As the world embraces new technologies at a blistering pace, the biggest barrier to adoption is the vulnerability to data loss, data privacy, and cyber-attacks.
Arun Mamgai, our next pathbreaker, Enterprise Sales Specialist- Hybrid Cloud, Cloud Security, and Data Science Platform at Red Hat (United States), is responsible for recommending application modernization, cloud-native security, and data science solutions to Fortune 1000 customers.
Arun talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about the need for digital transformation to go hand-in-hand with cybersecurity innovations that protect end-users and customers.
For students, the field of cybersecurity will continue to grow with new technologies that are being adopted and the challenges that they bring with them !
Arun, Your background?
My family is originally from the beautiful mountainous region in India (Tehri Garhwal/Uttarakhand), but I was born and raised in Ghaziabad (a suburb of Delhi). My Dad is retired from BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited), while my mother is a housewife. I studied at the Kendriya Vidyalaya till 12th, but I always enjoyed extracurricular activities while growing up. During my younger days, I won several medals in Badminton, Cricket, and Table Tennis and represented the school and University in regional and national competitions. Playing in these sports has helped me learn and appreciate the merits of working hard and keep trying till the last minute.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I didn’t know much about IIT-JEE until 10th grade (I was the first in my entire extended family to apply for IIT-JEE entrance at that time). I learned about IIT-JEE from my classmates preparing for it, so I became interested and decided to give it a try. I started preparing myself without enrolling in the coaching classes (IIT coaching was expensive in the small town). After some practice exams and discussions with friends, I was able to secure the IIT-JEE rank on my first attempt. The entire neighborhood was very happy because no one from the area was selected into IIT before. My AIR (All India Rank) was 2207, but I didn’t know which institution/branch to choose. Without much supervision and guidance, I selected a Bachelor of Pharmaceutics without evaluating other options available at that time (At this rank, I could have been admitted into B.Tech in chemical engineering). I spent 4 years at the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (now called the Indian Institute of Technology, Varanasi). I taught nearby school-going children to fund my college fees.
Can you talk about some of the influences that led you to such an offbeat and unconventional career?
I started learning technology on the campus even though my specialization wasn’t in Tech. Infosys selected me on the first day of the campus placement, which changed my career direction. It was a beautiful feeling when I received my first salary. My first boss became my good friend who continuously guided and helped me throughout the different phases of life. I moved to the USA after a few years to lead the project, which expanded my horizons and made me aware of the exciting innovations in the industry. I learned about cloud-native security, cyber security, data privacy, and data science in one of the projects, and it caught my attention. I started learning about these topics during my free time. I also took a few online courses to learn about this new field.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Or how did you make a transition to a new career? Tell us about your career path
An adaptable approach with continuous learning helped me progress in this journey. Life is not perfect, and one should keep trying despite making mistakes.
a) After working for a few years, I did my MBA from the Indian School of Business (Hyderabad). This helped me define, measure, and communicate the business value of the technology. I was exposed to numerous learnings in a short span of time.
b) Post MBA, I moved to the USA and worked with Fortune 1000 customers while providing digital transformation solutions for critical business problems. I also enrolled in a Master’s in Information Technology from Middle Georgia State University, USA, while working full-time. This helped me learn the recent advancements in technology, cyber security, data science, digital transformation, data privacy etc.
c) By this time, I wanted to be in the Cybersecurity field, so I joined a few online forums/groups to continuously learn from my peers as well as contribute to the Cybersecurity discussion. I enrolled in SANS security certification and participated in the online webinar from BrightTalk and CompTIA. These institutions continuously bring industry experts working on exciting new ideas/projects.
d) I received invites to present my ideas at a few local/online events. The talks were well received, giving me exposure to public speaking as well as an opportunity to share my views with other experts from the cybersecurity field. I have authored or presented topics on-
i) “Generative AI with Cybersecurity: Friend or Foe for Digital Transformation”. This paper discusses the pros and cons of using Generative AI and data science to enhance cybersecurity capabilities. Generative AI for Cybersecurity can be a powerful tool, but it requires access to large data models and brings the challenges of false positives and false negatives.
ii) Presented an assessment of Application-level attack on the connected vehicle forming a cooperative adaptive cruise control. Vulnerability analysis included five different scenarios (Merge over a large distance, Fake obstacle attack, Merge across different lanes, Platoon takeover etc. were analyzed)
iii) Presented a topic on “Digital Transformation evolution and key trends in the technology” to 100+ members. Recommended key capabilities of the solution to securely and effectively provide a personalized experience to the end users. It was well received by the audience, who stayed beyond the allocated time.
iv) Accepted the invite from TechGirlz (an association empowering girls to become future tech leaders) to talk about “Data Privacy: How to protect your personal information” to US middle school girls. It allowed me to share my experience with the younger generation and make them aware of the risks of accessing personal data online.
v) Presented a paper on “keeping school children safe and parents informed” by recommending an IoT (Internet of Things) based architecture providing real-time insight to parents and school authorities via a data security pipeline.
