Microsoft’s Kakpovi Works, Plays Hard 

On June 5, several cybersecurity and high-tech experts gathered around a conference room table at the located in downtown 51��Ƭ to listen to a presentation from Simeon Kakpovi, a senior threat intelligence analyst in Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Center.

The center is located a few blocks east of the White House and over three miles west of Capitol Hill, centers of national power in 51��Ƭ. Given his background and experience in leading a team of Microsoft analysts in negating cyber threats by Iranian groups, the cybersecurity and high-tech experts were anxious to hear what Kakpovi was going to say.

However, Kakpovi didn’t talk about his work tracking 30 Iranian groups seeking to commit cybercrime. Instead, he talked about , a “best- threat” intel cybergame he co-created a few years ago.

“KC7 is a cybersecurity game that I designed that teaches you to be a cyber detective,” Kakpovi, 29, said. “I had a bit of fun creating it and it is enjoyable by anyone if they approach it with the right attitude.”

Kakpovi’s Pre-Microsoft Journey

Kakpovi, a native of Benin who moved with his family to Silver Spring, Maryland, as a boy, initially wanted to be a physician.

“I took science classes when I attended Blair High School,” he said. “Classes like physiology and biology. After Blair, I attended Howard University, I had a brother who attended there.”

In his late teens, Kakpovi had the chance to intern at a hospital and decided not to become a doctor “because I could not stay in a hospital for 13 or 14 hours a day.” 

At Howard, he switched majors a few times and ended up in information systems.

During his sophomore year at Howard, Kakpovi took cybersecurity classes at a local community college. He enjoyed the experience and decided to take his new passion to another level by participating in the Cyber Analyst Challenge. 

“The people who ran the challenge mailed the contestants a thumb drive with 80 gigabytes of data,” Kakpovi said. “The challenge required us to analyze a full cyberintrusion packet. Through that process, I embraced cybersecurity and looked at the field as a career. I also had a lot of fun doing it.” 

The challenge led to Kakpovi interning at Lockheed Martin while studying at Howard. He credits his college professors for encouraging him during his academic career and early journey in cybersecurity.

“At Howard, the professors are African American and they want to help you to succeed,” Kakpovi said. “It was a transformative experience there. My experience at Howard makes me want to give back and bring some other young people along in the cybersecurity field.”

Kakpovi was a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship and while he was not tapped for that academic honor, he did impress two Howard University trustees who were instrumental in his admission to the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, United Kingdom for a graduate degree.

“I studied at Cambridge for nine months,” he said. “I received a master’s in tech policy.”

Kakpovi Facilitates KC7, More Minorities in Cybersecurity

Before joining Microsoft, Kakpovi continued his work at Lockheed Martin as a network defender on the computer incident response team. He received a tip about a possible job at Microsoft and decided to pursue it.

“I interviewed for the job and things went well,” he said.

In 2022, Kakpovi set up KC7 at the 2022 Microsoft Global Garage Hackathon, according to the KC7 website.  KC7 is named after the final, critical stage in the cybersecurity process, akin to a burglar’s last step before taking or locking away your valuables, the website said. 

Just as one intercepts a thief before this point, KC7 helps people spot and counteract digital intruders at every stage, ensuring they never reach their end goal, according to the website.

Kakpovi served as the president of the KC7 effort and has brought the game to school-aged children throughout the country. While Kakpovi is passionate about KC7, he also has another passion: encouraging more Black people to get into cybersecurity.

“There are challenges for people of color who want to get into technology,” he said. “People of color need to know about their options and opportunities. It helps to know someone who works in technology for a living. It is also important to get the right information.”

Kakpovi maintains his contacts at Howard and mentors’ students who major in the tech fields. Plus, he is active in groups such as that promote people of color in technology.

One of the people listening to Kakpovi was Trey Hopkins, a former NFL player for the Cincinnati Bengals. Hopkins told the Informer that he is transitioning from professional football to cybersecurity and has heard about Kakpovi’s work.

He said Kakpovi’s presentation on KC7 and his work in cybersecurity are a source of motivation.

“He is super insightful,” Hopkins, 32, said. “He believes in giving people opportunities. I appreciate his mission of spreading opportunity.