Guardians of the Grid: Meet Garrett Keaton
From Wrestling Mats to Ransomware Defense
At TekStream, we’re always inspired by the passionate students shaping the cybersecurity workforce of tomorrow. Today, we’re highlighting Garrett Keaton—a soon-to-be LSU graduate whose journey from high school wrestling coach to SOC analyst is as unexpected as it is impressive.
Meet Garrett Keaton
Garrett Keaton is a Software Engineering major at Louisiana State University, set to graduate this May. With five years of IT experience and a year spent in LSU’s student-led Security Operations Center (SOC), he’s already demonstrated a powerful blend of technical acumen and leadership.
When Garrett isn’t defending networks, he’s pushing physical limits. He’s a dedicated extreme sports enthusiast and mixed martial artist, channeling his drive into coaching high school wrestling—a role that reflects his discipline, resilience, and ability to lead under pressure.
Finding Purpose in Protection
Originally aiming for a career in software development, Garrett’s trajectory shifted after a pivotal cybersecurity class taught by Darrel Miller, a seasoned cybersecurity expert. Miller’s mentorship and real-world insights lit a spark that turned interest into passion.
“I realized I’d find greater satisfaction protecting small businesses and solving real-world problems than writing code in a silo with limited upward mobility,” Garrett shared.
One Year. 500 Events. One Big Save.
In the past year with the SOC, Garrett has:
- Addressed over 500 events
- Identified 11 confirmed threats
- Maintained an audit score of 4.9/5.0
One case that stands out? Garrett detected a malware event linked to an active ransomware campaign launched by a known threat group. His quick thinking and response helped prevent a potentially devastating breach—a powerful reminder of the stakes involved in cybersecurity.
Learning by Doing
Garrett’s SOC experience has been defined by growth through action. Working within the award-winning LONI SOC, recently honored as Cybersecurity Team of the Year, has provided him with hands-on experience in:
- SIEM platforms and alert triage
- Networking fundamentals
- Tenant communication and incident response protocols
“I couldn’t ask for a better team. Their guidance made my transition into cybersecurity smoother than I ever expected.”
Certifications + Career Vision
Garrett holds both the CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications, and he’s ready to bring that knowledge to a full-time SOC analyst role post-graduation.
Eventually, he hopes to grow into a SOC engineer position, where he can fuse his software background with cybersecurity by building custom tools and detection logic.
And yes—he’s ready to relocate for the right opportunity.
Words to Future Analysts
Garrett’s advice to students breaking into the field?
“Dive in head-first and embrace the community. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or admit what you don’t know. The people around you are your biggest resource. If you commit to learning every day, you’ll always level up.”
See the full program overview here!