Priyanshu started solving CTFs in his fifth semester. He didn’t procrastinate waiting for the right time to come. He didn’t wait for the syllabus to get completed; instead, he used TryHackMe with the guided labs and gradually started progressing from basics into web exploitation, network security, forensics, cryptography, and reverse engineering.
CTFs (Capture the Flag) are structured cybersecurity competitions where you are given controlled environments and must exploit vulnerabilities to find flags. The skills transfer directly to professional security work. But here is the part most guides do not tell you: how you approach CTFs matters more than how many you solve.
Priyanshu’s strategy was depth-first, not breadth-first. In the Synchrony hackathon qualifier, while most students spread their energy across every challenge category, he went straight to web exploitation and earned approximately 500 points from that single domain before touching anything else. He did not chase points. He built from strength.
“I love web challenges. So I always firstly moved to web CTF challenges. I do not prefer points-chasing. Even if a web challenge is worth 15 points, I go for that first.”
The improvement method: after every competition, read write-ups from top performers on Medium. When a challenge takes you an hour but someone else solved it in five minutes, study the gap. That gap is your real curriculum. Not the CTF itself.
A Real SOC Internship Changes Everything
There is a difference between a simulated security lab and a live SOC that is roughly equivalent to the difference between a driving simulator and a highway. The simulator teaches you what the controls do. The highway teaches you what happens when you hesitate.
Priyanshu’s SOC internship at TechDefence (September 2025 to February 2026, arranged through Parul University’s industry partnership) gave him live access to Seceon SCON, a SIEM tool for monitoring real client network logs. Not simulated data. Real traffic. Real anomalies. Real consequences if you miss something.
He tuned SIEM rules and reduced false positive alerts by 20%. He investigated incidents on network endpoints. He generated daily SOC reports that were professional deliverables, not academic assignments. And during that internship, he detected a 10+ GB data transfer from a private IP to a public IP that included what appeared to be credit card data and account details. He did not try to resolve it himself. He went to his mentor, who confirmed it was suspicious and directed him to inform the client.
That moment, identifying a real threat and knowing to escalate rather than heroically attempting a solo fix, is the dividing line between a student and a professional. And it is something no certification can teach you.
How to find SOC internships: look for university-industry partnerships first (Parul’s TechDefence collaboration is one model). Check company career pages for L1 SOC Analyst positions. Your CTF credentials serve as your portfolio.
Three Certifications, Three Purposes
Priyanshu stacked three certifications alongside his degree. Each served a different purpose in the hiring pipeline.
Google Foundations of Cybersecurity via Coursera (January 2025) was foundational: network security, SIEM basics, cyber risk, security controls. The Google name matters when HR is scanning your resume before the technical team ever sees it.
Career Essentials in Cybersecurity from Microsoft and LinkedIn Learning (December 2024) covered threat and vulnerability management, information security awareness. A second recognisable brand in the certification section. Different from Google’s coverage, complementary to it.
C3SA Premium Edition from CyberWarfare Labs (June 2025) was the one that actually stretched his capability. Advanced, real-world cybersecurity challenges. By his account, this certification most significantly increased his practical skills. It is also the least recognised brand of the three, which is exactly why the other two exist on his resume: brand names open the door, technical certifications prove what is behind it.
The strategy is simple: one foundational (Google), one professional-breadth (Microsoft), one advanced-technical (C3SA). Three providers. Three levels. Together, they cover the baseline that MNC hiring teams expect. But certifications alone are not sufficient. They built knowledge. The CTFs and SOC internship built proof.
The Skill Nobody Talks About: Writing a 97-Page Technical Report
The most underestimated skill in competitive cybersecurity is documentation.
Priyanshu’s 97-page write-up for the Infosec University Hackathon is the document that saved his candidacy. He was initially not selected. Then a re-evaluation mail arrived: the panel had been impressed by his write-up. A new interview slot was offered. The rest followed.
A good technical write-up is not just a list of what you did. It is a step-by-step record of methodology, payloads used (with explanations of why they work), screenshots at each stage, findings, and what those findings demonstrate about the vulnerability. It is written in clear, structured language because the evaluator may not have your specific technical background. They need to follow your logic, not just verify your answers.
Priyanshu went to Ajay Sir at Parul University with a doubt: 97 pages felt too long. Ajay Sir reviewed the document, provided structured feedback, and told him it was too good. That validation from a faculty member gave him the confidence to submit. The IMPACT training and communication programs at the university had already taught him how to articulate technical work clearly, a skill that proved as important as any exploit technique.
Compete in the Community: BSides Events Are Where Reputations Are Built
BSides events are globally recognised community-driven cybersecurity conferences. They are not academic exercises. They are gatherings where students, professionals, and researchers compete, present, and collaborate in the same room.
At Security BSides Vadodara 2026 (ITM SLS Baroda University, January 2026), Priyanshu competed in a 15-minute on-site CTF. Live. Real-time. No retries. He won. His username bugkult appeared on the official leaderboard alongside seasoned professionals.
The win mattered less than the introduction. He connected with industry speakers, security professionals, and peers. In cybersecurity, your network within the infosec community is a career asset that compounds over years. BSides events are where that network begins.
Other competitions on his record: Hacker Gambit 2025 (national CTF, ranked 32nd-36th, team advanced to Round 2). PU Code Hackathon 2.0 at Parul University (36 hours, 160 from 715 teams, alongside teammates Abheesht Singh, Anish S., and Vishal Dubey). Each competition was a training ground.
What MNCs Actually Evaluate When Hiring for Cybersecurity
Based on the Infosec University Hackathon structure (Synchrony as hiring partner, CCoE Hyderabad), here is what the selection process actually tested at each stage:
The 6-hour qualifier tested speed under pressure and domain prioritisation. 5,000 to 1,500. If you cannot solve challenges quickly and strategically, you do not advance. The 24-hour CTF tested sustained technical stamina. 1,500 to 55. 18 of 20 challenges across all domains, with dual-artifact validation (Access Key + Flag) that prevents guessing. The 97-page write-up tested documentation ability. 55 to 25. Many technically strong candidates fail here because they cannot explain what they did. The technical interview tested honesty and depth. 25 to 15. Direct question about AI tool usage. Priyanshu was honest. Many were not. Honesty in cybersecurity is a professional requirement.
“Big MNCs are hiring based on your CTF performance and technical rounds. If you only rely on the interview, you will get a minimum package.”
The Complete 18-Month Timeline
For students who want a concrete map of what the path from zero to 12 LPA actually looked like:
- Semesters 1-4: academic foundation (lectures, exams, syllabus)
- Semester 5 (late 2024): started TryHackMe CTFs, web exploitation focus, reading Medium write-ups
- December 2024: Microsoft Career Essentials in Cybersecurity (LinkedIn Learning)
- January 2025: Google Foundations of Cybersecurity (Coursera). PU Code Hackathon 2.0 (160 from 715).
- Semesters 5-6: internal CTF competitions at Parul University. Hacker Gambit 2025 (ranked 32nd-36th nationally)
- June 2025: C3SA Premium Edition (CyberWarfare Labs)
- September 2025: TechDefence SOC L1 internship begins. Live SIEM access. Real incident detection.
- Late 2025: Infosec University Hackathon. 6-hour qualifier for 24-hour CTF (18/20), 97-page write-up, re-evaluation, and then interview and then selected 1 of 15 from 5,000+
- January 2026: Won BSides Vadodara live CTF (bugkult)
- February 2026: TechDefence internship ends
- March 2026: Synchrony Information Security Intern. 12 LPA. Endpoint Security team (Engineering, Automation, EDR, WAF).
Eighteen months. From first CTF to Fortune 500 placement. Not because the path was easy. Because the path was specific.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I start learning cybersecurity from scratch?
Begin with TryHackMe (guided labs, structured paths). Start with basic CTF challenges. Focus depth-first on one domain: web exploitation is the most accessible entry point. Read write-ups on Medium after each competition to study the gap between your approach and the top performers. Do not wait until you feel ready. Priyanshu started knowing almost nothing about cybersecurity.
What is a CTF and why does it matter for cybersecurity careers?
Capture the Flag: structured competitions where you exploit controlled environments to find flags (text strings proving the challenge is solved). Domains: web exploitation, network security, forensics, cryptography, reverse engineering. MNCs like Synchrony use CTF performance as their primary hiring filter. Priyanshu was selected as 1 of 15 from 5,000+ through a CTF-based hackathon. The competitions test exactly the skills the job requires.
How do I get a SOC internship in India?
Look for university-industry partnerships first (Parul University's TechDefence collaboration placed undergrad students in live SOC roles with real SIEM access). Check company career pages for L1 SOC Analyst positions. Your CTF credentials serve as your portfolio. The key differentiator is not a degree but demonstrated ability to identify, triage, and escalate real security events.
Is cybersecurity a good career in India?
Priyanshu Raikwar: 12 LPA at Synchrony (Fortune 500) as an undergraduate intern. Self-described average student. Started CTFs 18 months before placement. The cybersecurity talent gap in India is significant and growing. MNCs are actively hiring through hackathons and CTF competitions, often bypassing traditional campus placement processes. The field rewards curiosity, practical skill, and continuous learning over academic credentials alone. As Priyanshu puts it: I love what I do. For me, the work does not feel like work.
