CyberSmithSECURE // Offensive-informed defence
Red team architect · Virtual CISO · Director & CEO, CyberSmithSECURE
One of India's youngest cyber evangelists and information security professionals
Twelve years spent breaking systems in order to defend them — for unicorn boards, global enterprises, and the agencies that investigate what happens when defence fails.
Top Cyber News Magazine's Global 30 Under 30 in Cybersecurity, 2026Operating corridor
In brief — official bio
Dr. Smith Gonsalves is a globally recognised cybersecurity leader, named among the Global 30 Under 30 in Cybersecurity 2026. Recognised as one of India's youngest Cyber Evangelists & Information Security Professionals, he has built a distinguished career spanning cyber strategy, offensive security and enterprise security leadership. He represents India on international forums on Cyber Strategy, contributing to global dialogues on emerging threats, cyber resilience and the future of digital security. A cybersecurity entrepreneur, researcher and strategic advisor, Dr. Gonsalves brings together the hacker mindset, boardroom strategy and global cyber diplomacy to shape a more secure digital future.
Figures as stated by Smith Gonsalves; his own materials cite both “10” and “12” years, and both “200+” and “500+” organisations at different points — worth pinning down one authoritative figure with him directly.
Section 01 // Subject
It has not really stopped since — through law enforcement casework, a military-veteran-founded consultancy, unicorn boardrooms, and stages in five countries.
Dr. Smith Gonsalves began as an ethical hacker and forensic investigator, assisting law enforcement and nodal agencies — CERT-In, NCIIPC, cyber cells, military and signals intelligence units, and the Ministry of Home Affairs — on investigation, forensics and policy-level governance.
He has since served as Chief Information Security Officer and security advisor to board members across SaaS product companies, logistics, automobile, EdTech, pharma, BPO, metals and steel, and oil and gas. He became a CISO for one of India's largest EV manufacturers at 21, and cleared OSCP at nineteen.
“Evaluating a product by controls and price is not going to stop the breach that is bound to happen.”
Through CyberSmithSECURE, the boutique consultancy he built during his first year of college, he leads security detection and deterrence programmes for enterprises including Coforge, Swiggy, Ather Energy, ICICI Lombard, Capita, Brigade Group, Encora and Prudent Brokers.
He still practises. Formally a red team architect, he breaches companies, breaks products, and demonstrates the weaponisation that is actually possible — because a finding a board can visualise is a finding a board will fund. His doctoral research examines counter-adversarial simulation of defensive and offensive systems, and how far adversaries can sabotage enterprises before it becomes a matter of national security.
He also gives the work away: mentoring young talent, training cyber aspirants, and running JCAF 655, a CyberSmithSECURE unit that has “been constantly providing voluntary assistance and support” to the Bandra Kurla Cyber Cell of the Mumbai Police.
Same subject, nine years apart
In his own words — from the archive, not a press release
When I passed 10th with average numbers, my teachers believed I was a useless backbencher.
On school, before security
What they saw was a kid who was uninterested in class, sat in the last row, and wasted his time reading random books. But what they didn't see was that I was reading bootleg copies of the best books on information security. The originals were too expensive.
On how it actually started
In my first 3 years as an entrepreneur, I got 0 clients. Today, my clientele includes some of the biggest MNCs and unicorn start-ups.
On founding CyberSmithSECURE
The first project I got as an entrepreneur was worth upwards of 10 lakhs. But I did it for 1 lakh.
On building a reputation before building a business
Section 02 // Timeline
Reconstructed from his own public record — award citations, conference posts, and the years in between.
Clears both certifications under special age approval, and signs a waiver to enrol in a course with an eighteen-plus limit. Conducts his first VAPT engagement the same year.
Earliest dated posts in his own archive: a Hacktech conference talk, a live Radio City 91.1FM segment on WannaCry, and a February feature in Digital 4n6 Journal on the Legion hacktivist group.
Advisor at the security consultancy founded by military veterans Lt. Cdr. Pawan Desai and Col. Samrendra Kumar — the posting that gave him, in his own words, “the career boost I needed to get here.”
Clears the Offensive Security Certified Professional exam, one of the field's harder practical credentials.
