Breaking Into Cybersecurity

IAM & CEO Journey | Archit Lohokare | BIC

Discover how to break into cybersecurity by mastering foundational technologies like cryptography and scaling your career from engineer to CEO with Archit Lohokare. In this episode, we explore the mindset required to build secure enterprise systems from the ground up.

- How building the RSA algorithm from scratch launched Archit's career.
- The evolution of Identity and Access Management (IAM) in enterprise environments.
- Transitioning from a founding full-stack engineer to a high-level leader.
- Why curiosity is the most critical skill for modern security professionals.
- Lessons on building secure, scalable systems in a fast-moving startup.

Archit Lohokare is an experienced cybersecurity leader and current CEO with over 22 years of industry expertise. He began his journey as a founding engineer at Incentuate, where he developed deep technical proficiency in identity, access management, and hardware-level security.

Sponsored by CPF Coaching LLC - http://cpf-coaching.com

The Breaking into Cybersecurity: It's a conversation about what they did before, why they pivoted into cyber, what the process was they went through, how they keep up, and advice/tips/tricks along the way.

The Breaking into Cybersecurity Leadership Series is an additional series focused on cybersecurity leadership and hearing directly from different leaders in cybersecurity (high and low) on what it takes to be a successful leader. We focus on the skills and competencies associated with cybersecurity leadership, as well as tips/tricks/advice from cybersecurity leaders.

Check out our books:
📘 The Cybersecurity Advantage - https://leanpub.com/the-cybersecurity-advantage
📘 Develop Your Cybersecurity Career Path: How to Break into Cybersecurity at Any Level - https://amzn.to/3443AUI
📘 Hack the Cybersecurity Interview: Navigate Cybersecurity Interviews with Confidence, from Entry-level to Expert roles - https://www.amazon.com/Hack-Cybersecurity-Interview-Interviews-Entry-level/dp/1835461298/
📘 Hacker Inc.: Mindset For Your Career - https://www.amazon.com/Hacker-Inc-Mindset-Your-Career/dp/B0DKTK1R93/

About the hosts:
Renee Small is the CEO of Cyber Human Capital, one of the leading human resources business partners in the field of cybersecurity, and author of the Amazon #1 best-selling book, Magnetic Hiring: Your Company's Secret Weapon to Attracting Top Cyber Security Talent. She is committed to helping leaders close the cybersecurity talent gap by hiring from within and encouraging more people to enter the lucrative cybersecurity profession. https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneebrownsmall/ Download a free copy of her book at magnetichiring.com/book

Christophe Foulon focuses on helping secure people and processes, drawing on a solid understanding of the technologies involved. He has over ten years of experience as an Information Security Manager and Cybersecurity Strategist. He is passionate about customer service, process improvement, and information security. He has significant expertise in optimizing technology use while balancing its implications for people, processes, and information security, through a consultative approach. https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophefoulon/

Find out more about CPF-Coaching at https://www.cpf-coaching.com

🌐 Website: https://www.cyberhubpodcast.com/breakingintocybersecurity
🎙️ Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/breaking-into-cybersecuri
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BreakingIntoCybersecurity
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-into-cybersecurity/

## SEO Tags

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Intern to Founder | Justin Collins | Breaking Into Cyber

Episode Summary
In this episode, Justin Collins shares his unique journey from a PhD student in Computer Science to becoming a key figure in the application security space. Justin explains how a funding shortage led him to a life-changing internship at AT&T Interactive, where he combined his passion for compiler theory with cybersecurity to create the open-source tool Brakeman. We dive into how he balanced a full-time job while co-founding a startup and the importance of preparation when breaking into a new field.

Key Takeaways
- Preparation as a Differentiator: Justin secured his first security role simply by researching the specific topics (SQL injection and XSS) the interviewers mentioned beforehand—a step many other candidates neglected.
- Applying Niche Skills to Security: Rather than starting from scratch, Justin leveraged his deep knowledge of programming languages and compilers to build a static analysis tool, proving that specialized non-security backgrounds are highly valuable.
- The Power of Open Source: Developing and open-sourcing Brakeman during an internship served as a massive career catalyst, eventually leading to a business acquisition.
- The "Side-Hustle" Startup Model: Justin highlights that successful startups don't always require VC funding or fancy offices; his company was built while the founders maintained their "real" jobs.
- Negotiating Flexibility: Early in his career, Justin successfully negotiated a part-time security role, which allowed him to support his family while simultaneously building his own business.

