Ahmed is available for hire
Hire AhmedAhmed Abdoun
Verified Expert in Engineering
Security Engineer and Software Developer
Location
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Toptal Member Since
August 17, 2023
With more than seven years of experience, Ahmed is a cybersecurity enthusiast dedicated to strengthening businesses' digital defenses. He excels in identifying vulnerabilities within critical infrastructure and safeguarding the digital realm from potential threats. Ahmed's expertise lies in application and infrastructure penetration testing and conducting impactful red teaming engagements.
Portfolio
Canon Europe
Application Security, Penetration Testing, Red Teaming...
spriteCloud
Penetration Testing, Red Teaming
ABN AMRO Bank
Red Teaming, Penetration Testing
Experience
Availability
Part-time
Preferred Environment
Red Teaming, Ethical Hacking, Penetration Testing, Application Security, Network Security
The most amazing...
...vulnerability I've found within an interbank system could have potentially allowed attackers to illicitly siphon funds from that financial institution.
Work Experience
Application Security Professional
2020 - PRESENT
Canon Europe
- Determined the plan of approach and executed a number of penetration testing engagements, ranging from web and mobile applications to external and internal network infrastructures.
- Maintained security testing frameworks and tools to automate vulnerability identification and streamline the code review process.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to integrate security into the software development lifecycle, including requirements gathering, design, and testing phases.
- Conducted application security training sessions for developers to raise their awareness about secure coding practices and empower them to write secure code.
- Identified potential and emerging threats to the landscape and collaborated with the security operations center (SOC) to determine whether proper security controls were in place to address and mitigate those threats.
- Provided technical viability feedback on potential security issues reported through the responsible disclosure channels.
- Conducted occasional information security audits for national sales organizations.
Technologies: Application Security, Penetration Testing, Red Teaming, Vulnerability Identification
Security Testing Lead
2019 - 2020
spriteCloud
- Established the cybersecurity division and its services within the organization.
- Led the technical execution of penetration testing and red teaming engagements. The engagements ranged from web and mobile application security assessments to network infrastructure engagements, purple teaming, and IoT security assessments.
- Developed and maintained the team's operational and technical standard operating procedures.
- Assisted the business development group with identifying potential customers, representing the division in client meetings, and writing cost-effective proposals based on customer requirements.
- Identified and assessed opportunities for growth regarding cybersecurity offerings.
- Spent part of my time maintaining and upgrading my technical knowledge through relevant training programs, certifications, and participating in challenges.
Technologies: Penetration Testing, Red Teaming
Information Security Expert | Ethical Hacker | Red Teamer
2018 - 2018
ABN AMRO Bank
- Conducted red team exercises and adversary simulation scenarios in an attempt to identify gaps in ABN AMRO's detection and response capability and assessed whether the proper security controls were in place.
- Identified potential and emerging threats to ABN AMRO's landscape and collaborated with the SOC to identify whether proper security controls were in place to address and mitigate those threats.
- Conducted penetration tests on a number of ABN AMRO’s assets, including network infrastructures, web applications, and mobile applications. Furthermore, social engineering and physical access were also considered in specific engagements.
Technologies: Red Teaming, Penetration Testing
Security Analyst
2017 - 2018
Secura
- Contributed to and led several penetration testing engagements for various customers, ranging from web and mobile applications to external and internal network infrastructures.
- Documented and discussed the identified security flaws with management and IT teams.
- Provided feedback and verification as organizations fixed the identified security issues.
Technologies: Penetration Testing, Red Teaming
Security Consultant
2016 - 2017
Podictive
- Led extensive open-source intelligence operations for a financial institution, pinpointing vulnerabilities and potential threats.
- Employed advanced techniques to uncover the institution's attack surface, ensuring comprehensive security evaluation.
- Leveraged expertise to assess risks, enabling the institution to fortify its defenses against cyber threats.
Technologies: Open-source Intelligence (OSINT), Penetration Testing
Experience
International Ordering App for Multinational Beverage Company
I performed a security assessment on an international ordering app for a multinational beverage company. The app is used in restaurants and bars for placing orders, paying, and saving for rewards.
The assessment included coverage of their client-facing Android and iOS applications, along with an administrative interface used only by the restaurant or bar owner.
The assessment included coverage of their client-facing Android and iOS applications, along with an administrative interface used only by the restaurant or bar owner.
Education
2012 - 2016
Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Network Management
Loughborough University - Loughborough, UK
Certifications
JANUARY 2021 - PRESENT
Certified Red Team Operator
Zero-Point Security
OCTOBER 2019 - JULY 2023
Certified Red Team Expert (CRTE)
Pentester Academy
APRIL 2019 - PRESENT
Certified Penetration Tester eXtreme (eCPTX)
eLearnSecurity
OCTOBER 2015 - PRESENT
Offensive Security Certified Expert (OSCE)
Offensive Security
AUGUST 2015 - PRESENT
Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
Offensive Security
FEBRUARY 2015 - PRESENT
Offensive Security Wireless Professional (OSWP)
Offensive Security
Skills
Paradigms
Penetration Testing
Languages
Python
Platforms
Linux, Android, iOS
Industry Expertise
Cybersecurity, Network Security
Storage
Azure Active Directory
Other
Red Teaming, Ethical Hacking, Application Security, Vulnerability Identification, Computer Networking, Programming, Exploits, Infrastructure Security, Open-source Intelligence (OSINT), Security, Wireless
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