Zero clients for the first three years. The first paid engagement was billed at a loss, deliberately, to build a case study worth showing the next client.
Becomes Chief Information Security Officer at 21 — confirmed in his own Top Cyber News Magazine feature bio.
Recognised by Enterprise IT World with the CIO1000 APAC Award, and named among India's Cyber Soldiers 2021 by CyberFrat at the Cyber Warfare Symposium.
Speaks at GISEC 2022 and 2023 on the Hack360 stage, and meets the UAE's Head of Cyber Security, H.E. Dr Mohammed Al Kuwaiti — a relationship that continues into later InterSec appearances.
Computer Society of India, Mumbai Chapter — nine years after starting in the field at fifteen.
Hosts the AVAR 2023 conference in Dubai (400+ delegates, 50+ speakers) in collaboration with the UAE Cyber Security Council, on positioning cybersecurity as a contributor to stakeholder value.
Future Crime Research Foundation Summit — received, by his own account, in front of the InfoSec mentors who had watched him work since his teens.
Panelist on “Creating an Innovative Ecosystem — A Global Perspective,” representing India alongside the Ambassador of the Republic of Panama to Israel and delegates from Romania, Uruguay and the Czech Republic.
Named by Top Cyber News Magazine (France), representing India alongside honorees from Ghana, Tunisia, Kenya and Australia.
Section 03 // Practice areas
The audience changes, so the language changes. The underlying discipline does not.
Casework and capability-building with nodal agencies and state police — digital forensics, cyber investigation, and policy-level governance recommendations. More than 25,000 professionals trained to date.
Board-level cyber advisory across BPO, defence, healthcare, insurance and BFSI, automobile and SaaS. Long-range cyber budgeting framed as deterrence ROI rather than cost, with subject-matter support for companies approaching IPO or raising Series A through C.
Predicting attacks before they land: mapping the blind spots that become vulnerabilities, weaponising them under controlled conditions, and modelling the risk in UAT before it reaches production. Organisation-wide coverage across cloud, applications, APIs and containers.
Speaker and sponsor curation for large-scale security and AI conferences, including hosting AVAR and the InterSec Innovation Stage. Round tables, trade shows and summits built on direct reach into a network of security professionals.
Section 04 // Credentials
Several of these were cleared under age-limit exemptions, before they were technically permitted.
Section 05 // Recognition
Most of it arrived from people who had watched the work since his teens.
“Receiving the Cyber Risk Mitigation award at the Future Crime Summit was an emotional moment” — recognised in category by industry figures who had watched his work since his teenage years.
Future Crime Research Foundation (FCRF Academy) Summit
The magazine's own citation: “Cyber Security Expert, CISO, one of India's Youngest Cyber Evangelists & Information Security Professionals... becoming a CISO at age of 21 for the largest EV's in the country, successfully cracking OSCP at the age of 19 and cracking CEH & CHFI at an underage of 15 with special approvals.”
Named alongside Patricia Serwaa Kodie Agyekum (PAIX Data Centres, Ghana), Mohamed Hamdi Ouardi (Arab Tunisian Bank, Tunisia), Fatma Omar Salim (Deloitte, Kenya) and Christopher Nguyen (Macquarie Group, Australia) — with thought leadership from the same issue contributed by Bruno Prévost, Dr. Nacira Salvan, Matthew Rosenquist and Dr. David Bray, among others.
With thanks to Dr. Ludmila Morozova-Buss, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Top Cyber News Magazine, and Puneet Tambi, Founder of the OTSec Pro Community, for the nomination.
Section 06 // Speaking & global stage
From a college auditorium in Mumbai to a national conference hall in Tel Aviv.
Speaker Profile (PDF)Panelist on “Creating an Innovative Ecosystem — A Global Perspective,” representing India alongside Ezra Cohen (Ambassador of the Republic of Panama to Israel), Omer Yanay (Penlink, Israel), Ethel Kornecki (Lugapel, Uruguay), Razvan Bologa (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania) and David Marek (Tachles VC, Czech Republic) — at a conference addressed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. He introduced himself on the panel as “a 26-year-old entrepreneur from Virar, India.”
