As Deputy Director of IT Security & Compliance, my primary dedication lies in securing the organization\\\'s digital assets, fortifying our security posture, and nurturing a culture of security awareness. My role encompasses strategic planning, SOC and incident monitoring, vulnerability management, and extends to various additional responsibilities:-
 o Take the lead in devising and implementing information security initiatives, aligning them with our business objectives. Facilitate the organization in creating and managing a range of risk-related activities, keeping a risk register up-to-date, and suggesting suitable measures to bring risks within acceptable thresholds. Utilize the CIS Top 18 controls to ensure ongoing compliance and implement robust security measures.
 o Take a lead drive in regular vulnerability assessments across organization’s network infrastructure, databases and applications, skillfully prioritizing identified issues, driving remediation efforts, closely monitoring progress, and providing detailed status updates to the stakeholders.
 o Formulate, implement, and oversee security policies for different categories of endpoints while effectively managing CrowdStrike EDR solutions, monitoring for threats and anomaly behaviors and swiftly responding to potential security incidents. Proficiently handle IOC/IOAs and threat intelligence tasks, assess existing solution effectiveness, and recommend improvements.
 o Establish, oversee, and maintain security protocols for infrastructure and network assets, leveraging Windows security capabilities, DMZs, IDS/IPS, WAF, NAC, patch management, host firewalls, access control and PAM. Employ security practices and tools to detect and proactively resolve security concerns.
o Manage SOC operations, developing automation strategies via playbooks, incident plans, and leveraging frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK for effective threat detection and response. Collaborate with stakeholders, deliver concise reports, and apply lessons learned.
 o Lead security awareness and training initiatives, delivering technical and user-focused programs covering cybersecurity, data protection, incident response, and online safety. Assess program impact, enhance content, and stay current with evolving industry trends.
 o Proficiently design and oversee data backup strategies, data protection, replication, and high availability systems. Craft effective disaster recovery plans for minimizing downtime, while vigilantly monitoring backup and recovery protocols and ensuring meticulous documentation.
 o Responsible for overseeing security budgeting, performing vendor evaluation, security solution procurement, contract management, and the establishment and monitoring of SLA’s.

As Assistant Director, I adeptly managed enterprise-level data center infrastructure with respect to security including major tasks such as.
 o Worked on the establishment of TIA-942 compliance data center system, includes raised flooring, structured cabling, aisle containment, precision cooling, power and UPS, fire detection & suppression system, VESDA, access control system and security, disaster recovery.
 o Oversee the design, configuration, and maintenance of the LDAP/ Active Directory infrastructure, including user accounts, groups, group policies, and domain controllers. Working on Microsoft Active Directory Tiering Access Model to implement the security principal of least privileges.
 o Manage and support Windows Server environments, ensuring their stability, security, and optimal performance. Working on Microsoft SCCM Patch Management by regularly applying updates and patches to Microsoft systems and software to ensure data integrity and protect against vulnerabilities.
o Implementing robust security controls to protect the data center and infrastructure from unauthorized access, cyber threats, and physical breaches. This involves access control systems, video surveillance, intrusion detection, and security policies, application whitelisting, security monitoring, audit and log management.
 o Enforcing the principle of least privilege to ensure that users and processes have only the necessary permissions and access rights required for their tasks, reducing the potential impact of compromised accounts.
 o Deploying and monitoring endpoint detection and response (EDR) system for intrusion prevention, device control, protection policies, anomaly behaviors analysis, threat intelligence, IoC management, continuous monitoring and analysis and other important aspects of endpoint protection systems.
 o Applying security configuration baselines provided by Microsoft, which offer predefined security settings that align with industry best practices.

As a network administrator, I adeptly managed enterprise-level Active Directory server administration, delivering seamless and efficient support to staff by efficiently handling tasks such as user account creation, modification, and deletion, along with managing groups, devices, and organizational units (OUs) within the directory service database.
 o Implemented and maintained Group Policies to uphold rigorous organizational security measures, diligently monitoring access control metrics to ensure the highest level of data protection.
 o With a strong focus on network security, I took charge of deploying critical security patches and vigilantly monitoring network activity to promptly detect and respond to any signs of intrusion or compromise. My adherence to industry-standard systems hardening best practices further strengthened the organization\'s security posture.
 o In addition to this, my troubleshooting skills played a pivotal role in resolving a wide range of issues spanning Active Directory authentication, LDAP, DNS, Mail Server, DHCP, Proxy Server, File Server, and Exam Server configurations, ensuring smooth and optimal system performance.
 o Furthermore, I actively contributed to the optimization of network performance by conducting comprehensive network capacity monitoring and implementing effective troubleshooting measures to mitigate potential bottlenecks.
 o A key aspect of my responsibilities included developing and implementing robust data backup and recovery practices to safeguard critical information and ensure seamless business continuity.
 o In a collaborative environment, I worked closely with various support teams, providing expert level 2 and level 3 support for miscellaneous IT and network-related issues. My contributions to timely issue resolution further facilitated uninterrupted operations and enhanced user experience.
 o Throughout my tenure as Assistant Network Administrator, I consistently demonstrated proficiency, dedication, and a strong commitment to maintaining a secure and reliable network infrastructure.           

As a system engineer, I demonstrated my expertise in administering enterprise-scale Active Directory environments, ensuring smooth operations of Network Services such as DHCP, DNS, DFS, and Proxy. I effectively managed AD Replication, GPO, Users, migration activities, backup and restore operations, OU structure, security, and delegation models, optimizing the university\'s IT infrastructure.
 o Played a pivotal role in implementing and administering the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller, enabling seamless WiFi services across the campus. Leveraging my skills, I successfully implemented domain group policies to enforce restrictions for different user categories, including students, faculty, and university staff.
 o Managed Papercut and Print Manager Plus print management solutions, by efficiently handling student printing requirements. Collaborating with the development team, I provided exceptional support for the university\'s management information system, contributing to its seamless functioning.
 o Skillfully managed the university\'s service/helpdesk activities and supervised the related staff, ensuring timely resolution of technical issues and smooth service delivery to all users.
 o Actively participated in the execution of ongoing IT projects on campus, overseeing the establishment of new LAN and WiFi services, setting up computer labs, and implementing access networks in new university blocks.
 o Proficiently provided comprehensive hardware and software level 1 and level 2 support services to LAN, WLAN, computer labs, OS, and customized software applications, addressing technical challenges promptly and effectively.
 Throughout my tenure, my dedication to excellence and commitment to delivering top-notch IT support significantly contributed to the enhancement of the university\'s IT infrastructure and overall operational efficient