Pavan Portfolio

ABOUT ME

With an unwavering commitment to digital defense, I am Pavan Sreevatsav Akula, a proactive and analytical Threat Detection and Response Analyst. My core philosophy centers on a vigilant, forward-thinking approach—not just reacting to threats, but engineering resilience and anticipating the adversary's next move.

My expertise spans the full spectrum of modern security operations, from leading high-stakes incident response efforts and orchestrating recovery to architecting innovative detection rules in platforms like Azure Sentinel. I thrive on transforming raw threat intelligence and complex log data into actionable security enhancements, consistently improving detection efficacy and streamlining response protocols. This isn't just about closing tickets; it's about building a more intelligent, adaptive, and robust security posture.

I believe in a data-driven, intelligence-led methodology, leveraging frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK for strategic threat hunting and sophisticated EDR/SIEM solutions for comprehensive visibility. My contributions extend to developing detailed SOPs, playbooks, and automated workflows that empower security teams and elevate operational maturity. The dynamic nature of cybersecurity fuels my commitment to continuous learning, reflected in my Master's in Cybersecurity from RIT, advanced SANS training, and industry certifications including the GCIH and ECIH.

Beyond the technical, I am a collaborative team player dedicated to fostering a strong security culture. I am eager to apply my skills and innovative mindset to protect critical assets and contribute to an organization that values proactive defense and cutting-edge security practices.

EXPERIENCE

Primary TDR analyst responsible for leading incident response, standardizing procedures, and enhancing detection capabilities through proactive measures and threat intelligence integration. Focused on minimizing cyber risk and improving the organization's security posture.

Quantifiable Achievements & Impact

50+

Declared Incidents Managed

60+

Enhancement Requests Submitted

15

Custom Detection Rules Developed

500+

Phishing Reports Triaged

4

Tabletop Exercises (TTXs) Contributed

Led triage and response for 50+ declared cybersecurity incidents as the primary TDR analyst; authored cyber incident after action reports (CIAAR) and managed high-severity bridge calls with cross-functional digital technology teams.
Served as secondary team lead, driving SOP standardization, TDR process alignment, and contributing to Incident Response Framework development initiatives.
Submitted 60+ enhancement requests including alert tuning, log source integrations, and automation improvements; developed 15 custom detection rules using threat intelligence and log hunting techniques.
Classified and responded to 500+ phishing reports, created Azure Sentinel phishing workbooks, and implemented automated Teams SLA notifications and user response workflows.
Contributed to development of IOIs, SOPs, and IR playbooks; built Sentinel workbooks to enable 360-degree incident reviews and improve visibility for the SOC team.
Participated in adversary-driven threat hunting based on MITRE TTPs provided by the Threat Intel team, and supported enterprise wide cyber hygiene initiatives.
Represented the TDR team in 4 tabletop exercises (TTXs) and contributed to planning and execution as part of the TTX hosting team.

Core Responsibilities: Incident Triage & Response, SOP Standardization, Alert Tuning, Log Source Integration, Automation, Phishing Analysis, Playbook Development, Threat Hunting, Tabletop Exercises.

Technologies & Frameworks: Azure Sentinel (SIEM), KQL, EDR Solutions, Threat Intelligence Platforms, MITRE ATT&CK, Incident Response Frameworks, Microsoft Teams Automation, SOAR (conceptual).

Gained diverse cybersecurity experience through rotations in GRC, Cyber Engineering, and Cyber Architecture, focusing on security governance, cloud security, and system design. Contributed to enhancing threat detection capabilities through a key automation project.

Quantifiable Achievements & Impact

1

Major Automation Project Led

3

Cyber Teams Rotated Across

Led a major project integrating VirusTotal threat intelligence with Azure Sentinel SIEM and automating security alert workflows through Microsoft Teams to enhance threat detection and incident response.
Rotated across GRC, Cyber Engineering, and Cyber Architecture teams, gaining hands-on experience in security governance, cloud security engineering, and architectural design of secure systems.

Core Exposure: Security Governance, Cloud Security Engineering (Azure), Secure System Architecture, Threat Intelligence Integration, Workflow Automation, Incident Response Enhancement.

Technologies & Tools: Azure Sentinel, VirusTotal API, Microsoft Teams, GRC Principles.

Assisted in teaching Web Application Security to undergraduate students, focusing on practical application of concepts like OWASP Top 10 and Cryptography, and providing academic support.

Quantifiable Achievements & Impact

35

Undergrad Students Managed

Managed 35 undergrad students with teaching, grading, and providing feedback on the assignments.
Facilitated students with strong foundational skills in computing and networking such as OWASP Top 10, Cryptography, and basic web development.

Core Responsibilities: Teaching Assistance, Grading, Student Feedback, Curriculum Support.

Topics Covered: OWASP Top 10, Cryptography, Authentication, Basic Web Development Security, Network Security Fundamentals.

Served as a key member of the Security Operations Center (SOC) team, focusing on real-time event monitoring, alert analysis, incident triage, and remediation. Contributed to SIEM optimization and led a Level 1 security team.

Quantifiable Achievements & Impact

1000s

Alerts Investigated

80%

SIEM Alert Count Reduction

4

Data Breach AD-HOC Activities

11

Automated IR Playbooks Created

90%

Alert Volume Reduction (Playbooks)

15

L1 Team Members Led

Monitored and analyzed the events or alerts by detecting, prioritizing, triaging, mitigating, and remediating.
Investigated 1000’s of alerts and classified to true incidents or false positive on both SIEM and EDR tools.
Fine-tuned alerts in SIEM tools and reduced alert count from about 1500 to 300.
Performed 4 data breach AD-HOC activities and reported the finding in a timely manner to CISOs.
Collaborated with the content team and created 11 automated IR playbooks to reduce security alert volume by 90%.
Scheduled standup meetings, assigned tasks, and assisted with critical incidents by leading a 15 member security Level 1 team for five months.

Core Responsibilities: Event Monitoring, Alert Analysis, Incident Triage & Mitigation, SIEM Alert Fine-tuning, Data Breach Response, IR Playbook Creation, L1 Team Leadership.

Technologies & Tools: SIEM (general), EDR Solutions, Incident Response Platforms, Scripting for Automation (conceptual).

Contributed to OpenText Managed Services by developing and testing solutions, with a focus on automating UI tests for a content management system and collaborating with peer interns.

Quantifiable Achievements & Impact

25

UI Test Cases Automated

Guided peer interns with design, testing, production deployment, and stabilization of solutions for OpenText Managed Services.
Implemented UI tests for the content management system and automated 25 test cases.

Core Responsibilities: UI Test Automation, Software Testing, Solution Design & Deployment Support, Peer Mentorship.

Technologies & Tools: Content Management Systems (CMS), UI Testing Frameworks (e.g., Selenium - conceptual), Test Case Design.

SKILLS

Security Operations & Monitoring

FireEye

SailPoint

Threat & Vulnerability Management

Incident Response

EDR

Digital Forensics

Malware Analysis

Threat Hunting

Log Analysis

Vulnerability Assessment

MITRE ATT&CK

Email Security

Networking & Infrastructure

TCP/IP

DNS

Routing

OSI Model

IDS/IPS

Fortinet

Languages & Platforms

Python

PowerShell

Bash

Java

C

C++

JavaScript

Ruby on Rails

SQL

Linux

Windows

EDUCATION

Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Rochester Institute of Technology

Aug 2021 - Aug 2023 GPA: 3.79/4.0

Key Coursework:

Intro to Computing Security Adv Malware Forensics Information Risk Management Computing System Security Cryptography & Authentication Trusted Computing