Prajit D.

About Prajit D.

I am a Security Researcher & Software Engineering Leader at Cisco\'s Security Business Group (SBG), where I lead a talented team focused on the Secure Firewall Management Center (opens in a new tab). Our work centers on building core platform components like Authentication, Authorization, and Auditing REST API frameworks, and cloud service integrations. I am deeply committed to driving security-focused development and have led several key initiatives around SAML SSO, external authentication, and software compliance standardization.A core part of my role is leading the engineering response to complex, critical vulnerabilities. For example, for the Blast-RADIUS (CVE-20••••96)(opens in a new tab)CVE, my team was instrumental in the triage and effective remediation efforts across Cisco. This experience demonstrates my proficiency in managing high-stakes situations, combining deep technical knowledge with a strategic, collaborative approach to crisis management.With over 17 years of combined experience across industry and academia, I bring a unique perspective to software development—grounded in deep technical knowledge and a passion for security and scalable systems. My expertise includes developing solutions for Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and deploying technologies using modern infrastructure like Docker and Kubernetes. My Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and internships at Apple, Samsung, and Symantec have uniquely prepared me to build secure, reliable, and user-centric systems.Today, I am interested in Senior Leadership positions where I can drive delivery across multiple teams, influence architectural direction, and mentor the next generation of engineering talent. While cybersecurity is my core domain, I am always open to exploring new problem spaces where I can bring value through thoughtful leadership, technical vision, and a commitment to building and delivering high-quality software.

Experience

1. Security Researcher & Software Engineering Leader

   Cisco

   Jan 2021 — Present · Fulton, MD, US

   As a Security Researcher & Software Engineering Leader, I lead a team of developers on the Secure Firewall Management Center, driving the design and delivery of critical security solutions for Cisco\'s product portfolio. My responsibilities span the entire software development lifecycle, from automated testing and continuous integration to deploying both on-premise and massively scalable containerized solutions.I specialize in leading high-impact initiatives and complex projects, with a track record of excellence in:• Generative AI Integration: Led the development and integration of an OpenAI-based LLM AI assistant into the Secure Firewall Management Center. This initiative leveraged natural language processing to empower administrators by providing contextually-relevant answers, streamlining policy creation, and simplifying complex troubleshooting, representing a major step toward AI-driven security operations.• Security Incident Response: Led my team\'s rapid and effective response to the Blast-RADIUS (CVE-20••••96) vulnerability. This involved expedited triage, cross-functional collaboration with Cisco\'s PSIRT and Talos teams, and architecting a robust solution that addressed the immediate threat and strengthened the product\'s long-term security posture.• Core Platform Development: Delivered key features for essential platform components including Identity & Access Management (IAM), Network Configuration Management, REST API Frameworks, and Cloud Services Integration, all using agile software development practices.• Strategic Compliance & Outreach: Ensured compliance with rigorous third-party software security reviews and led internationalization efforts to expand the market reach of Cisco\'s products.My leadership style is centered on coordinating work across multiple product areas and cross-functional teams to build the next generation of firewalls.

Education

• University of Maryland Baltimore County

  Master of Science - MS, Computer Science

• Jadavpur University

  Bachelor of Engineering - BE, Information Technology

• University of Maryland Baltimore County

  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Computer Science

Skills

• Object Oriented Design
• Machine Learning
• Programming
• Javascript
• Cvs
• Data Structures
• Android
• Computer Science
• Oop
• Data Mining
• Git
• Bash
• Algorithms
• Eclipse
• Unix
• Artificial Intelligence
• Information Retrieval
• Software Engineering
• Html
• Software Development
• Python
• Sql
• Linux
• Java
• Subversion
• Mysql
• Distributed Systems
• Databases
• Shell Scripting
• Pl/Sql
• Unix Shell Scripting
• Php
• Design Patterns