- Join Our Company
- Email: sales@pjnetworks.com
- Phone: +91-9818361787
And here I am, sitting at my desk after my third coffee — and yup, I’m still high off the hardware hacking village at DefCon last week. It’s difficult to not be passionate about security when you’ve watched the game change since — hell — before the internet was a common thing. I began as a network admin back in 1993 – managing voice and data muxes across the good old PSTN. That was back when we believed firewalls were just posh locks on the door to the server room, and virus was a condition IT staff got from sneezing. I had no idea that I’d one day find myself running my own cybersecurity company, and advising some of the largest banks in the world as they navigate the zero-trust minefield. But let me tell you — what has been in my hands is worth way more than any certification or whitepaper.
I remember, back in the day, I took my first full-on kick in the teeth from the Slammer worm — yep, little spring-loaded bugger that knocked over banks, grounded planes, and likely put some of your favorite websites out of business in 2003. I can still recall the panic as if it were yesterday: servers melting down, routers going crazy, and everybody trying to play detective as they tracked it down, that tiny yet enormous menace.
What did Slammer teach me? Fast attacks require fast responses. Meanwhile, the vast majority of orgs to this day pretend to believe that cyberattacks are like a stew on a slow boil — they’re not. Think twice first, then ask?Thinking nothing, I realized two things in that explosion:
Fast forward to today, I’m at the helm of P J Networks Pvt Ltd where we manage everything from managed NOC services to firewalls, servers, routers, and cybersecurity consultancy. No fluff, just good solid security practices customized for you. And recently, I’ve been able to work with three banks that are upgrading their zero-trust architecture.
Here’s the catch about zero-trust: Everyone loves the concept of never trusting anything inside or outside of your network. But implementing that? It’s a beast. It’s not a checkbox, it’s a cultural shift.
In dealings with these banks, I witnessed firsthand how legacy systems can have a dampening effect on innovation. I mean, you can’t just slap zero-trust onto an old infrastructure and magic will happen. More than once, we had to return to first principles:
By the way, it still pisses me off when everything is hawking themselves as AI powered as if it’s some magic wand for security. Here’s a clue: AI is only as reliable as the data and rules it follows. Blind faith? Dangerous.
You want real protection?
Oh, passwords. 5) But I’ll just come right out and say it — those ancient ‘change every 30 days’ decrees? Mostly useless and annoying. If your users are somehhow compelled into the cycle of P@$$w0rd123 to P@$$w0rd124 and so on, you’ve lost. Your passwords should be long, unique and ideally supported by multi-factor authentication. But then, MFA isn’t a panacea either ― I have witnessed attacks that have circumvented MFA via social engineering or insecure designs.
Here’s a better approach:
I just came back from DefCon, and HHV was simply insane. Back then, no one thought hardware was a weak link — and, now, it is. From firmware malware on USB drives to compromising IoT devices, the attack surface is expanding in ways we never thought possible.
Here’s the rub: Companies frequently fail to lock down their physical devices or underestimate risks from people who work in-house. When I discuss things with you guys, I always bring this up — you can have the best network structure on the planet, but if someone plugs in a douchey device, your fortress has a hole.
Prosecutors said Ms. Michell, who was released on bond, maintained that the arrest was a mistake. Here’s what you need to know: What should you spend more time doing today?
The past 30 years have shown one thing — cybersecurity is not a destination, it’s a journey. And each day, a new challenge, a new hack, a new vulnerability. Yes, the technology has shifted — from the age of PSTN multiplexers to cloud firewalls and zero-trust — but the fundamental reality is the same: security is people, process, and then technology The importance of people in security!
I’m proud of the work we are doing at P J Networks, but I’ll acknowledge — I have made mistakes. Relying too much on one solution, downplaying the threat from insiders and ineffective communication with customers. But that’s the best thing about this industry — if you don’t keep learning and growing, you’re irrelevant.
So if you’re a business leader out there reading this, don’t grow overwhelmed. Start small, start smart. And perhaps grab a third coffee on me.
— Sanjay Seth
P J Networks Pvt Ltd
Cybersecurity Consultant & Veteran