“As Hon'ble PM Benjamin Netanyahu addresses CyberTech Tel Aviv 2026, I'm honored to speak as a panelist representing India on this global stage shaping the future of cyber power.”
Read: the420.in — India delegation at CyberTech Global Tel Aviv 2026
“When I met the man behind the Abraham Accords — not in a war room, but at a private business party in Tel Aviv.”
“Meet Yosi Cohen — former Chief of Mossad. Architect of peace in public, and a name behind decades of deep diplomacy. And now? Possibly Israel's next Prime Minister.”
“Israel doesn't just build startups. They weaponise innovation, invest in ex-military minds from 23–45, and back it with real policy, intelligence and capital. From Tel Aviv, the signal travels to the world — cybersecurity is no longer defence, it's strategy.”
International Cooperation Against Emerging Cyber Threats
“Artificial Intelligence is used in mission combat systems to kill humans and adversaries, and on the same line, Artificial Intelligence lectures humans on humanity.”
Moderated a discussion on ransomware, cybercrime networks, AI-driven fraud, misinformation, phone farming, national security and the growing need for international cooperation — joined by Suhel Daud (Legal Attaché, FBI, U.S. Embassy), Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Pawan Anand (Retd.), Director, USI of India; Deepak Maheshwari (Centre for Social and Economic Progress); and Tai Jung Ho (Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre).
“What stood out for me was that technology itself is neither peaceful nor dangerous — its impact depends on the intent, governance and responsibility behind its use. Digital peace will require more than technology. It will require dialogue, cooperation and a strong commitment to humanity.”
“Always a pleasure to meet mentors and get guidance from them on the future of cyber strategy.”
Identity Shield Summit 2026India · ModeratorModerated “Building Resilient Detection Pipelines: Telemetry, Correlation & Context,” with Gautam Kapoor (MD, Accenture India), Krishna Pandey (Xerox) and Amey Lakeshri (Associate Partner, KPMG).
CyberForge GlobalDubaiAppeared at CyberForge, presented with Plexus Global Events — the specific co-host institutions named in an earlier draft of this section are unconfirmed pending a check with Smith.
Indo-US Cybersecurity Conclave, 2nd Edition2025Documented at the 2025 conclave (DSCI-affiliated) — his exact role on the day (speaker, panelist or delegate) is unconfirmed and worth a quick check with Smith before publishing further detail.
USI Indo US Taiwan DialogueNew Delhi · PanelistA national digital security dialogue convened with US and Taiwanese consulate representatives, addressing AI-generated threats.
BSides AhmedabadIndia · Panelist & ModeratorRecurring appearances (2022, 2023) moderating CxO panels — fellow panelists have included Nitin Bhatnagar (PCI), Dilip Panjwani (CISO, L&T Infotech) and Khushru Doctor (ISACA Ahmedabad).
CybPro International Cybersecurity Conference · Chitkara UniversityIndia · KeynoteKeynote: “The Future of Cybersecurity in the Verse: Towards AGI.” Closing line: “India doesn't need more toppers. It needs thinkers, scientists, and builders.”
Future Crime Summit 2024India · Speaker & awardeeOrganised with IIT Kanpur's Startup Incubation & Innovation Centre and the Future Crime Research Foundation — the trip where he received the Cyber Risk Mitigation award (see Recognition).
Also on the record
Spoke on the Hack360 stage at GISEC 2022 & 2023; hosted AVAR 2023 and moderated a healthcare-security panel at AVAR 2024; hosted the InterSec Innovation Stage in 2025, including an MoU signing witnessed by H.E. Dr Mohammed Al Kuwaiti.
Attended and networked at Tejas Cyber Network events, including the Bay Area Cyber Leadership and Entrepreneurship Summit.
Talks on millennial cyber warriors, decentralised communication, and combating APTs with offensive controls. The IIT Bombay talk was delivered the day before his final school maths board exam.
Section 07 // Customers
A cross-section of the enterprises, platforms and institutions CyberSmithSECURE has worked with directly.
