When I went into the posh cabin of a large private corporation’s MD of my acquaintance, whose name I cannot reveal – of course, for the sake of confidentiality, I found him being cared for in his big cushy chair by his Personal Assistant. “Was it a heart attack?” I asked his PA, who shook her head, “No. It was a cyber-attack. They stole all our personal details from our official email IDs and now are asking for ransom in exchange. Sir is panicked,” she said, looking at the MD, who opened his eyes and looked at me, “Please help me,” he pleaded.
“I’m not a cyber-professional or cybercrime expert or cyber security investigator or police,” I said.
“But I only trust you in this situation,” said the MD, while his PA said, “Should we call the police?”
“No,” MD was scared to his wits, “Our attackers have already blocked us from our office mail accounts and threatened to sell all the stolen information on the black market if we go to the police.”
“OK, OK, no police. But will you let me call Deepak Kumar Nath,” I said, standing behind the visitor’s chair. MD looked at me and nodded me to sit down, “Who is Deepak Kumar Nath?” he asked.
I was surprised. I said, “You don’t know. Deepak Kumar is a Leading Ethical Hacker, Cyber Security Consultant, Serial Entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, Corporate Trainer, Lead Auditor, Growth Hacker, IT Security Professional, Social-Techno-Learner, Philosopher, Social Worker, Singer, Artist, and Businessman, all bundled into a man on a mission: to secure Indian and even global cyber world. You might think that when I say global cyberworld, I am far-fetched. Then let me give you a full introduction so that you’ll be convinced and call him by yourself.”
Deepak Kumar is an industry in himself. He is an internationally renowned cybersecurity expert with over 12 years of Experience. He’s been honoured with *Hall of Fame* from Facebook, Microsoft, Blackberry, Sony, AT&T, Mastercard and many more companies. Deepak Kumar himself is heading four companies as Founder, CEO, and MD, including
- Global Tech Promoters– a Leading IT & ITes Company, 2014,
- Cybercare Infoways Pvt Ltd– a Leading IT & GPS Service Company, 2014,
- Threatsys Technologies Pvt Ltd– a 360° Cyber Security Company, 2019,
- Factsys Technologies Pvt Ltd– a Product Innovation Company, 2021,
and a team of 100+ Members.
Deepak Kumar has audited 75+ international and 300+ domestic companies, executed 850+ Projects, has 420+ Clients and 22+ Partners, and delivered many innovative cybersecurity solutions, including CYQER–A product innovation. The list of companies includes many International Banks, Fintech Companies, Units of the United Nations, many Departments of Govt. of India, the Government of Odisha, the Government of Bihar, Govt. of Assam, and Fortune 500 Companies.
Deepak Kumar is a certified Lead Auditor for ISO 27001, PCI DSS, PA DSS, CMMI, HIPAA and many more Infosec compliances. Apart from Expanded Innovative Research & Projects, he is actively involved in Training and Research works. His certifications in Infosec include CISA, CPENT+LPT, CCISO, CPTE and many more.
Deepak Kumar is also a Certified EC-Council Instructor and Certified CISCO Instructor. He has Trained IPS Officers, Police Officers, IT Professionals, Developers, Cyber Security Experts and 50000+ Students all over India.
Deepak Kumar is the Managing Trustee of the Global Institute of Information Security, Cyber Security Educational Institution, Bhubaneswar, since 2015. He is also the Director of Technology at Securium Solutions Pvt Ltd, a CERT-in empanelled Cyber Security company in New Delhi, since 2021. He is a member of the Board of Directors/Partners at Cybersigma Consulting LLP, an Infosec Compliance Auditing Company in New Delhi and QSeap Infotech Pvt Ltd, a CERT-in Empaneled Company from Mumbai.
Deepak Kumar is also the Chief Cybersecurity Consultant at
- CSM Technologies Pvt Ltd, Bhubaneswar, Odisha;
- SPARC Pvt Ltd, Bhubaneswar, Odisha;
- CEVA Limited, Nigeria, Mumbai, Kenya, UAE,
- Mintoak Innovations Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru, Karnataka,
- Velocity Software Solutions Pvt Ltd, New Delhi,
and 25+ other leading organizations, along with being an Advisor and Mentor at
- Odisha Police, Govt. of Odisha,
- Home Department, Govt. of Odisha,
- Maharashtra Police, Govt. of Maharashtra,
Deepak Kumar has been a TEDx Speaker and initiated a CISCO Cyberops Workshop with CISCO in South India. He is working as an Advisory Member of Odisha Police for solving cybercrime cases and has already solved many cases. He was invited as a Speaker at Tech Bhubaneswar 2.0 in 2018, at the ‘Cyber Security in Fintech,’ organized by SIDBI in 2018 and 2020, and at Nextgen Skill Conclave, Bangalore on Advanced Enterprise Security & Risk Management.
