Hardee N. Hatode

Cybersecurity | Network Security | Vulnerability Assessment

Security-focused builder with a practical, hands-on edge.

MSc Cybersecurity graduate (Distinction) with experience in penetration testing, IoT security, and building tools that translate findings into clear, actionable reports.

Guildford, UK Open to cybersecurity roles
Snapshot
  • Security testing with Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Kali Linux
  • Python, Linux, SQL, and practical vulnerability assessment
  • SIEM monitoring and alerting with Splunk (SPL detections, triggered alerts)

About

I’m a cybersecurity graduate with a background in computer science and a strong interest in understanding how systems behave under real-world conditions.

My work focuses on network security, vulnerability assessment, and analysing how attacks are carried out and detected. I enjoy breaking down complex systems, working with network traffic and logs, and identifying patterns that point to security risks.

During my studies, I worked on projects involving web security testing, network analysis, and IoT security, where I explored common vulnerabilities and practical ways to mitigate them.

I’m comfortable with tools like Wireshark, Nmap, Burp Suite, and OWASP ZAP, and I have experience working with Python and Linux for security-related tasks.

I’m always looking to learn, improve, and build practical skills that can be applied in real-world security environments.

Projects

Mini SOC Lab (Splunk SIEM)

Splunk Enterprise | SPL | Detection Engineering | Incident Reporting

  • Built an end-to-end SOC simulation by generating 1,500+ JSON security events and ingesting them into Splunk for SIEM analysis.
  • Created SPL detections for brute-force logins, port-scan reconnaissance, encoded PowerShell execution, and impossible-travel authentication behavior.
  • Configured scheduled alerts and validated triggered-alert workflows in Splunk Search & Reporting.
  • Documented findings in analyst-style incident reporting covering what happened, how detection worked, and security impact.
GitHub Repo

Web Security Scanner

Python | Flask | OWASP ZAP | Burp Suite

  • Developed a Flask web app that scans targets for common web issues (SQLi/XSS heuristics, missing security headers, open ports).
  • Integrated OWASP ZAP API for automated spider and active scans and parsed results into a unified UI.
  • Added Burp Suite XML import to consolidate professional tool findings in one place.
  • Implemented plain-language explanations for non-technical readers plus exportable JSON/HTML/PDF reports.
GitHub Repo

Deepfake Detection System

Python | TensorFlow | OpenCV | Jupyter Notebook

  • Built a deep learning-based system to detect manipulated media using CNNs and GANs.
  • Processed datasets with variations in lighting, facial expressions, and backgrounds and achieved 99% accuracy.
  • Evaluated performance via precision, recall, and F1-score and packaged as a standalone app.

Expense Management Android App

Kotlin | SQLite | Android Studio

  • Developed a mobile app to track and manage personal expenses.
  • Enabled real-time entry, tracking, and summary generation for users.
GitHub Repo

CyberLock Quest

Python | Pygame

CyberLock Quest is a Pygame-based, escape-room style cybersecurity game. Players rotate through a 360-degree room, interact with objects, and solve puzzles (password cracking, phishing detection, network log analysis, and social engineering decisions) to unlock the exit and progress through difficulty tiers.

GitHub Repo

Wireshark Network Security Analysis

Wireshark | Tshark | Network Analysis

Hands-on packet analysis lab documenting DNS, TCP, HTTP/HTTPS, ARP, ICMP, and TLS behaviors with filters and writeups.

GitHub Repo

Master's Dissertation

Security Evaluation of IoT Communication Protocols and Device Configurations in a Simulated Smart Home Network

University of Surrey | 2025 | MSc Cybersecurity

  • Designed a reproducible smart home IoT testbed integrating ESP32 microcontrollers and the Mosquitto MQTT broker.
  • Demonstrated and mitigated real-world attacks, including replay, topic hijacking, sniffing, and denial-of-service.
  • Applied and tested countermeasures such as TLS, ACLs, and freshness validation to assess defence effectiveness.
  • Analysed security-performance trade-offs and proposed recommendations for secure-by-default IoT deployment.

Skills

Offensive & Testing
Burp SuiteOWASP ZAPNmapMetasploitWireshark
Network & IoT
MQTTTLS/SSLACLsESP32Packet Analysis
Programming
PythonBashKotlinCJava
Foundations
TCP/IPOSI ModelFirewallsAccess ControlISO 27001
Platforms & Data
Linux (Ubuntu, Kali)WindowsSQLMongoDBPower BI

Education

2025 - 2026
MSc Cybersecurity (Distinction)
University of Surrey, Guildford
NCSC-certified programme
2021 - 2024
BSc Computer Science (CGPA: 6.99/10.0)
University of Mumbai, Mumbai

Contact

If you want a walkthrough of my projects or a custom security assessment, I am happy to connect.