Waseem Albaba

By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing

Waseem Albaba is finally coming clean.

After graduating from high school, the Tampa resident promised his parents that he would quit skateboarding, which they believe is too dangerous.

“From time to time, I still meet a few buddies at the skatepark,” he said with a laugh. “But I don’t go crazy.”

But Albaba also wants his parents to understand that skateboarding has played a significant role in his burgeoning career in cybersecurity, which is poised to flourish after this spring’s graduation when he receives a Master of Science in Cybersecurity degree.

“Skateboarding taught me tenacity,” he said. “You’re going to fall 1,000 times before you finally land that trick. So, in life, I know that if I don’t succeed on my first try, I just need to keep trying and never give up.”

His passion for video games, combined with a skateboarding accident, guided him toward a career in cybersecurity.

“Growing up through middle and high school, I knew I wanted to do something with computers,” Albaba said. “At that time, I was unknowingly participating in cybersecurity activities.”

One example: He learned to reprogram video games to provide his characters with additional money and health. He also discovered how to skip levels.

Then came the skateboarding accident during his senior year of high school.

“I tore my ACL, couldn’t walk, had to undergo back-to-back surgeries, and was in bed for months,” Albaba said. “But it turned out that this was the best thing that happened to me.”

Through YouTube videos, he learned about online courses to become an Offensive Security Certified Professional. This ethical hacking certification is offered by Offensive Security, a company that specializes in information security, penetration testing and digital forensics.

The final exam requires students to perform controlled hacks on systems.

“What I didn’t know at the time was that it’s something professionals typically do after two or three years of experience,” Albaba said.

He succeeded with minimal experience.

Then, as a freshman majoring in computer engineering, Albaba joined the Whitehatters Computer Security Club at USF, which advocates for enhanced standards in the field of cybersecurity. The club also offers a supportive environment for personal development and networking with like-minded individuals.

“I realized it was super cool,” he said. “I really enjoyed hacking, but cybersecurity is a way to do it legally.”

Albaba switched his major to cybersecurity and never looked back. He earned his bachelor’s degree in December 2023 and then began pursuing a master’s degree.

Along the way, Albaba has also made a positive impact on the campus.

As president of the Whitehatters in 2022, he expanded the club's membership from eight to 150. He then helped establish and captained USF’s CyberHerd, a cybersecurity competition team.

“I like to describe it as the Division 1 basketball team of cybersecurity,” Albaba said.

This past year, they placed in the nine competitions, a mix of regional and national, including four first place finishes.

Since 2022, he’s also worked for Maveris, which is an IT and cybersecurity company committed to helping organizations create secure digital solutions. He plans to continue doing so after graduation.

“Maybe, in the future, I might come back for a Ph.D.,” Albaba said.

He’s also going to continue skateboarding.

“I just won’t tell my mom,” he said with a laugh. “She’s still super against it.”