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cyril okonkwo

@cyrilokonkwo

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Passionate cybersecurity professional with 6+ years of experience.

Nigeria

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What I'm looking for

I seek a role that fosters growth, collaboration, and innovative cybersecurity solutions.

I am a dedicated Offensive Security Engineer with over six years of experience in cybersecurity, specializing in conducting assessments and simulating real-world attacks to enhance organizational security. My journey has equipped me with a deep understanding of vulnerabilities across various industries, allowing me to provide actionable recommendations that strengthen defenses against potential threats.

Throughout my career, I have successfully led penetration testing initiatives, red team exercises, and security assessments using industry-standard frameworks such as OWASP. My role as a Technology Consulting Manager at Ernst and Young involved mentoring team members and conducting incident response exercises, which honed my ability to identify root causes of data breaches. I am passionate about sharing knowledge within the cybersecurity community and continuously learning from peers to stay ahead in this ever-evolving field.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Penetration Tester (AI/LLM)

Current

Mindrift

Mar 2023 - Present (2 years 3 months)

Identified and exploited vulnerabilities in Large Language Models (LLMs) based on OWASP LLM flaws. Developed advanced prompt engineering techniques and attack vectors to assess LLM resilience under simulated real-world attack scenarios.

Large Language Models OWASP Prompt Engineering Exploitation Techniques

Cybersecurity Consultant

Drugstoc Ehub Limited

Jul 2023 - Dec 2023 (5 months)

Delivered secure coding trainings and operationalized OWASP SAMM within the SDLC. Conducted penetration tests on web and mobile applications.

Secure Coding Penetration Testing SDLC

Head, Threat Intelligence and Vulnerability Management

Unity Bank Plc

Oct 2022 - Oct 2023 (1 year)

Discovered critical vulnerabilities in infrastructure and deployed red team simulations. Implemented a Purple Team program and led vulnerability management for over 4000 assets.

Vulnerability Management Red Team OWASP

Technology Consulting Manager

Ernst and Young (EY)

Nov 2022 - Mar 2023 (4 months)

Led penetration testing and security assessments using industry standard frameworks such as OWASP. Conducted red team exercises and mentored team members in security practices.

Penetration Testing OWASP Red Team

Senior Cybersecurity Engineer

Prunedge Development Technologies

Jan 2021 - Sep 2022 (1 year 8 months)

Conducted vulnerability tests and led incident response exercises for cloud assets. Delivered security awareness training and social engineering campaigns.

Vulnerability Testing Incident Response Security Awareness Cloud Security

Cybersecurity Consultant/Network Infrastructure Engineer

Chert System Solutions

Dec 2018 - Dec 2020 (2 years)

Conducted external penetration tests and delivered presentations on security exploits. Developed custom scripts for IoT projects and provided cybersecurity training.

Penetration Testing IoT Python

IT Support Engineer

Digital Jewels Limited

Jun 2017 - Jun 2018 (1 year)

Supported Active Directory and Office 365 for users. Implemented network security measures and maintained compliance with ISO 27001 audit requirements.

Active Directory Office 365 Network Security ISO 27001 Compliance

Network Engineer

Nevo Networks Limited

Jul 2016 - Apr 2017 (9 months)

Deployed and configured LAN and WAN networks. Configured Cisco routing and switching protocols and delivered training for Cisco routers and switches.

Cisco Routing Switching

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Federal University of Technology, Owerri

Bachelor of Engineering, Electrical/Electronics Engineering

2010 - 2014

Studied Electrical and Electronics Engineering, focusing on the principles of electrical systems, electronics, and their applications in various technologies.