NITHESH DHAKSHANAMOORTHY
Penetration Tester | Security Researcher | MSc Information Security – Royal Holloway, University of London (Top 10 globally)
Chennai, India | nithesh.jobapl@outlook.com | LinkedIn | GitHub | Portfolio
HTB Global Top 400 | TryHackMe Top 3% (4M+ users) | 5,000+ professionals trained | First-Class Honours B.E. CSE
Professional Summary
Hands-on penetration tester with an MSc in Information Security from Royal Holloway, University of London — NCSC/GCHQ-accredited and among the world’s most respected InfoSec programmes. Proven across web application, network, and Active Directory assessments using real-world adversarial techniques. Experienced in CVSS-rated pentest reporting, proof-of-concept exploit development, and translating technical risk into clear, actionable findings for clients.
Professional Experience
Penetration Tester | VAPT Specialist — Remote
January 2024 – Present
- Conducted 10+ end-to-end web and network penetration tests (OWASP Top 10), identifying auth bypasses, injection flaws, access control weaknesses, and misconfigurations.
- Performed Active Directory assessments targeting Kerberoasting, AS-REP Roasting, privilege escalation, lateral movement, and credential exposure, producing full attack-chain documentation.
- Executed manual post-exploitation (enumeration, persistence, privilege escalation) to validate real-world business impact beyond automated scanner output.
- Delivered cybersecurity workshops to 5,000+ participants across corporate, academic, and government sectors covering pentest methodology, threat modelling, and defensive practices.
- Produced structured pentest reports with CVSS-based severity ratings, proof-of-concept documentation, and prioritised remediation recommendations tailored to client risk appetite.
Guest Lecturer — Royal Holloway Cyber Security Society, London, UK
April 2025
Topics: Penetration Testing in the Modern Threat Landscape · Containerisation Security · Passwordless Authentication & Passkeys.
Cyber Security Trainer — Cyber Crime India, Puducherry
July 2024 – January 2025
Assisted in cybercrime investigations; delivered threat detection & incident response training to law enforcement; contributed to security policy and digital literacy campaigns.
Software Developer Intern — Tech Affinity Global, Bangalore
October 2021 – April 2022
Built full-stack apps with REST APIs; achieved 12% desktop / 5% mobile performance gains through targeted optimisation. Collaborated cross-functionally under tight timelines.
Education
MSc Information Security — Royal Holloway, University of London
2022 – 2023
NCSC/GCHQ-accredited | Modules: Cryptography, Network Security, Penetration Testing, Incident Response, Cyber Forensics, Software Security
B.E. Computer Science & Engineering — First-Class Honours
St. Joseph’s Institute of Technology, Chennai
2017 – 2021
Modules: Data Structures, Algorithms, OOP, AI, Database Systems | Semi-Finalist – Smart India Hackathon 2019
Technical Skills
| Category | Skills |
|---|---|
| Pentesting | VAPT, Web App, Network, Active Directory, Privilege Escalation, Post-Exploitation, Lateral Movement |
| Tools | Burp Suite, Metasploit, Nmap, Wireshark, BloodHound, Impacket, Nikto, Netcat |
| Languages | Python, C, C++, JavaScript, Bash, HTML/CSS |
| Platforms | Kali Linux, Windows Server, Docker, Git, VMware |
| Frameworks | OWASP Top 10, CVSS v3.1, MITRE ATT&CK, ISO 27001, PTES |
Certifications
Information Security: Context & Introduction (Univ. of London) | Introduction to Cyber Attacks (NYU) | Network Security & Database Vulnerabilities (IBM) | Penetration Testing, Incident Response & Forensics (IBM)
Currently pursuing: CPTS (Certified Penetration Testing Specialist) from Hack The Box
Projects
Wi-Fi Analyzer — Python tool automating Wi-Fi pentest workflows using Plux algorithm (reconnaissance, scanning, vuln identification).
github.com/NitheshD05/Wifi-analyser
IoT Security Toolkit — Assessed CoAP, UPnP & MQTT protocols, documented vulnerabilities with risk ratings and remediation guidance.
github.com/NitheshD05/IOT-Security
Online Profiles
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nitheshd05 | GitHub: github.com/NitheshD05
HTB: app.hackthebox.com/users/1701603 | Portfolio: nitheshd05.github.io/My-Digital-Realm