Prashant Venkatesh
About Prashant Venkatesh
Prashant Venkatesh is a Chapter Lead at the OWASP Foundation and a Manager of Product Security at Poshmark, with extensive experience in application security and software engineering across various companies including Infosys, Microsoft, and KPMG.
Current Role at OWASP Foundation
Prashant Venkatesh serves as the Chapter Lead at OWASP Foundation since 2016. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the activities of the OWASP Bay Area chapter. He organizes and manages events such as 'hackerthursday,' which focuses on enhancing security awareness and practices within the community. His leadership contributes to the growth and engagement of the chapter's members.
Professional Experience in Security Engineering
Prashant has extensive experience in security engineering across various organizations. He worked at Kohl's Department Stores as a Staff Security Engineer from 2016 to 2021, where he focused on implementing security measures. Prior to that, he held positions at Microsoft as a Security Engineer and at Gap Inc./GapTech as an Application Security Engineer. His roles have included conducting threat modeling and design reviews, as well as integrating Static Application Security Testing (SAST) into CI/CD pipelines.
Education and Academic Background
Prashant Venkatesh earned a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) degree in Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering from LNCT Bhopal. His studies spanned from 1998 to 2002, providing him with a solid foundation in engineering principles that support his career in security and technology.
Initiatives and Contributions
In addition to his current roles, Prashant initiated and manages the bug bounty program at Poshmark, enhancing the company's security posture. He also founded and organizes the Seaside conference, recognized as one of India's most loved conferences. This event focuses on bringing together security professionals and enthusiasts to share knowledge and best practices.
Career Progression and Previous Roles
Prashant's career began at CA Technologies as an Associate Software Engineer, followed by various roles at Infosys, where he served as a Technology Lead and Security Architect. His experience also includes a tenure at KPMG as an Assistant Manager. This diverse background has equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of security and technology across different sectors.