No Result
View All Result
Military Families
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
 Military Families
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Military Families
No Result
View All Result

Cybersecurity professional leans on special ops skills

Shelley Levitt
by Shelley Levitt
November 23, 2020
Military 360 Military Families Magazine
ShareTweetEmailWhatsApp

As CEO and founder of 360 Privacy — a digital security company based in Franklin, Tennessee, Adam Jackson doesn’t leave anything to chance. His company scrubs hundreds of websites that sell personal data, making sure there’s not a trace of sensitive information left behind that could be used to exploit the athletes, entertainers, corporate executives and other high-net-worth individuals that make up his client base. He is diligent about protecting his clients from individuals looking to harm them or steal their identity or assets. Business is booming, with revenues tripling over just the last six months.

Jackson’s own story, however, is “convoluted and very winding.” The success his business has been seeing is a testament that a successful transition out of the military requires swift and savvy maneuvering. 

Jackson, who grew up in a small Indiana town, entered the Army thinking he’d do a three-year enlistment. He ended up staying 10 years, moving from infantryman to the 5th Special Forces Group. As a Green Beret he deployed to Jordan and Syria and was responsible for communications. When he left the Army in 2017, he planned to launch a business using biometric scanning software he’d develop to keep pedophiles and “other bad actors” out of schools. Jackson had started bringing the product to market when a clash with the Tennessee state licensing bureaucracy forced him to shut down. 

Next, he developed a version of the software for musicians on tour and went on the road with country singer Jason Aldean as head of tour security. Aldean had been onstage at a Las Vegas music festival on October 1, 2017, when a gunman began firing more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, leaving 60 people dead and hundreds injured. A few months into the tour, Jackson developed new software to protect people from cyberstalkers. 

“Word spread and soon we had dozens of clients for this new service,” Jackson said. 

In March 2019, he launched 360 Privacy with a small team of other former Green Berets.

“We basically transplanted the special operations forces culture we came from into our business,” Jackson said. 

cybersecurity Military Families Magazine
Adam Jackson, CEO of Military 360

“In the military, we were constantly asked to do incredibly difficult things without the proper equipment, manpower, or resources. At 360 Privacy, we are constantly asked to do things that are outside the scope of our core product and we always get it done. We have been successful because we have been able to accomplish those things using the same mission-focused mentality we used in the military.”

Jackson says that everyone leaves the military with a plan but those who are most successful at making a transition to a civilian career recognize the plan is just a starting point.

“The people who do the best at transitioning are able to be flexible, assess the opportunities that are in front of them and decide when a pivot from their original plan is appropriate,” he said. “What’s more, that pivot can facilitate the success of others. When I left Aldean’s tour, I put a service member I had served with in my place.”

Another key to success is to recognize the diversity of your skillset. “In the military, you always have a second and sometimes a third job,” Jackson said. 

“You might be an equal opportunity rep for your company or a battalion armorer. Not only do you have these specific skillsets, you have the capacity to develop new skills. That’s an extremely powerful strength to leverage in the job market. For example, I’ve seen a lot of soldiers leave the military, get a nine-to-five job in a warehouse to pay the bills and then go to school at night to get a computer certification for the career that they want.” 

READ: Is your military family safe online?

3 easy ways to protect your digital privacy

Be selective about sharing your email. “If a service is free,” Jackson says, “then you’re the product and your data is being sold to anyone who wants to buy it.”

Do a cost-benefit analysis. The savings you’ll earn from a supermarket shopper loyalty card might be worth having your information sold to advertisers, but the same is likely not true for every store or newsletter.

Use a VPN, or Virtual Private Network. With a subscription to a VPN, which can cost as little as $10 a month, instead of directly connecting to a website from your computer, laptop or phone, you’ll connect through a secure network, leaving your browsing history and any information you share untraceable. 

Skip the passwords that are automatically generated by your internet browser as well as your computer’s built-in password saver. Instead, generate passwords that have a minimum of 12 characters and include a mix of upper- and lower-case letters, symbols and numbers. Keep track of them with a password manager like LastPass. 

Read comments
Tags: 5th Special Forces GroupCybersecurityGreen BeretJason AldeanMilitary 360
Share48Tweet30SendSend
Shelley Levitt

Shelley Levitt

Shelley Levitt is a California-based freelance writer who covers health, wellness, travel, food and small businesses. She’s the daughter of a Purple Heart Army veteran.

Related Posts

Georgetown ROTC Military Families Magazine
Military Career

ROTC instructor shares lessons learned in combat

3 weeks ago
Coastie reflects on life under ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
Military Career

Coastie reflects on life under ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

4 weeks ago
Veterans and gaming careers Military Families Magazine
Military Veterans

Veterans and gaming careers

2 months ago
Nilsa Swift Military Families Magazine
Military Career

Hispanic veteran overcomes adversity to excel in Navy career

2 months ago
Jake Woods Military Families Magazine
Military Veterans

Once a warrior, now Jake Wood leads them

3 months ago
Dog Tag Bakery Fellowship Military Families Magazine
Military Career

Bakery serves up more than pastries for military-affiliated entrepreneurs

4 months ago

Discussion about this post

Ads

Military News, delivered to your inbox

Get a free copy of MILITARY FAMILIES delivered to your inbox each month

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • MEET OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL

GET RESOURCES

  • MONEY GUIDE

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • CFC PARTNERS
  • PRICING
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
  • BOOK CLUB
Never miss out on the latest stories.
© 2021 Military Families by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Military Life
    • Deployment
    • Relocation
    • Military Spouses
    • Military Kids
  • Education
  • Career
    • Transition
    • Entrepreneur
    • Veterans
  • Health
  • Money
  • Travel
  • Get Resources
    • 2020 Military Money Guide
  • Giveaways

© 2020 Military Families by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW.