Cybersecurity Awareness Experts 2025

Co-Founder of SG6, ITRES and DEV6. Cybersecurity consultant with a deep technical background. More than 20 years of experience in the fields of IT Security, Cybersecurity, Security Research and IT Best Practices. Dozens of acredited CVE vulnerabilities since Y2K. I publish practical offensive/defensive research: vulnerability analysis, exploitation notes, reverse engineering, and hardening/detection takeaways.

CEO of TrustNet, a leading provider of cybersecurity and assurance services serving some…

I train people in companies of all sizes, across all industries, delivering impactful, relatable content with a relaxed and fun style. I’ve trained 48 Queensland councils with amazing feedback, and am a pre-approved supplier with Local Buy.People are your biggest vulnerability, but they can be your biggest cyber security asset if you use give them suspicion and knowledge. Here’s how I can help: * Live cyber awareness workshops (6 to choose from, including multiple gamified options) * Weekly reminder videos (58 averaging 1 minute in length) * Knowledge assessments * Cultural change guidance * Yearly change programs (live workshops delivered quarterly) * Post training documents (P&P, checklists, summary notes etc) * Different pricing models (per person, group rates, day rate) * White labelled live training for MSPs and cyber security companiesIf you care about risk, and see the value in building a culture of cyber awareness, then I can help.+ 61 431 283 428michael@websafestaff.com.auwww.websafestaff.com.au

Cybersecurity expert with over a decade and a half of deep-dive experience, I bring an unparalleled level of understanding and expertise in strategic Cybersecurity planning, effective risk control, and pioneering product innovation. My career reflects my role as a reliable authority for organizations of all sizes, as well as an effective liaison with different regulatory bodies.

📌 Key Areas: Secure Software Engineering | Zero-Trust Security | Cloud & DevOps Security | AI for Cyber Defense | Research & Innovation | Cybersecurity Advocacy I am an award-winning Cybersecurity Professional and Software Engineer with about 10 years of experience building secure, resilient, and scalable systems that safeguard enterprises and critical infrastructures worldwide. At Microsoft, I have spearheaded high-impact security engineering initiatives across Azure, DevOps, and enterprise security driving innovations in zero-trust frameworks, system observability, automation, and AI-integrated security solutions. My contributions have fortified services relied upon by global customers while elevating industry standards in reliability, compliance, and risk management. Beyond corporate impact, I am deeply committed to advancing the cybersecurity community. As an advisor, trainer, and researcher, I actively contribute to academic publications, global workshops, and non-profit initiatives with multiple global organizations like CyberNGO, Mentors Without Borders, TCET, CHARUSAT, PARUL, MSU, Live2Serve and Many More, promoting cybersecurity awareness and training future leaders. Recognized with honors such as the Global Recognition Award 2025 and multiple CISO50 Innovation & Excellence Awards, my mission is to bridge research, engineering, and leadership to shape the future of digital trust and resilience.

I am a cybersecurity professional with over 18 years of experience in offensive security, penetration testing, and cyber defense. I focus on deeply understanding complex security challenges and developing practical, real-world solutions that strengthen organizations against evolving threats. I enjoy working across various security domains and approaching problems with a hands-on, analytical mindset. My colleagues and clients describe me as a hardworking, disciplined professional who remains calm and solution-oriented when handling high-risk incidents and challenging environments. My areas of expertise include vulnerability assessment, exploit development, incident response, network security architecture, and enterprise systems administration. I hold industry-recognized certifications such as OSCP, OSCE, GWAPT, GCIH, CCNA, and RHCE, which demonstrate my commitment to continuous learning and technical excellence.

Dr. Rishabh Das is an Assistant Professor at the Scripps College of Communication, Ohio University. With over a decade of hands-on experience in operating, troubleshooting, and supervising control systems in the oil and gas industry, Dr. Das has become a recognized leader in the field of cybersecurity. His award-winning work in developing security architectures and detection algorithms has significantly advanced the protection of legacy industrial controllers against cyber threats. Dr. Das's research portfolio is extensive, encompassing the virtualization of Industrial Control Systems (ICS), threat modeling, penetration testing in ICS, active network monitoring, and the application of Machine Learning (ML) in cybersecurity. His expertise has been sought after by military associations and commercial entities alike, guiding them in meeting their cybersecurity requirements for critical infrastructure.

CISO and advisor helping FinTechs turn DORA/NIS2/PSD2, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, and GDPR into practical resilience and business value. 20+ years across architecture, incident response, and program build-out. I prioritise KPIs, clear board communication, and continuous improvement, not checkbox compliance. Highlights: led DORA/NIS2 readiness for cross-border teams (faster audits; 30%+ lower regulatory risk), stood up vCISO/vDPO programs with cloud-native controls, vendor risk, and privacy automation. Community: OWASP Riga and Cloud Security Alliance Chapter Lead. Need to get regulator-ready? Let’s connect.

Don Warden is a seasoned cybersecurity executive and author with over 30 years of experience securing complex environments across diverse industries. His expertise spans digital forensics, cyber threat intelligence, and incident response, where he has led high-stakes investigations into ransomware attacks, insider threats, and cyber extortion. As a trusted advisor, Don has guided organizations and high-profile individuals through threat mitigation, resilience planning, and post-incident recovery. Holding advanced certifications, including Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and Certified Cyber Security Analyst (CCSA), along with a Master’s in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, Don combines technical depth with strategic vision. His passion for ethical hacking and proactive defense drives his approach to strengthening security postures in an evolving digital landscape. Beyond cybersecurity, Don enjoys traveling with his family to remote destinations and is deeply committed to philanthropic efforts that make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.

Seasoned content writer with more than a decade of experience.Wrote hundreds of blogs, ebooks, newsletters, social media content, news articles.Worked with numerous tech start-ups, digital marketing agencies, and media publications.Focused mostly on B2B tech, cybersecurity, blockchain, and AI. Capable of covering virtually any topic.Experienced in journalistic writing.

Shyam Gajula is a Cybersecurity Professional specializing in Endpoint Security, Identity & Access Management (IAM), Zero Trust Architecture, and Cloud Security with 9+ years of experience securing enterprise and hybrid environments. He helps organizations strengthen security posture by implementing identity-centric architectures, continuous risk reduction frameworks, and compliance-focused controls across AWS, VDI, and distributed infrastructures. Shyam holds the AWS Certified Solutions Architect credential and has hands-on expertise in cloud security design, endpoint hardening, authentication frameworks (including SAML 2.0 / SSO), access governance, EDR/agent policy optimization, and secure cloud operations. His research and practical work focus on real-world defenses against modern threats, endpoint risk scoring, and identity-driven security automation. He is a published cybersecurity researcher, an international keynote speaker, and serves as a judge and evaluator for global cybersecurity awards and innovation competitions. Shyam frequently contributes to peer review panels and provides expert insights on best practices for Zero Trust adoption, cloud risk mitigation, and securing modern digital workplaces. Orcid Research Profile: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4279-9629

Gaurav Sengar is the Founder & CEO of ITSecOps.Cloud, a cybersecurity and IT operations consulting firm specializing in building secure, compliant, and highly reliable technology environments for SMBs, MSPs, and growing enterprises. With over 8 years of hands-on experience across cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity operations, and IT service management, Gaurav has worked extensively in SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001, HIPAA, CMMC Level 2, and NIST 800-171 readiness programs. His work focuses on closing the gap between compliance requirements and real-world IT operations — where most organizations fail audits and suffer security incidents. Gaurav has led and executed security operations including threat hunting, incident investigations, phishing analysis, identity and access hardening, cloud security posture management, and vulnerability remediation across Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Purview, and hybrid enterprise environments. He has supported legal investigations by tracing user activity, analyzing logs, and producing audit-defensible evidence. Unlike traditional cybersecurity advisors, Gaurav is known for his operator-first approach, combining cybersecurity strategy with deep IT operations expertise — covering cloud infrastructure, identity systems, networking, endpoint management, automation, monitoring, and 24×7 support models. This allows organizations to achieve security and compliance without disrupting business operations. Through ITSecOps.Cloud, Gaurav advises leadership teams, CISOs, and founders on cybersecurity risk reduction, compliance readiness, IT cost optimization, and scalable operations. His insights are frequently sought on topics such as cybersecurity failures in SMBs, compliance mistakes made by MSPs, cloud security risks, and how operational gaps create real-world breaches. Gaurav is particularly focused on helping organizations move from “checkbox security” to practical, auditable, and sustainable security operations.

Charles Edda & Charles Bouley, Inc. (CECB) is a Texas-based cybersecurity company founded in 1999. The company specializes in managed security risk assessments, including vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and security awareness training. Its primary clients include small businesses, medical practices, and law firms. The company is currently owned and operated by Dr. Rachel Levitch, who has expanded its services to provide advanced cybersecurity solutions that integrate financial risk management and regulatory compliance. CECB's services follow industry-recognized cybersecurity frameworks such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), ISO 27001, and CIS Controls to help organizations establish robust cybersecurity practices and culture.

Karthikeyan Ramdass a seasoned cybersecurity professional with over 18 years of experience securing mission-critical systems for leading Fortune 500 companies across industries including aviation, finance, automotive, and technology. I have played a pivotal role in protecting organizations such as Southwest Airlines, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, Toyota Motors North America, AIG, Cognizant, Salesforce, and Deluxe Corporation. Specializing in application security, vulnerability management, secure architecture, and supply chain defense, led the design and implementation of enterprise-scale security frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, and advanced security testing solutions. Extensive experience in SAST, DAST, SCA, zero-day vulnerability management, and penetration testing, ensuring compliance with global standards such as NIST CSF, PCI DSS, and OWASP Top 10.

A pragmatic leader with experience guiding, building, and scaling cybersecurity and privacy programs across sectors. I formerly led the Information Security program for Udemy an EdTech firm. Implemented company-wide cybersecurity and data privacy governance programs for payment organizations, Led service delivery strategy, audits and penetration testing engagements for Consulting organizations and help company stakeholders understand likely business threats and practical methods to minimize risk.

Cyber Threat Intelligence Leader | Nation-State Actor Hunter | Strategic Defense Architect With over 20 years at the forefront of cybersecurity—including senior roles in national security and government defense—I specialize in threat hunting, APT campaign attribution, and intelligence-driven defense. My career spans proactive threat detection, incident response, and mentoring high-stakes SOC/CTI teams in classified environments. I’ve led national-level threat hunting operations, correlated complex TTPs using MITRE ATT&CK, and produced actionable intelligence for executive stakeholders. My expertise includes SIEM, SOAR, threat intelligence platforms, and secure infrastructure design, with a deep focus on the MENA region’s cyber threat landscape. As the author of “Inside the Hacker Hunter’s Mind” and “Inside the Hacker Hunter’s Toolkit”, I share real-world insights into state-level threat actors, OSINT, malware analysis, and digital forensics. I’m passionate about mentoring the next generation of cyber defenders and building resilient, intelligence-led security postures. Let’s connect to discuss cybersecurity challenges, threat intelligence, or how I can contribute to your mission. Key Skills: Cyber Threat Intelligence | APT Attribution | Incident Response | Threat Hunting | SIEM/SOAR | MITRE ATT&CK | OSINT | Malware Analysis | Secure Infrastructure | Executive Reporting | Python/C# Automation | MENA Threat Context

For over 20 years, I've been on the front lines of cybersecurity, working with global organisations to help them answer critical questions like: "How effective are our security measures against a cyber attack?" My passion is empowering companies to identify and fortify their attack surface. I help leadership teams evaluate their security stack's effectiveness and build actionable roadmaps. Some of the topics I cover are Enterprise cybersecurity and strategy, culture and how it impacts cyber resilience. Emerging attacks and attacker innovation in ransomware and increasingly AI security risks. This passion for sharing actionable knowledge is why I also started writing my blog. It's my way of sharing ideas and providing insights for enterprise security defenders and educate the wider community. In my day-to-day role at Pentera, I lead a team of talented security engineers. We partner with leading organisations who are ready to embrace change. As a speaker and mentor, I enjoy challenging the norms, introducing disruptive technologies, and sharing best practices to raise the bar.

Dr. Connie McIntosh is a cybersecurity executive, academic, mentor and international speaker. She currently serves as Head of Security at Ericsson. Dr. McIntosh integrates cybersecurity, information security, product security, operational security, and data privacy into business strategy, fostering psychological safety and cultural transformation in traditionally siloed environments. Her background is in National Security and Cyber Defense working in in key Cybersecurity Leadership roles across Defense and Government classified networks, Academia and private enterprise. Her leadership has earned her accolades such as being named among the Top 100 Women in Cybersecurity by US Cyber Defense Magazine and the Black Unicorn Award at Black Hat 2020. In 2025, she was awarded the prestigious Global Recognition Award for Leadership Excellence in cybersecurity underscoring her global recognition and influence along with 2025 Young Leader of the Year - The Fast Mode Awards 2025 recognizing exceptional individuals whose leadership, resilience, and technical depth continue to elevate the global telecom ecosystem. Connie's contributions to cybersecurity have been featured in influential books and magazines, including the groundbreaking Women4Cyber's own "Europe's Top Women in Security, Hacking Gender Barriers", along with "The Rise of Cyber Women Vol 3", "Shining the Spotlight - Stories for Business Success." and others.