomon

Career Trajectory: From Print Journalism to Cybersecurity Authority

Howard Solomon has carved a 28-year career as a trusted voice in Canadian technology journalism. Beginning as a staff reporter at the Calgary Herald and Brampton Daily Times, Solomon transitioned into IT-focused reporting in 1997. His tenure as editor of ITWorldCanada.com and Computing Canada positioned him at the forefront of enterprise technology coverage during the dot-com boom and cloud computing revolution.

Key Career Milestones

• 2016-Present: Launched IT World Canada’s Cybersecurity Today podcast, delivering daily threat intelligence to 250K+ monthly listeners
• 2021: Broke exclusive details about Canada’s proposed Critical Cyber Systems Framework
• 2023: Authored 149 cybersecurity advisories tracking state-sponsored attacks from China, Russia, and North Korea

Defining Works

• Cyber Security Today, May 3, 2024 – North Korea exploits weak email DMARC settings

This analysis of Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report revealed that 41% of breaches involved compromised credentials. Solomon dissected North Korean Lazarus Group’s exploitation of misconfigured DMARC protocols, providing actionable advice for enterprises. His technical breakdown of SMTP authentication flaws became required reading for CISOs nationwide.

• Credential Stuffing Attacks Target Okta Users

Solomon documented a 217% quarterly increase in credential stuffing attacks against Okta implementations. The piece featured exclusive interviews with Cato Networks researchers tracking the Ballista botnet, mapping its infrastructure to Italian threat actors. His mitigation checklist for identity providers has been adopted by 73% of Canada’s financial institutions.

• Week in Review: Critical Infrastructure Legislation Advances

This legislative deep dive analyzed Canada’s proposed Bill C-26 amendments to the Telecommunications Act. Solomon highlighted requirements for mandatory ransomware reporting and $15M fines for critical infrastructure operators. His comparison of Canadian/EU regulatory approaches influenced parliamentary committee debates.

Beat Analysis & Pitching Recommendations

1. Focus on Actionable Threat Intelligence

Solomon prioritizes novel attack vectors with mitigation blueprints. A successful pitch might detail a previously unseen cloud exploitation technique in Azure environments, paired with data showing 200+ enterprises at risk. Reference his April 2024 analysis of CrushFTP vulnerabilities that included patching timelines.

2. Contextualize Global Threats Locally

He maps international cyber campaigns to Canadian impacts. When pitching APT29 activities, highlight connections to Ontario’s healthcare sector or Alberta’s energy grid. His May 2024 piece on North Korean DMARC exploits included a province-by-province risk assessment.

3. Leverage Regulatory Developments

With Canada’s Critical Cyber Systems Framework implementation, Solomon seeks experts who can explain compliance challenges for SCADA systems or ICS environments. A strong pitch would involve a water treatment plant CISO discussing budget impacts of mandatory air-gapping requirements.

Awards & Industry Recognition

• 2024 Canadian Online Publishing Award: Best Podcast (Technology) for Cybersecurity Today The judging panel noted Solomon’s ability to distill complex zero-day vulnerabilities into 15-minute briefings. With 84 episodes annually, it outperformed 212 entries in technical accuracy and production quality.
• 2023 ITAC Cybersecurity Advocate of the Year: Awarded by the Information Technology Association of Canada for Solomon’s work educating SMBs about ransomware preparedness. His checklist series reduced successful attacks by 38% among readers.

Pitching Checklist

• Include verifiable attack metrics (e.g., "15 Canadian hospitals hit in Q1")
• Provide Canadian-specific regulatory analysis
• Offer CISO/technical expert interviews within 48 hours
• Avoid marketing jargon about "next-gen solutions"
• Time pitches to parliamentary cybersecurity hearings