CFP Directory

Dr. Akash Thakar is an Assistant Professor at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), an Institution of National Importance under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, where he specializes in Digital Forensics, Incident Response, and Cyber Security Operations. He holds a Ph.D. in Forensic Science and multiple industry certifications, including CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker), CHFI (Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator), and CEI (Certified EC-Council Instructor). He was awarded with best academia instructor award in 2023 by EC-Council.Dr. Thakar has served as a trainer and Red Team Manager in several large-scale national cyber security exercises organized by National Security Council Secretariat, including the Bharat National Cyber Security Exercise (2023, 2024, 2025), SOC RATS, and CII SECEx organized by NCIIPC, Government of India, among others. Across these exercises, he designed and delivered live training modules in Digital Forensics and Incident Response, simulating real-world adversary operations and guiding blue teams through evidence collection, analysis, and remediation.His professional engagements span both offensive and defensive cyber operations, where he focuses on bridging the gap between attacker tactics and forensic detection. Dr. Thakar has contributed to developing training frameworks for national cyber defence initiatives, collaborated with government and academic partners, and frequently delivers talks and workshops on advanced forensic methodologies and detection-driven threat hunting.Dr. Akash Thakar continues to advance cyber education through hands-on, detection-oriented programs that integrate red-teaming insights with forensic science for practical, real-world defense.

Actively working on leveraging AI to streamline compliance workflows. Passionate about bridging the gap between traditional security models and evolving AI-driven architectures, with a focus on delivering practical, real-world insights to the security community.

Keynote speaker with a proven track record presenting at premier industry conferences, including Secureworld, ISSA Motor City, RSAC CLF. Served as a Keynote Speaker at SecureWorld Detroit 2025, delivering executive-level insights on cyber risk, AI-driven threats, and enterprise resilience.

Satyam Gothi is a full-time bug bounty hunter, co-founder of Barracks, and a member of the elite Synack Red Team (SRT) - Top 200 worldwide - one of the most selective vetted researcher communities in the industry, with a sub-10% acceptance rate globally.Known online as RogueSMG, he is a Null Ahmedabad Champion, part-time Security content creator on YouTube, and a repeat speaker at BSides Ahmedabad - most recently presenting "Client-Side to Critical" at BSides Ahmedabad 0x05. He has spoken at security forums including NullAhm and PrivEscCon, and has been featured in tech talks by organisations including Treebo & HackenProof.At Barracks, he leads the design and execution of cognitive assessment events for Cybersecurity talent recognition & hiring - running structured vulnerability assessment challenges across events like BSides Ahmedabad, BSides Vizag, CyberKavach, IdentityShield Summit, and more.