Black Hat Asia 2025: My Journey as a Reviewer, Speaker & Community Connector

Every once in a while, you find yourself at a conference that doesn’t just tick the boxes—it transforms you. Black Hat Asia 2025 was precisely that for me.

Held in the heart of Singapore, this year’s edition was special for many reasons. I was privileged to wear multiple hats—Review Board member, speaker, panelist, speaker coach, and above all, a learner. It was a week filled with deep technical insights, inspiring conversations, and serendipitous reunions with people I’ve long admired—but rarely get to meet, especially from outside India.

From the Community Lounge to the thought-provoking Locknote at the end of the conference, every session was an opportunity to connect, reflect, and grow. I walked away with new perspectives, fresh energy, and a renewed sense of purpose in the work we do every day in cybersecurity.

Here’s a look back at my incredible journey through the conference.

Cloud Security: Building Connections in the Cloud

My first session was the Meetup around  “Cloud Security: Building Connections in the Cloud” meetup—a gathering that brought together cloud security professionals and enthusiasts to discuss shared challenges and innovative solutions. We discussed securing multi-cloud environments, navigating compliance, and how identity is now the real perimeter. But more than that, we shared our stories.

Meeting folks from different parts of Asia and beyond, many of whom I would rarely cross paths with in India, was invigorating. The diversity of thought, approach, and experience added layers to the discussion I hadn’t encountered before. That’s the magic of meetups at Black Hat—they’re informal yet deeply insightful.

Hacking the Status Quo: Celebrating Women in Cybersecurity

This panel was close to my heart. “Hacking the Status Quo: Tales from Leading Women in Cybersecurity” featured incredible women leaders—Ashley Shen, Pamela O’Shea, Asuka Nakajima, and myself. We shared not just our technical journeys, but the human side of cybersecurity—our struggles, the biases we overcame, the mentors who helped us shine, and the resilience it takes to stay in the game.

The warmth, support, and honesty in the room was overwhelming. Many attendees commented afterward on how refreshing it was to hear stories that don’t often make it to conference keynotes. It reminded me that representation matters—more than we think.

Speakers:

• Chi-En (Ashley) Shen  |  Security Research Engineering Technical Leader, Cisco Talos

• Pamela O'Shea  |  Director, Shea Security

• Asuka Nakajima  |  Senior Security Research Engineer, Elastic

• Vandana Verma  |  Review Board, Black Hat Asia

Coaching Future Leaders: Vulnerability Intelligence with SBOM and VEX

Another highlight was coaching the brilliant duo Anusha Penumacha and Srinija Kammari for their talk on “Determining Exploitability of Vulnerabilities with SBOM and VEX.” Their topic was deeply technical yet highly relevant, and it was an absolute joy helping them refine their message and delivery.

Watching them shine on stage was a proud mentor moment! Speaker coaching isn’t just about slides and stage presence—it’s about helping voices be heard clearly and confidently. And these voices are going to shape the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.

AI: Now Smarter Than Hackers, But Still Confused by Cats

The next day, I was part of another exciting session—“AI: Now Smarter Than Hackers, But Still Confused by Cats”. It was a fun, insightful take on how AI is evolving to be a key player in cybersecurity—but not without its quirks and limitations.

We explored how AI models are improving threat detection, but also how adversaries are learning to outsmart them. We also touched on ethical implications, the importance of data quality, and the real-world gap between what AI promises and what it actually delivers. The audience’s questions here were razor-sharp—it was clear people were thinking critically about the role of AI in our field.

Locknote: Reflections, Revelations & the Road Ahead

To wrap it all up, I was part of the Locknote session—a panel summarizing key takeaways from Black Hat Asia. We discussed trends, surprises, and the critical issues facing the security world today—from supply chain security to the human factors still often overlooked.

Being on that stage felt like a full-circle moment—after months of reviewing CFPs, coaching speakers, and delivering my own sessions, this was the perfect way to reflect on everything the conference stood for.

Speakers:

• Asuka Nakajima  |  Senior Security Research EngineerElastic

• Ryan Flores  |  Leader Forward-Looking Threat Research team

• Daniel Cuthbert  |  Junior PentesterSantander

• Vandana Verma  |  Review BoardBlack Hat Asia

• Jeff Moss  |  Founder of Black Hat and DEF CON Conferences & Former Chief Security Officer and VP at ICANNU.S. Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council

• Vitaly Kamluk  |  FounderTitanHex

Wrapping up

I also got the chance to attend the Blackhat Review Board Dinner being part of the Review Board alongside other amazing Reviewers. 

Perhaps the most fulfilling part of the week was reconnecting with mentors, meeting new friends, and finding allies from around the world. Many of these people I don’t get to see often or at all in India. From hallway chats to serendipitous dinners, whether it was seasoned veterans or young professionals attending their first Black Hat, the energy was contagious. And yes, being a part of the iconic “Hackers in India” picture was the icing on the cake—a proud moment to stand with some of the most brilliant minds from my home country, now making waves globally.

Black Hat Asia 2025 wasn’t just about talks or titles—it was about people, progress, and passion. It was about giving back to a community that has given me so much, and learning from every conversation along the way.

To everyone I met, mentored, or learned from, a huge thank you.