Hello, I'm
Nikhil Shakya
Emerging Security Researcher specializing in offensive capabilities and infrastructure defense.
I am a Pre-Final Year B.Tech (Hons.) CSE Student at Lovely Professional University. I am passionate about identifying vulnerabilities in web applications and cloud environments, building secure architectures, and contributing to the open-source security community.
Security as an Enabler
I believe that security should not be a roadblock, but a fundamental building block of modern infrastructure. By embedding security early in the development lifecycle, we build resilient systems capable of withstanding advanced threats without compromising velocity.
core_truth.md
[+] Analysis complete.
Security is a continuous state of structured paranoia.
To defend a system, you must first understand how to break it.
Shift-left is mandatory. Perimeter defense is obsolete.
Assume breach. Validate everything. Trust minimal.
Experience
Cyber Security Intern
- Developed SmartNetIDS, a machine learning–based Network Intrusion Detection System.
- Conducted security assessments and penetration testing using Nmap, Wireshark, Metasploit.
- Completed 60+ TryHackMe labs applying techniques to real-world attacks.
Mission Logs
Cloud Control-Plane Purple Team Lab
Research lab studying identity-based attacks in cloud control planes, focusing on IAM role misuse and CloudTrail evasion techniques.
target_01: cloud-control-plane
> detected: AssumeRole privilege escalation
> status: VULNERABILITY_MAPPED
Technical Deep Dive: This research environment emulates AssumeRole abuse and privilege escalation paths in AWS. It uses Terraform to provision vulnerable infrastructure and flags suspicious identity movements through automated CloudTrail analysis and GuardDuty-inspired logic.
InsightOps
Security operations intelligence engine correlating Splunk alerts into MITRE ATT&CK–aligned detection logic and risk scoring.
target_02: insight-ops
> matching MITRE T1059.001...
> risk_score: 8.5/10 (CRITICAL)
Intelligence Engine: InsightOps integrates with the HEC Pipeline to ingest real-time security events. It applies structured correlation to prioritize alerts based on threat actor profiles and historical data, mapping every detection to specific MITRE sub-techniques.
SmartNetIDS
Lightweight, ML-driven Network Intrusion Detection System for real-time anomaly detection with a custom Streamlit dashboard.
target_03: smart-net-ids
> isolation_forest check: ANOMALY
> alert: potential data exfiltration
Anomaly Detection: Utilizes an Isolation Forest model trained on standard traffic baselines to identify out-of-band payloads. It captures packets on eth0 via Scapy, extracting features in real-time to flag SYN floods and potential data exfiltration attempts.
Secure File Management System
CLI-based secure storage with AES-256 encryption, 2FA via PyOTP, and integrated malware scanning for secure data persistence.
target_04: secure-fs
> verifying PyOTP 2FA...
> integrity check: PASS
Security Architecture: Implements AES-GCM 256 for authenticated encryption of local blobs. Authenticates users via JWT-signed sessions and enforces PyOTP-based 2FA. Includes a sanity-check layer that pipes new uploads through a static analyzer to detect malicious signatures.
Specialized Skill Nodes
Languages & Frameworks
Core programming, scripting languages, and structural frameworks.
Tools & Technologies
Platforms, environments, and analytical utilities for security operations.
Soft Skills
Interpersonal attributes to effectively drive team objectives.
Core Concepts
Fundamental knowledge domains governing infrastructure and security.
[+] Languages & Platforms:
Python, C/C++, Bash, SQL, Solidity, PowerShell, HTML/CSS, Scapy, Flask, OWASP Top 10
[+] Utilities & Tooling:
Linux, Windows, AWS, MySQL, Burp Suite, Active Directory, Splunk, Git/GitHub, Docker, Remix IDE, Notion, Cursor AI, Antigravity AI, MCP
[+] Soft Skills:
Leadership, Analytical Thinking, Adaptability, Collaboration & Teamwork, Attention to Detail, Documentation & Reporting
[+] Knowledge Domains:
Networking, Internals, Web App Pentesting, Cloud Security, DevOps, AI-Assisted SOC, Digital Forensics, Blockchain, OS, DSA, DBMS
> sys.metrics recorded. EOF reached.
Blogs & Writeups
drwxr-xr-x nikhil staff [2026-03-25] I-Built-a-Hacking-Lab-on-My-PC.md
drwxr-xr-x nikhil staff [2026-03-10] AI-Assisted-SOC-Platform-From-Scratch.md
> Full archive: medium.com/@nikhilshakya0905
Education & Certifications
Education
-
Lovely Professional University
B.Tech (Hons.) CSE - Cybersecurity & Blockchain
CGPA: 8.70 -
Kendriya Vidyalaya 3BRD, Air Force Station, Chandigarh
Intermediate - PCM with CS
Percentage: 86%
High School
Percentage: 93.6%
sys.edu_records
=> Status: ACTIVE
=> Hash_Score: 8.70
[KV] Intermediate PCM
=> Status: VERIFIED (86%)
[KV] High School
=> Status: VERIFIED (93.6%)
Certifications
Operational Ranking
sys.metrics
TryHackMe: Top 2%
> Fetching live_feed...
Status: SYNCHRONIZED
Establish Connection
Initiate Secure Connection
My inbox is always open. Whether you have a question or just want to say hi, I'll try my best to get back to you!
Connection to contact.ns.local 443 port [tcp/https] succeeded!
> Status: OPEN_FOR_OPS
> [ initiate SMTP payload : nikhilshakya0905@gmail.com ]
> [ clone remote repository ]