Brian Hooper

About Brian Hooper

Brian Hooper holds dual B.S. degrees from Northwestern University in Computer Engineering and Computer Science. Brian has always had a passion for solving problems and figuring out how things work. As a child that passion equated to fixing broken fax machines and constantly taking apart computers and putting them back together. In his professional life that passion has led to a career in technology. From developing and deploying large systems in all stages of design through installation, to writing custom software exploits and penetration tests, his 10+ years of experience after college have been defined by three things: an inquisitive mind, a drive to push the boundaries of what is possible, and a thirst to learn new things. Brian holds advanced certifications in Computer Security, Penetration Testing, and Computer Forensics. Over the last 14 years his career has included roles in Software Development, System Engineering and Architecture, Computer Networking, and most recently Cyber Security including Penetration Testing and Incident Response. In additional to performing advanced research in hardware and software security he has been a consultant focused on security assessments, penetration testing, and incident response. Brian was also a lead instructor and content developer for security training focused on Intelligence-Driven Defense and the Cyber Kill Chain, and an instructor with the SANS organization.Brian now leads a team of world-class security researchers and directs long-term research for the Microsoft Defender Experts suite of managed security services, helping customers find critical threats in their environment and respond with confidence.

Experience

1. Principal Manager, Ai Security Research

   Microsoft

   May 2025 — Present · Redmond, WA, US

   Research manager focused on AI for the Microsoft Defender Experts suite of managed security services.

Education

• Northwestern University

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Computer Engineering

  1998 — 2002

• Northwestern University

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Computer Science

  1998 — 2002

Skills

• Information Assurance
• U.s. Department of Defense
• Computer Forensics
• Integration
• C++
• Program Management
• System Architecture
• Computer Security
• Javascript
• Java
• Software Development
• Earned Value Management
• Security
• Project Management
• Software Engineering
• Information Security
• Penetration Testing
• Linux
• Dod
• Hadoop
• Systems Engineering
• Cissp