Deepak Kumar has trained many Corporate Employees at WIPRO, Infosys, and Vodafone on Cyber Security. He has been Awarded with 12+ Awards and Recognitions, including:
- Best Cyber Security Professional of Indiaby the Government of India, at New Delhi;
- Youth of Odisha, by Chair Persona State Legislative Assembly, Mr Surya Narayan Patra;
- Youngest Entrepreneur of Odisha, by Director of IIT Bhubaneswar;
- Guest of Honourin India’s first CISCO Cyberops Workshop and training program, sponsored by CISCO at Andhra Pradesh;
- Guest of Honour by inaugurating the Global School for Kids at Bhubaneswar;
- Guest Keynote Speakeron Latest hacks of Cyber Security to all IT Professionals by NASSCOM;
- Guest Keynote Speakerfor Women in Cyber Security organized by WOH Harmony, Bhubaneswar, 2018;
- Mentor,Smart India Hackathon, Pune, sponsored by the Government of India;
- TEDx Speakerat IIT, Bhubaneswar, on Advanced Cyber Security Models;
- Keynote Speakeras Successful Entrepreneur of Odisha at CET, Bhubaneswar for inspiring students,
- The Industry Excellence Awardas Leading Cyber Security of India by WIEF, supported by MSME, Startup India, Govt. of India, and based on market standards and referential (ISO, PCI, CoBIT, CIS, NIST, OSSTMM, etc.),
- Chief Judgefor Smart India Hackathon, Govt of India.
Deepak Kumar also worked for government agencies, banking and financial clients, IT Companies, and corporations to foolproof their systems against cyber-attacks and managed security solutions with CYQER – ‘Cyber Yield Quantification for Enterprises & Reporting,’ the all-in-one SIEM Solutions for SOC.
Deepak Kumar helps clients to increase risk control throughout the proper security management process and provides one of the best cyber security consulting. He has assembled an unmatched interdisciplinary team of security experts to design and build an unrivalled platform for protecting any scaled operations from cyber threats.
“OK, son. Call him,” said the MD. I dialed Deepak Kumar’s number, ‘+91 9090 642 001,’ from my phone. After three rings, he was on the other side. “Are you busy?” I asked. “You are in luck. I’m not. What is it?” he said. “I’m connecting you on video call, OK.” Then I hung up and video-called him; he received it in seconds. I’ve connected the video call via the biggest smart TV in MD’s cabin. When MD saw Deepak Kumar on the full HD television screen, a very young man wearing his impeccable grey suit, the MD asked, “Hello, Mr Deepak Kumar. Err, how old are you?”
“I’m 29 years old. I know my age goes against my experience and expertise,” said Deepak Kumar, smiling and looking at me.
An Inspirational Dynamism of a Youthful Dreamer and Doer
I said, “He began his entrepreneurial career when he was barely 18. In his initial years, he found and reported major critical vulnerabilities in Facebook, Microsoft, Blackberry, Sony, AT&T, Mastercard, Freelancer, ESET, Apptentive and many more companies. He has technical proficiency in
- Ossincluding – Windows, Linux Unix Systems: Ubuntu, Cent OS, Fedora Security OS: Backtrack 5R3, Kali Linux, Back Box,
- Web Servers, including Apache, IIS, Tomcat, and Minecraft Server;
- Languagesincluding C, C++, C#, and Python; WLs including HTML, CSS, JS, PHP, ASP.Net;
- Frameworks: WP, Drupal, Open Cart, Magento;
- DB: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MS Access, Oracle, SAP;
- Pentest Methodology: OWASP, SANS top 25 WASC, Business Logic Vulnrblty, Manual Testing;
- Security Tools: IBM App Scan, NMAP, Acunetix OWASP ZAP, Nessus, Metasploit, SQLmap BurpSuite, SSIM by Symantec;
- Security Compliances: PCI DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001, RSA.
His other expertise includes,
- Network and System Security,
- Web Apps PenTesting,
- Mobile Apps PenTesting and Mobile Apps Security,
- Risk Management,
- Vulnerability Assessment,
- Cyber Forensics,
- Cryptography,
- Malware Analysis,
- Security Audits,
- Info Security Management,
- PCI DSS Compliance,
- HIPAA Sec Compliance,
- Business and Motivation,
- Cyber Crime Investigation,
- Digital Marketing,
- Pro Expert for SEO, SMO,
- Online Reputation Mgmt.,
- Ethical Hacking Training,
- Penetration Testing,
- Infosec Management.”
The MD was in awe, “OK, Mr Deepak Kumar. Here is our situation. If you think you can help us, you’ve to come immediately.” Then, MD told everything that had happened. Deepak Kumar listened to it patiently.
At last, Deepak Kumar said, “Sir, fortunately, I’m in Pune. I’ll come immediately. Don’t worry. I will do everything in my power to help you. Give me half an hour to reach there.”
Then, after that, Deepak Kumar came to the company and started helping them recover everything. By the end of his assistance, Deepak Kumar had not only snatched back all the stolen data and information from the hackers’ clutches but also helped the company secure itself against all future attacks and trained all its employees to safeguard themselves against future cyber-attacks.
The Master of His Own Destiny
Deepak Kumar’s greatest pleasure is doing what people say he can’t. “I love challenges. My goal is not to be liked. It’s to be respected. I’m always willing to bet on myself to do whatever it takes to win. I never underestimate my strengths. I believe that I’ve been born for a purpose and have the power to achieve it,” said Deepak Kumar when I next interviewed him for this exclusive edition of Insights Success.
Introducing himself, he says that ‘He sacrifices, works hard, is smart, is a professional, and is building his empire. “I’m the master of my destiny. I am a student, a brother, a son, a friend, a lover, a leader, a motivator, and an unknown. I’m confident of being self-conscious. But self-conscious of being confident. It’s the way I think! I hate to fight, but I love to solve the issues. I don’t want to be in the spotlight, but I hate being ignored. I don’t want everything, but I want what I wish. I don’t want to be a celebrity. But I want people to remember my name. That is the way I am. That is the way I’ll be. My simplest introduction is that I’m an entrepreneur,” said Deepak Kumar.
As our talks went to his student days, Deepak Kumar recalled his time when he enrolled at Trident Academy of Technology. Not much of a hype, he enrolled in engineering to keep his social norms and technical research altogether. Previously, he had enlisted in the degree in EEE branch but had immense interest in Information Security. He had to drop the classes due to an unexpected turn of events. But he finished his BTech successfully in 2015. Since then, he has been researching and keeping himself strong in various fields of expertise.
On a Journey of Perpetual Enlightenment
Mind you, in 2009, Deepak Kumar received his maiden Rajya Puraskar from the Governor of Odisha, Dr Muralidhar Chandra Kanta Bhandare, because he was the most coordinative and helping hand student. “My Contribution to Scout & Guides with the motivation to help people through my learning career gave me another effort to learn the softness in my heart,” he said.
In between, Deepak Kumar received his certificate in the Cyber Crime Protection Program from the Asian School of Cyber Laws, Pune, on Sept 19, 2012. “This Certification gave me the courage to work with the concepts of Cyber Crime Investigations and Cyber Forensics. My Passion to Explore the best in the field of Cyber Crime has not only been from my own experiences but also from the recognised certifications that I earned,” he added.
Then, Deepak Kumar earned CIS on August 01, 2014, and became an Information Security Expert. When one earns a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems (CIS) from DeVry University, USA, with a specialization in Information Security, then they can perform a broad range of information systems security duties in a large number of industries.
Living’s a Learning Voyage
Deepak Kumar also earned certification in Advanced Threat Detection in ICS-SCADA environments from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He explains that SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) is used for the control and monitoring of industrial processes. SCADA components are considered privileged targets for cyber-attacks. By using cyber tools, it is possible to destroy an industrial process. “So I learned this as I could research it,” he remembered.
He earned a certificate on Operational Security (OPSEC) for Control Systems certification from the National Cyber Security and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC). It is important to ensure the security of any control systems. “This training gave me an overview of operational security (OPSEC). I learned that OPSEC crosses all fields and environments and even extends in our private life,” added Deepak Kumar, a Certified Leader & Entrepreneur from Hewlett-Packard on Effective Leadership, Social Entrepreneur & Social Media Marketing. This certification gave him the courage to pursue business activities with innovation and the latest technologies.
Furthermore, Deepak Kumar was selected as the Global Leader because of his strong and result-oriented Business Strategies in the Global Shapers Fellowship Program by ISPA International Society. He was also chosen as a team member in the TOP 20 Innovex Entrepreneurs in Odisha, as he started the first IT Security Services Providing firm in Bhubaneswar.
A Constant Pursuit of Perfection
Deepak Kumar started his entrepreneurial journey when others were in their colleges, being a leader with a successful career and several milestones, and participating in several events and conferences as a guest speaker, mentor and resource person. When asked to define success, Deepak Kumar said, ‘Success isn’t just about what you accomplish in your life. It’s about what you inspire others to do. My journey is and will always be a constant pursuit of perfection.”
According to him, improving skills according to market demand is the first operational priority. “Learning and executing new technologies efficiently with smart ideas makes me stronger and keeps me ahead of the competitors. Like to dive deeper into the goal of inspiring and guiding students to develop extraordinary cyber security skills, I founded GIIS, Global Institute of Information Security, which is an educational trust for empowering youth with skills development training. For all kinds of Cyber Security Certifications, we have Securium Solutions Pvt Ltd,” shared Deepak Kumar.
Through the firm, he trained 50K+ students, with 2K+ certified and 500+ students placed in topmost organizations. “Our mission is guided by our commitment to empowering students and professionals to achieve their career goals by providing access to high quality and affordable education of technology and in-demand skills, especially in Cyber Security. We have an explicit promise of value to the students to make their future advanced training programs,” he stated.
Sharing his hacking philosophy, Deepak Kumar says that what a hacker does for love, others do for money. Quoting an unknown philosopher, he said, “It’s impossible,’ said Pride. It’s Risky,’ said Experience. It’s Pointless,’ said Reason. If you really are a hacker, then give it a try,’ is what I believe.”
Deepak Kumar’s other professional certifications include
- CertifiedChief Information Security Officer, Penetration Testing Professional, Licensed Penetration Tester, Ethical Hacker, EC-Council Instructor from EC-Council;
- CertifiedInformation Systems Auditor and Information Security Manager, ISACA;
He said, “I like to consider myself honest, self-motivated and hard-working. I’m very passionate about research and innovation. This makes me a constant learner and keeps me updated with new trends and technologies.”
Life’s Greatest Success Mantra
For aspiring entrepreneurs. leaders, professionals, and fellow learners, in his advice, sharing four motivations of his life, Deepak Kumar said they include
*Find a purpose and accomplish it: “I never underestimate my strength. I believe I am born with a purpose and have the power to achieve it. I try hard, work hard and never look back.”
*“I compete with myself: I keep competing with myself to get better. I am always willing to bet on myself and do whatever it takes to win. I keep updating myself with the market to be the best me.”
* Doing the impossible: “My greatest pleasure is doing what people say I can’t do.”
* Have faith in God and do your work: “I never imagined I would be where I am today when I started my journey. I believe if you have faith in God and work hard, success will come to you.”
Dream, Achieve, Repeat!
Deepak Kumar has been featured in The Hindustan Times, The Telegraph, The Times of India, The Print, YOURSTORY, livemint, TOIs Education Times, dailyhunt, OrissaPost, and Outlook. With 68,000+ followers on Facebook and the constant limelight of media attention, Deepak Kumar says he wishes he could figure out his place in the family, group of friends, team, companies, and society. “I hope to find myself in this world. I adore life because there’s so much to see and do. I care too much what others think. I wish to fulfil my purpose of being in this world.”
For further information, please click www.deepakkumarnath.com or connect with him at dknath@threatsys.co.in.
“All you readers are always welcome to connect with me and become cyber smart,” concluded Deepak Kumar.
~Disclaimer: Please note that the incident depicted with the characters of MD and his PA at the beginning of this profile are imaginary and has no relation with reality in any way. It was there only for infotainment purposes. However, all the info about Deepak Kumar Nath is completely true.
