SANTHOSH AVVASULA
HYDERABAD
Summary
Network Security professional with 14+ years of experience designing, managing, and securing enterprise network infrastructures. Currently leading global teams at FactSet to strengthen security posture through advanced firewall technologies, compliance initiatives, and risk assessments. Highly experienced with Palo Alto and Cisco ASA firewalls, strategic planning, vendor management, and delivering successful security projects through strong cross-functional collaboration.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Cybersecurity Manager
FactSet
Hyderabad
10.2024 - Current
- Managing 10-member global security engineering team across India, Brazil and the US, overseeing project planning, resource allocation, and performance reviews.
- Developed and enforced enterprise-wide security policies, standards, SOPs, and best practices for firewall operations, access management, and cloud security.
- Drove compliance initiatives through regular audits, documentation (HLD/LLD/as-built), and vendor management to reduce operational and security risks.
- Acted as a key escalation point for critical security incidents, coordinating with network, cloud, DevOps, InfoSec, and application teams to ensure rapid resolution.
- Collaborated with senior leadership and product teams during major projects such as SASE migration, Palo Alto consolidation, AWS security uplift, and firewall upgrades.
- Facilitated communication between engineering teams, management, and vendors to drive alignment on security priorities and architectural decisions.
- Supported internal and external IT/security audits by providing evidence, logs, and compliance documentation for firewalls, IDS/IPS, and cloud deployments.
- Ensured firewall and cloud security configurations adhered to industry-recognized standards such as NIST, CIS Benchmarks, ISO controls, and cloud governance policies.
Cybersecurity Architect
FactSet
Hyderabad
06.2020 - 09.2024
- Designed and implemented secure network architectures using Palo Alto, Cisco ASA, and Check Point firewalls, including micro-segmentation and Zero Trust design at FactSet.
- Executed large-scale firewall migrations (ASA → Palo Alto), ensuring seamless segmentation and improving overall network security posture.
- Managed enterprise-grade firewalls in hybrid and multi-cloud environments, integrating network security controls with AWS WAF, Shield Advanced, and SASE platforms.
- Led the design of next-generation security architectures using Palo Alto NGFW, Prisma SASE, IDS technologies, and Zero Trust Access models.
- Implemented IPS/IDS controls and VPN infrastructures across global sites and data centers.
- Performed segmentation design using security zones, policy frameworks, and least-privilege access principle
- Secured hybrid and cloud workloads using AWS WAF, Shield Advanced, VPC security, and cloud firewall integrations.
- Designed and implemented Prisma SASE policies, integrated firewalls with Panorama/SASE cloud manager, and supported SD-WAN readiness.
Consultant Infrastructure Management
Infosys
07.2018 - 06.2020
- Experienced in implementing and managing Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) and Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) to strengthen secure access and threat protection.
- Designed and maintained enterprise-grade firewall infrastructure, including Paloalto firewalls , ensuring compliance with security standards.
- Acted as a key escalation point for critical security incidents and changes to network configurations, aligning with organizational goals.
- Led team support efforts, conducted onboarding and training for new joiners, and developed SOPs totandardize and streamline security operations in a collaborative environment.
Senior Specialist
HCL Technologies Limited
04.2016 - 07.2018
- Extensively implemented and managed Cisco ASA firewalls, routers, and switches to ensure secure and high-performance network infrastructure.
- Led troubleshooting, network audits, and vulnerability assessments to enhance stability and security posture.
Collaborated with cross-functional teams on upgrades and enforced security policies to protect organizational assets. - Provided team guidance, created detailed documentation, and conducted training to support operational excellence.
Senior Administrator
Wipro Limited
01.2015 - 04.2016
- Managed Cisco ASA firewall alongside Cisco switches and routers.
- Served as single point of contact for technical tower in customer engagements.
- Facilitated effective communication to ensure prompt resolution for end users.
- Oversaw vendor management and personnel administration.
- Directed daily operations and managed work plan allocation.
- Conducted periodic team reviews, providing weekly and monthly status reports to senior management.
- Implemented corrective actions informed by customer satisfaction surveys.
- Analyzed critical incidents, collaborating with teams to reduce recurrence.
Member Technical
ADP India PVT Ltd
09.2011 - 01.2015
- Implemented change orders to grant user access as per requests.
- Configured and troubleshot routing protocols: EIGRP, OSPF, and BGP.
- Executed switch configurations and troubleshooting for VLAN, VTP, STP, HSRP, and inter-VLAN routing.
- Tracked trouble tickets to ensure timely resolution of problems.
- Troubleshot switching and routing issues; escalated complex cases to the team promptly.
Education
B.Sc. - computer
Hyderabad01.2008
Skills
- Security Devices: Cisco ASA and Palo Alto firewalls
- AAA: Cisco ACS, TACACS & RADIUS, LDAP, Kerberos
- Load Balancer: F5 LTM
- SASE: ZIA/ZPA and Primsa Cloud
- Routing Protocols: RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, and BGP
- Tshoot: Wireshark network analysis
Certification
- AWS Solution Architect
- GIAC Public Cloud Security (GPCS), SANS
Languages
- Telugu
- English
- Hindi
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 10/30/88
- Nationality: Indian
Timeline
Cybersecurity Manager
FactSet
10.2024 - Current
Cybersecurity Architect
FactSet
06.2020 - 09.2024
Consultant Infrastructure Management
Infosys
07.2018 - 06.2020
Senior Specialist
HCL Technologies Limited
04.2016 - 07.2018
Senior Administrator
Wipro Limited
01.2015 - 04.2016
Member Technical
ADP India PVT Ltd
09.2011 - 01.2015