Associate Consultant Cybersecurity

Souhardya Pal

************@*******.*** • 240-***-**** • linkedin.com/in/souhardyapal55 • Washington DC-Baltimore Area INTRODUCTION

Dedicated blue team defender, skilled in Incident response, forensics, and malware analysis looking to formulate the next security architecture enabling rapid threat detection and accelerated mitigation fortifying enterprise environments against ever-evolving cyber adversaries. WORK EXPERIENCE

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Associate Consultant Cybersecurity February 2021 – August 2023

• Security Incident Response: Resolved over 50 incidents monthly, including malware infections, DDoS attacks, privilege escalations, phishing attacks, and unauthorized access attempts, in a 24x7 environment within strict SLAs

• Threat Hunting & Analysis: Led investigations into Log4j RCE vulnerabilities, performed root cause analysis, and refined threat-hunting processes.

• Conducted static and dynamic analysis with CrowdStrike Falcon to identify malicious behavior and developed mitigation steps

• Conducted vulnerability analysis to protect internet-facing assets, domains, and networks to mitigate potential attack vectors.

• Automation & Efficiency: Reduced false positives by 60% using advanced SIEM configurations (SumoLogic, CrowdStrike Falcon) and Python scripting for automated analysis tasks. Analyzed security documents leveraging threat intelligence (Internal & OSINT) and CVEs to upgrade SOC Playbook, and Incident Handling processes, improving incident response efficiency

• Investigated and analyzed phishing emails and o365 logs, reducing phishing attempts through enhanced detection and mitigation strategies

• Conducted compliance assessments for a Fortune 500 client, ensuring adherence to regulations like SOX and ISO to identify gaps, and implemented remediations

• Supported vendor due diligence processes, evaluating third-party risk management efforts. Senior Security Analyst

• Analyzed and triaged over 200 security alerts monthly, ensuring swift response and mitigation in an MSSP environment.

• Analysed security log data from heterogeneous sources like EDR, SIEM, Web Proxies, Firewalls, and IDS/IPS

• Collaborated with Network Security team and validated daily log reports to maintain uninterrupted operations Security Analyst

• Prepared and reviewed documents for a Bangladesh Bank for ISO 27001 Security Audit

• Participated in audits by preparing documentation and executing action plans for resolving violations or weaknesses in compliance

• Collaborated with the cross-functional audit team and vendor assessment team to ensure compliance with ISO 27001 standards and identify areas for improvement within security protocols and procedures. HighRadius Corporation

Functional Consultant Intern April 2020 - January 2021

• Enhanced security in AR automation by implementing secure data handling protocols during Cash Application Processing and electronic remittance capture (OCR), mitigating risks of data breaches

• Developed prototypes for the Autonomous Receivable O2C CashApp with a focus on integrating encryption and access control measures to protect sensitive financial information

SKILLS

Incident Response, Digital Forensics, Security Policy, Security Engineering, Vulnerability Management: Monitoring detections and alerts from SIEM, EDR, IPS/IDS, conducting investigations and incident response, tracking TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures), handling Indicators of Compromise (IOCs), Indicators of Attack (IOAs), and automated SOAR workflows Programming Languages: C & C++, Python, RDBMS(SQL) Cybersecurity Risk Management: Comprehensive risk assessments, third-party risk management, and security compliance (ISO 27001, PCI DSS, GDPR). SIEM Tools & EDR: SumoLogic, Azure Sentinel, ArcSight, Securonix, DNIF, CrowdStrike Falcon, Cortex XDR, Tanium, Helix Email Security: Proofpoint, O365; Network & Firewall: Checkpoint, Zscaler, Palo Alto Networks Data Security and Incident Management: DLP and DSPM for data protection and mitigation strategies Workflow: ServiceNow, Jira, RSA Archer

Productivity: Microsoft Office: PowerPoint, SharePoint, Excel(VBA Macros), Word, Outlook CERTIFICATIONS

Certifications: GCIH (in progress), CEH v11, SumoLogic Fundamentals, SumoLogic Search Mastery EDUCATION

University of Maryland, College Park August 2023 – May 2025 Master of Engineering, Cybersecurity Maryland, United States

• Cloud Security and Digital Forensics & Incident Response Risk

• Assessment and security compliances and frameworks (ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOX)

• Binary exploitation with C in Unix and Secure Operating System principles (File Systems, Memory Management, Architecture)

• Kernel Security, Security Models, Threat Modeling, and Cryptography

• Security tools: Wireshark, Metasploit, Splunk (incident response, log management, vulnerability assessment) Graduate Assistant I - Digital Forensics and Incident Response August 2024 - Present

• Led labs on forensic tools, graded reports, and assisted in incident response hands-on.

• Conducted malware analysis sessions, and network traffic analysis and aided in digital forensics tools. Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology June 2017- July 2021 Bachelor of Technology, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering PROJECTS

Covert Malware Investigation March 2024

• Conducted forensic investigation of a hard drive image for malware detection and intelligence gathering with tools like Autopsy, Wireshark, and VeraCrypt to analyze and decrypt hidden files.

• Identified malware executables, key artifacts, and documented technical reports following proper evidence-handling procedures and chain-of-custody

• Demonstrated expertise in digital forensics, network traffic analysis, log analysis, and malware behavioral analysis. Comprehensive Security Enhancement for Cloud-based Healthcare Applications November 2023

• Conducted vulnerability assessments and identified critical security flaws in cloud-based healthcare infrastructure: weak IAM policies, unencrypted data storage, and inadequate network security configurations.

• Redesigned architecture with robust IAM policies, encrypted data storage, and multi-region deployment to enhance confidentiality, integrity, and availability

• Designed detailed architectural diagrams and technical documentation illustrating secure data flow for patients, care providers, and IT support teams, ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations.

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