Rothesay

Head of Security Engineering

Bank of England

Deputy CISO

Senior Manager

Head of Threat & Vulnerability Management

DevSecOps

Cigital, Inc

Managing Consultant

Senior Security Consultant

Software Security & Testing (IBM Rational)

Software Developer in IBM

🔴 All posts are my observations of the general landscape meant to engage and educate. NOT problems I'm encountering. All views are my own and not that of my employer. I’m a techie, not an economist.

🔴 Please don't invite me to meals, drinks or round tables. ALL requests will be ignored.

I help CIOs in dynamic organisations reduce cyber risk, by developing pragmatic cybersecurity functions that align with the business needs and have a proven track record of increasing simplicity and promoting accountable visibility. 

I'm a Technical Cyber Security Leader with over 17 years of experience within start-ups, management consulting and top-tier organisations. Extensive hands-on experience with Security Architecture, Engineering, DevSecOps, Security Posture Management, Penetration Testing & Red Teaming.

Engagements, Awards, Articles and Education

🔵 InfoSec Europe, Advisory Board • 2024
🔵 e-Crime & Cybersecurity Congress, Lost in Translation • 2024
🔵 Webcast, Control Effectiveness • https://www.brighttalk.com/webcast/19525/609336
🔵 SASIG, Adapting to the new cyber threat landscape • 2023
🔵 Central Banking African Summit, x4 talks over 2 days • 2022
🔵 CyberCon, Hosted fireside chat: BoE, LSEG, MS • 2022
🔵 Secure Southwest, High-value security testing • 2019

🟢 National Cyber Awards, Winner of the Financial Services Award • 2023
🟢 BCS Awards, Finalist for High Impacting Business Project • 2021
🟢 SC Awards Europe, Finalist for Best Security Team Europe • 2019

📒 Preparing your Organisation for AI Cyber Warfare • https://tinyurl.com/df-ai-war
📒 Finding High-Value Security Initiatives • https://tinyurl.com/df-sec-roi
📒 No Bullsh*t Approach To Simplifying Cyber Supply Chain Risk • https://tinyurl.com/df-supplychain
📒 Critical Vulnerability Management Cheat Sheet • https://tinyurl.com/df-cheat

📕 Master of Business Administration (MBA) • Exeter University, 2021
📕 Bachelor of Science (BSc Hons), Computer Systems & Networking • University of Plymouth, 2007
📕 CISM, Certified Information Security Manager • ISACA, 2016
📕 CISSP, Certified Information Security Professional • (ISC)2, 2011
📕 CSSLP, Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional • (ISC)2, 2014

Dave F.

WiCys Northern Indiana

President

Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana (PHP)

• Spearheaded the development of a comprehensive risk profile utilizing Hyperproof, enhancing clarity on risk tolerance, prioritization, and mitigation strategies.
• Fostered a strategic partnership with CISA, securing key resources such as KEVs, advisories, alerts, complimentary penetration testing, and ongoing external vulnerability scanning.
• Implemented and managed internal vulnerability assessments using Nessus to fortify security protocols.
• Led a robust patch management initiative employing PDQ among other tools, streamlining update processes and enhancing system security.
• Redesigned organizational security policies to align with current standards and best practices.
• Enhanced employee security training and awareness programs by integrating platforms like KnowBe4 and Proofpoint, significantly improving organizational security posture.

Information Security Analyst

NYS Office of Information Technology Services

• Accumulate syslog and network monitoring metrics to support the continuous assessment of the organization's network health.
• Set up, maintain, and fine-tune network equipment to ensure optimal performance and security.
• Address and rectify network alerts proactively, ensuring minimal service disruption and prompt issue resolution.
• Analyze and report on network and device patterns to provide insights into potential areas of improvement and optimization.
• Regularly collate information on network activities and device trends to facilitate informed decision-making for the organization.

Student Assistant

New York State Education Department

• Boosted cyber awareness by creating 5 engaging videos for the monthly cyber newsletter, resulting in a 30% increase in employee awareness of cybersecurity best practices.
• Participated in Incident Management by efficiently handling and resolving 50+ security incidents using Checkpoint firewall, Crowdstrike Falcon, VirusTotal, Whois IP, NSLookup, and IPAM, etc. reducing potential data breaches by 25%.
• Working on Policy development by performing critical updates in current IT policy resulting in a 15% improvement in system security and compliance.
• Actively involved in Email security monitoring by vigilantly monitoring and analyzing 1000+ daily email activities for suspicious log-ins using AVANAN and Microsoft Defender, proactively prevented 50+ potential email-based security threats.
• Proactive threat management by continuously monitoring Crowdstrike, identified and handled 30+ suspicious activities, and resolved few JIRA tickets within tight timelines, contributing to a 20% reduction in Incident Response times.

Cyber Security Analyst Intern

• Analyzed data from New York State schools using MS Suite, MS Access, and SQL databases, resulting in a 15% improvement in educational decision-making.
• Created data-driven reports and presentations, contributing to more informed policies and programs.
• Optimized data collection processes, reducing processing time by 20% and increasing data accuracy.

Data Analyst Intern

INSuRE Program

• Identified and documented over 50 multi-cloud security threats, expanding agency knowledge.
• Successfully demonstrated vulnerabilities in Azure and AWS multi-cloud environments, achieving a 95% success rate in compromise detection.
• Designed secure data migration methods and comprehensive security models, improving data integrity and confidentiality by 30%.

Graduate Student Researcher

Akash TechnoLabs

•Achieved a 40% increase in user engagement through the development of web applications with chat messaging and payment systems using Firebase Realtime database and Paypal.
•Streamlined development time by 25% through collaborative work on detailed program specifications.
•Enhanced user experience, resulting in a 15% decrease in user complaints using Bootstrap, jQuery, etc.

Student Intern

Gurugram Police Cyber Security Summer Internship Program 2021

Cyber Security Intern

• Engineered highly efficient PHP code and optimized modules, resulting in a 40% improvement in data processing speed and enhanced performance.
• Troubleshot and resolved code and application issues, ensuring seamless functionality and a 99% bug-free web application.
• Collaborated actively in team meetings to enhance project functionality and user experience, contributing to successful outcomes and client satisfaction.

Intern

Hey there! Born and raised in the colorful tapestry of India, I set out on a journey fueled by big dreams and a craving for adventure. After snagging my Bachelor's in IT back home, I realized there was a whole world out there waiting for me to explore.

So, with stars in my eyes and excitement in my heart, I packed my bags and headed to the land of opportunities—the United States! But let me tell you, the transition wasn't all smooth sailing. It was tough being an international student, but hey, I had some amazing friends-turned-family by my side, and together, we conquered every challenge that came our way.

Fast forward to December 2023, and I'm proudly donning that cap and gown, graduating with a Master's in Cybersecurity. But wait, there's more—I also landed a gig as an Information Security Analyst at Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana even before I tossed my graduation cap! 🎓💼

Being the first in my fam to reach this level of education? You bet that's a big deal! It fills me with so much pride, you have no idea. And you know what? I'm not stopping here. I'm all about that #ContinuousLearning life, gearing up for my next certification like a boss. Oh, and did I mention I'm part of WiCyS? Yeah, empowering women in cybersecurity—that's my jam!

Now, let's talk about my desi side. 🇮🇳 No matter where I go, I'm always flaunting my Indianness like a badge of honor. From whipping up spicy Indian delicacies in the kitchen to sharing stories about my culture, I'm all about keeping those desi vibes alive and kicking.

But hey, it's not all work and no play! In my downtime, you'll catch me jet-setting to new destinations, rubbing elbows at networking events, or simply indulging in some good ol' gupshup over a plate of piping hot samosas.

So, if you're up for a chat, a laugh, or maybe even some spicy Indian food recommendations, hit me up! Let's connect and spice up our professional journeys together! 🌟

taplio

The Battle

Dave F.

Dhruti Mehta

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