How did you get your first break?
I took extra responsibilities at work that aligned with my interest in cloud-native security. I voluntarily contributed to projects responsible for building app modernization, data, and cloud security solutions. I also learned about DevSecOps and other cybersecurity innovations while participating in the online conference and journals.
My profile was rejected multiple times, but I didn’t stop. I asked for candid feedback after each denial and kept improving my profile. After applying to multiple positions, I finally got my first break.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
Challenge 1:
Lack of experience in Cybersecurity – I didn’t have a wealth of experience in Cybersecurity at the beginning of my professional career. I overcame it by investing my time before and after the professional 9 AM – 5 PM hours.
Challenge 2:
Long Journey – The shift towards cloud-native security required a long journey. I took baby steps instead of doing nothing and complaining about the lack of opportunities.
Challenge 3
Lack of mentor – I didn’t have a mentor for a long period of time. Having a circle of coaches and like-minded friends sharing their independent views helped me decide what works best.
Where do you work now? What problems do you solve?
I work for Red Hat, Inc. as an App Platform, Data Science, and Cloud Native Security Specialist. The company is responsible for providing enterprise solutions based on the open source technology. Red Hat OpenShift is an industry-leading application platform for building cloud-native application development and securing the software supply chain. We help customers modernize and secure the applications to achieve business benefits and deliver better Return on Investment (ROI) and end-user experience.
As part of my current role, I am responsible for recommending application modernization, cloud-native security, and data science solutions to Fortune 1000 customers. This starts with understanding the business problems customers are trying to solve, followed by architecture recommendations and working with the project team to ensure a successful implementation. Collaboration with extended teams (product management, partner, and support groups) is also critical for this role.
Examples include vulnerability management, network segmentation, threat detection, and MLOps based data science solutions. Ex –
– a) Building a trusted and secure software supply chain solution having a software bill of material (SBOM)
b) Recommending Generative AI/ML based MLOps solutions
c) A highly scalable and secured edge architecture providing personalized experience at 1000s of retail stores etc.
While there are a few technical skills required (cloud-native, Cyber Security, App Development, etc.), the most critical skills are “keep always learning,” “listening to the customer’s problem,” and “asking the right questions.”
How does your work benefit society?
i) Open-source projects thrive on collaboration, bringing together diverse communities of developers, experts, and enthusiasts. This collaborative model fosters a vibrant ecosystem based on code transparency, flexibility, enhanced security, and retaining talent. The expensive proprietary software leads to vendor lock-in and innovation drainage
ii) Cybersecurity can help prevent data breaches, identify theft, and ransomware by enhancing applications and infrastructure security and proactively identifying bad actors before they cause damage.
iii) Retains customer’s trust in the technology and digitally transforms the business without worrying about data loss, data privacy, and cyber-attacks. This results in the faster delivery of innovative, affordable, and relevant solutions for end customers.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
I presented a session to US middle-school girls on the topic “Data Privacy: How to Protect Your Personal Information,” making them aware of current challenges and approaches to staying safe online. It was organized by TechGirlz (A program of CompTIA Spark, a 501(c)3 nonprofit and social impact arm of CompTIA), which inspires middle school girls to explore the possibilities of technology to empower their future careers. TechGirlz invites industry professionals and community leaders to share their experiences with the students.
The workshop offered the basics of web security, network security, and social media privacy, along with hands-on activities related to network packet analysis and personal information requests. The conversation with students was incredible. It was a satisfying experience as I was able to assist the younger generation with their quest to learn.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
a) Never stop learning- Each day brings its own challenges and opportunities, but students must carve out time to continuously learn and grow. It doesn’t need to be an extensive effort, but learning a new skill each day/week is critical.
b) Expand your horizon – Don’t be stuck in silos or have limited view because of the work you are involved in. Make an attempt to meet with other groups to understand how their work impacts the organization.
c) Business Value of Technology – While learning technical skills is critical, it’s equally important to understand the business value/benefits of the technology. Ask Questions –What problem does it solve for the customer? What benefit does this technology provide?
Future Plans?
I would like to start my niche Cybersecurity firm by applying data science fundamentals to data privacy, cloud native security, and cybersecurity. These topics have always excited me, and it’s wonderful to see enormous growth in this field. In the meantime, I will continue to learn and solve challenges as they come.