NSDL
Ather Energy
Go-MMT
Technovert
BYJU'S
Capita
Coforge
Delhivery
Arjas Steel
Keka
Goibibo
WhiteHat Jr
Cogknit
Computer Society of India
Swiggy
redBus
MakeMyTrip
TripMoney
BYJU'S Future School
Molbio
SpotOn
SLK
ISAC
Mahanagar Gas
Bharat Petroleum
Aegis
Cycle Agarbathi
MitKat Advisory
Prime
Samara Capital
Paradise Biryani
AdvantageGo
Brigade Group
African Industries Group
Dainik Bhaskar GroupSection 08 // In their words
Recommendations left on the record — by people who managed him, hired him, or worked the room next to him.
“I had the privilege of working closely with Smith Gonsalves and his team during their engagement for Vulnerability Assessments, Penetration Testing, Red Teaming etc. Smith's expertise and meticulous approach to cybersecurity were instrumental in ensuring our systems remained robust and resilient against potential threats.”
“Smith is an assiduous champ, open minded, having plethora of knowledge. There is not a single question which Smith has not got an answer for.”
“Smith is an enthusiastic, extremely helpful and committed cyber security professional. He is well connected to professionals across different realms and industries and is always looking for opportunities to network and learn from them.”
“Smith Gonsalves is one of the youngest cyber security evangelists and an ethical hacker of great repute. He is a great asset to my organisation, and destined for great glory and success.”
“His technical virtuosity is such that he can sniff out the vulnerability time and again. Beyond a shadow of doubt, I will recommend him any time anywhere.”
“Smith, is a very energetic young champ, who has an exemplary way of obtaining his objective. I was taken aback when he presented his study with such a detailed explanation @ our website for security audit.”
“Smith is a passionated & dedicated professional who I have ever seen or worked with, his growth with his age isn't comparable. He has achieved great heights in his journey.”
“Smith is energetic and very patriotic. I wish to see him as a Cyber Icon of India.”
“I had the privilege of working closely with Smith Gonsalves and his team during their engagement for Vulnerability Assessments, Penetration Testing, Red Teaming etc. Smith's expertise and meticulous approach to cybersecurity were instrumental in ensuring our systems remained robust and resilient against potential threats.”
“Smith is an assiduous champ, open minded, having plethora of knowledge. There is not a single question which Smith has not got an answer for.”
“Smith is an enthusiastic, extremely helpful and committed cyber security professional. He is well connected to professionals across different realms and industries and is always looking for opportunities to network and learn from them.”
“Smith Gonsalves is one of the youngest cyber security evangelists and an ethical hacker of great repute. He is a great asset to my organisation, and destined for great glory and success.”
“His technical virtuosity is such that he can sniff out the vulnerability time and again. Beyond a shadow of doubt, I will recommend him any time anywhere.”
“Smith, is a very energetic young champ, who has an exemplary way of obtaining his objective. I was taken aback when he presented his study with such a detailed explanation @ our website for security audit.”
“Smith is a passionated & dedicated professional who I have ever seen or worked with, his growth with his age isn't comparable. He has achieved great heights in his journey.”
“Smith is energetic and very patriotic. I wish to see him as a Cyber Icon of India.”
“Mr Smith Gonsalves is a very passionate and dedicated person who has a tremendous ability to relay his knowledge to others. I highly recommend Mr Smith to everyone looking for Cyber Security stuff.”
“Smith is a very hard-working person. He is one of the youngest Infosec professional around. Smith has good knowledge about the infosec domain. I wish him all the best.”
“Smith is very talented and highly skilled cyber security professional. He is very passionate and dedicated towards his work.”
“It was a pleasure working with CyberSmithSECURE team who we recommend as the best in managed security services. The Team is very professional and they are dedicated to ensuring 360 degree cyber safety for an organization.”
“CyberSmithSECURE has been the backbone of our cybersecurity program, helping us in every step of the way in strengthening our IT infrastructure with InfoSec capabilities and deterring any potential threats to Ather Energy.”
“CyberSmithSECURE has helped us very much in strengthening our defensive as well as offensive capabilities in terms of cyber security. Smith has come through and exceeded all our expectations.”
“Smith has an eye for detail and a nose to sniff out the more surreptitious vulnerabilities on the network or the system, and his impeccable investigative skills are noteworthy. CyberSmithSECURE services has always added value to SLK Global solutions.”
“Mr Smith Gonsalves is a very passionate and dedicated person who has a tremendous ability to relay his knowledge to others. I highly recommend Mr Smith to everyone looking for Cyber Security stuff.”
“Smith is a very hard-working person. He is one of the youngest Infosec professional around. Smith has good knowledge about the infosec domain. I wish him all the best.”
“Smith is very talented and highly skilled cyber security professional. He is very passionate and dedicated towards his work.”
“It was a pleasure working with CyberSmithSECURE team who we recommend as the best in managed security services. The Team is very professional and they are dedicated to ensuring 360 degree cyber safety for an organization.”
“CyberSmithSECURE has been the backbone of our cybersecurity program, helping us in every step of the way in strengthening our IT infrastructure with InfoSec capabilities and deterring any potential threats to Ather Energy.”
“CyberSmithSECURE has helped us very much in strengthening our defensive as well as offensive capabilities in terms of cyber security. Smith has come through and exceeded all our expectations.”
“Smith has an eye for detail and a nose to sniff out the more surreptitious vulnerabilities on the network or the system, and his impeccable investigative skills are noteworthy. CyberSmithSECURE services has always added value to SLK Global solutions.”
“I had the privilege of working closely with Smith Gonsalves and his team during their engagement for Vulnerability Assessments, Penetration Testing, Red Teaming etc. Smith's expertise and meticulous approach to cybersecurity were instrumental in ensuring our systems remained robust and resilient against potential threats.”
“Smith is an assiduous champ, open minded, having plethora of knowledge. There is not a single question which Smith has not got an answer for.”
“Smith is an enthusiastic, extremely helpful and committed cyber security professional. He is well connected to professionals across different realms and industries and is always looking for opportunities to network and learn from them.”
“Smith Gonsalves is one of the youngest cyber security evangelists and an ethical hacker of great repute. He is a great asset to my organisation, and destined for great glory and success.”
“His technical virtuosity is such that he can sniff out the vulnerability time and again. Beyond a shadow of doubt, I will recommend him any time anywhere.”
“Smith, is a very energetic young champ, who has an exemplary way of obtaining his objective. I was taken aback when he presented his study with such a detailed explanation @ our website for security audit.”
“Smith is a passionated & dedicated professional who I have ever seen or worked with, his growth with his age isn't comparable. He has achieved great heights in his journey.”
“Smith is energetic and very patriotic. I wish to see him as a Cyber Icon of India.”
“Mr Smith Gonsalves is a very passionate and dedicated person who has a tremendous ability to relay his knowledge to others. I highly recommend Mr Smith to everyone looking for Cyber Security stuff.”
“Smith is a very hard-working person. He is one of the youngest Infosec professional around. Smith has good knowledge about the infosec domain. I wish him all the best.”
“Smith is very talented and highly skilled cyber security professional. He is very passionate and dedicated towards his work.”
“It was a pleasure working with CyberSmithSECURE team who we recommend as the best in managed security services. The Team is very professional and they are dedicated to ensuring 360 degree cyber safety for an organization.”
“CyberSmithSECURE has been the backbone of our cybersecurity program, helping us in every step of the way in strengthening our IT infrastructure with InfoSec capabilities and deterring any potential threats to Ather Energy.”
“CyberSmithSECURE has helped us very much in strengthening our defensive as well as offensive capabilities in terms of cyber security. Smith has come through and exceeded all our expectations.”
“Smith has an eye for detail and a nose to sniff out the more surreptitious vulnerabilities on the network or the system, and his impeccable investigative skills are noteworthy. CyberSmithSECURE services has always added value to SLK Global solutions.”
Section 09 // Press & publications
Usually on breaches, cyber fraud, privacy, and India's state-level cyber posture.
His FORCE Magazine column on India's cyber warfare posture sets out ten measures the state should adopt — from cost barriers on foreign solutions and defence accelerators for Indian security startups, to civil-military fusion and wartime cooperation with private companies.
Technical review contributor to Mastering Defensive Security (Packt) and other titles published across the cyber security industry.
Section 10 // Contact
Whether that's a board asking hard questions before a funding round, an investigation that needs forensic support, or a stage that needs a speaker who has actually run the attack.
Send a brief