Resources Mentioned
- Brakeman: The open-source static analysis security tool for Ruby on Rails created by Justin.
- OWASP: Cited as a critical resource for learning about web vulnerabilities like SQL injection and XSS.
- Ruby on Rails: The programming framework that served as the foundation for Justin’s early work.
- Black Duck (formerly Synopsys): The company that eventually acquired Justin’s startup.

About the Guest
Justin Collins is a cybersecurity expert and the creator of Brakeman, a widely used static analysis tool for Ruby on Rails. With an extensive background in Computer Science and programming languages, Justin transitioned from academia to entrepreneurship, co-founding a boutique security firm that was later acquired by Synopsys. He is a specialist in application security and program analysis.

Sponsored by CPF Coaching LLC - http://cpf-coaching.com

Check out our books:
📘 The Cybersecurity Advantage - https://leanpub.com/the-cybersecurity-advantage
📘 Develop Your Cybersecurity Career Path: How to Break into Cybersecurity at Any Level - https://amzn.to/3443AUI
📘 Hack the Cybersecurity Interview: Navigate Cybersecurity Interviews with Confidence, from Entry-level to Expert roles - https://www.amazon.com/Hack-Cybersecurity-Interview-Interviews-Entry-level/dp/1835461298/

About the hosts:
Christophe Foulon focuses on helping secure people and processes, drawing on a solid understanding of the technologies involved. He has over ten years of experience as an Information Security Manager and Cybersecurity Strategist. He is passionate about customer service, process improvement, and information security. He has significant expertise in optimizing technology use while balancing its implications for people, processes, and information security, through a consultative approach. https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophefoulon/

Find out more about CPF-Coaching at https://www.cpf-coaching.com

🌐 Website: https://www.cyberhubpodcast.com/breakingintocybersecurity
🎙️ Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/breaking-into-cybersecuri
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BreakingIntoCybersecurity
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-into-cybersecurity/

Stop leaving your organization exposed to threats—learn why none of your current email security tools are enough without the right strategy. Tal Kollender joins the show to discuss closing the critical gaps in enterprise communication.

- Identify the most common vulnerabilities in modern email infrastructure.
- Learn how to move beyond basic filtering to advanced threat mitigation.
- Discover the role of security configuration in protecting email environments.
- Understand the evolving tactics used by attackers to bypass traditional defenses.
- Gain insights into building a specialized career in email and configuration security.

0:00 - Identifying Email Security Gaps with Tal Kollender
2:15 - Why Traditional Email Filters Often Fail
5:45 - Understanding the Advanced Threat Landscape
9:30 - Strategies for Securing Enterprise Communication
14:10 - Career Advice: Specializing in Security Niches
18:00 - Closing the Gaps: Future-Proofing Your Defense

Tal Kollender is the CEO of Gytpol and a recognized expert in configuration security and enterprise defense. She is dedicated to helping organizations identify hidden vulnerabilities and strengthen their security posture against modern attacks.

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Sponsored by CPF Coaching LLC - http://cpf-coaching.com

The Breaking into Cybersecurity: It's a conversation about what they did before, why they pivoted into cyber, what the process was they went through, how they keep up, and advice/tips/tricks along the way.

The Breaking into Cybersecurity Leadership Series is an additional series focused on cybersecurity leadership and hearing directly from different leaders in cybersecurity (high and low) on what it takes to be a successful leader. We focus on the skills and competencies associated with cybersecurity leadership, as well as tips/tricks/advice from cybersecurity leaders.

Check out our books:
📘 The Cybersecurity Advantage - https://leanpub.com/the-cybersecurity-advantage
📘 Develop Your Cybersecurity Career Path: How to Break into Cybersecurity at Any Level - https://amzn.to/3443AUI
📘 Hack the Cybersecurity Interview: Navigate Cybersecurity Interviews with Confidence, from Entry-level to Expert roles - https://www.amazon.com/Hack-Cybersecurity-Interview-Interviews-Entry-level/dp/1835461298/
📘 Hacker Inc.: Mindset For Your Career - https://www.amazon.com/Hacker-Inc-Mindset-Your-Career/dp/B0DKTK1R93/

About the hosts:
Renee Small is the CEO of Cyber Human Capital, one of the leading human resources business partners in the field of cybersecurity, and author of the Amazon #1 best-selling book, Magnetic Hiring: Your Company's Secret Weapon to Attracting Top Cyber Security Talent. She is committed to helping leaders close the cybersecurity talent gap by hiring from within and encouraging more people to enter the lucrative cybersecurity profession. https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneebrownsmall/ Download a free copy of her book at magnetichiring.com/book

Christophe Foulon focuses on helping secure people and processes, drawing on a solid understanding of the technologies involved. He has over ten years of experience as an Information Security Manager and Cybersecurity Strategist. He is passionate about customer service, process improvement, and information security. He has significant expertise in optimizing technology use while balancing its implications for people, processes, and information security, through a consultative approach. https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophefoulon/

Find out more about CPF-Coaching at https://www.cpf-coaching.com

🌐 Website: https://www.cyberhubpodcast.com/breakingintocybersecurity
🎙️ Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/breaking-into-cybersecuri
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BreakingIntoCybersecurity
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-into-cybersecurity/

Description:
Want to break into cybersecurity? Learn how Nikhil Agarwal moved from reverse engineering video games to leading AI security teams and automating complex infosec workflows. [bic-00003]
In this episode, we explore:
How childhood curiosity about software keys and "cheat codes" builds a foundation for red teaming. [bic-00004]
The evolution from freelance bug hunting to professional penetration testing. [bic-00004]
Nikhil reveals practical AI tools for automating security tasks in the cloud. [bic-XXXX1] [bic-00009]
Demystifying AI-powered threat hunting: Practical steps and strategies. [bic-XXXX2] [bic-00009]
Implementing AI for cloud security threat detection and automated incident response. [bic-00008]
Timestamps: [bic-00004]
00:00 - Intro & Countdown
00:29 - Welcome Nikhil Agarwal
00:52 - Childhood curiosity and reverse engineering games
01:45 - Early freelance red teaming and the "pre-bug bounty" era
Guest Bio: [bic-00004]
Nikhil Agarwal is a cybersecurity expert specializing in AI security teams and the automation of complex security operations. He leverages a background in red teaming and penetration testing to bridge the gap between hands-on technical skills and modern AI-driven cloud security.
Community Link | Subscribe on YouTube [bic-00007]
Tags: [bic-00005] [bic-00006]
Nikhil Agarwal, AI Security, Red Teaming, Cloud Security Automation, Bug Bounty, AI Threat Hunting, breaking into cybersecurity, cybersecurity career, how to get into cybersecurity, cybersecurity podcast, infosec career, cybersecurity career change, cybersecurity for beginners, cybersecurity career advice, cybersecurity jobs, CISO interview, pivot to cybersecurity, cybersecurity certifications.
***
Sponsored by CPF Coaching LLC - http://cpf-coaching.com
The Breaking into Cybersecurity: It's a conversation about what they did before, why they pivoted into cyber, what the process was they went through, how they keep up, and advice/tips/tricks along the way.
Check out our books:
The Cybersecurity Advantage - https://leanpub.com/the-cybersecurity-advantage
Develop Your Cybersecurity Career Path: https://amzn.to/3443AUI
Hack the Cybersecurity Interview: https://www.amazon.com/Hack-Cybersecurity-Interview-Interviews-Entry-level/dp/1835461298/
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About the hosts:
Renee Small is the CEO of Cyber Human Capital and author of Magnetic Hiring. https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneebrownsmall/
Christophe Foulon is a Cybersecurity Strategist and passionate about customer service and process improvement. https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophefoulon/
- Website: https://www.cyberhubpodcast.com/breakingintocybersecurity
- Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/breaking-into-cybersecuri
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BreakingIntoCybersecurity
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-into-cybersecurity/

In this episode of Breaking into Cybersecurity, host Christophe sits down with Shan Kulkarni, a security leader focused on the intersection of AI, engineering, and human-centric security practices.

They explore the massive shift currently happening in the industry as AI takes over traditional "knowledge work," forcing a move toward higher-level human intuition. Shan introduces the concept of **"Vibe Coding"** and discusses how outcome-driven requirements are changing the types of vulnerabilities we face.

Key Discussion Points
- The End of Knowledge Work? How AI is automating the repetitive analysis and coding tasks that used to define a career, and why intuition is the new premium skill.
- AI in Security: Practical ways to use tools like Claude to automate leadership tasks and reclaim your time.
- Vibe Coding & Security: What happens when software is generated based on "vibes" and outcomes rather than line-by-line coding?
- Gamifying Vulnerability Fixes: Using scoreboards and competitive metrics to drive engineering engagement and faster remediation.
- The Business Language of Security: Why translating technical risk into business value remains the biggest hurdle for security leaders.

About the Guest
Shan Kulkarni is a security leader and strategist known for innovative approaches to automation and gamification. He has a deep background in software engineering, which informs his outcome-driven approach to security.

Resources Mentioned
- Claude AI (Anthropic)
- Vibe Coding (Modern development concept)

Connect with Us
- Breaking Into Cybersecurity YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingIntoCybersecurity
- Christophe Foulon on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophefoulon/