Available in the United Kingdom & Sri Lanka False positives · reduced

Isuru Kasun
Panditharatne

Cybersecurity Engineer & AI Researcher

Securing systems end to end, from governance and offensive testing through to applied machine learning.

isuru@defence: ~
$ capability --list
GOVERNISO 27001 · Risk · Audit & Compliance
TESTVAPT · Red Teaming · CTF
DETECTSOC Operations · IDS · Memory Forensics
RESEARCHPyTorch · Detection ML · XAI
$ status
Open to security engineering & AI research roles
Degree BSc (Hons) Computer Security University of Plymouth
Now MSc Artificial Intelligence University of Plymouth · 2025 – 2026
Industry IT Administrator Software development · ISO 27001
Focus SOC · VAPT · Research Detection engineering · Applied AI
Read the case study → ↓ Keep going

Defence on three fronts.

Governance, offensive testing and machine learning are usually treated as separate careers. I work across all three, because a detection system is only as good as the policy around it and the evidence behind it.

01

Security operations

ISO 27001 compliance, endpoint and patch management, access control and incident response across live production estates.

ISO 27001 · Endpoint Security · Office 365 · Jira →
Annex A coverageISO 27001
02

Offensive security

Web application penetration testing and red teaming, reported with reproduction steps, risk ratings and remediation guidance.

VAPT · XSS · CSRF · IDOR · SSRF · CTF →
Findings by severityReported → closed
03

AI security & research

Deep learning for malware detection: cutting false alarms without losing real threats, and making the model explain its verdict.

PyTorch · Memory Forensics · SHAP / XAI →
Decision thresholdFalse positives

About

Isuru Panditharatne

work at the intersection of cybersecurity and machine learning — two disciplines that, combined, produce more capable and resilient defensive systems than either achieves alone. My MSc dissertation extends a 2018 ANN baseline to reduce false positives in deep learning-based malware detection using memory forensics, applied to the CIC-MalMem-2022 dataset in PyTorch.

Before Plymouth, I spent time as an IT Administrator at Fcode Labs, supporting ISO 27001 compliance activities, managing endpoint security, and building an asset management tool with Microsoft Power Apps. I also completed hands-on penetration testing at Hacktify Cyber Security — web application vulnerabilities, red teaming, and CTF challenges — alongside IT engineering roles at Kingslake and South Asian Technologies.

I care about work that is honest about its limitations, measurable in its impact, and documented clearly enough to be understood by someone else.

“ The only truly secure system is one that is powered off, cast in a block of concrete, and sealed in a lead-lined room with armed guards — and even then I have my doubts. — Gene Spafford
4 projects

Selected projects.

Dissertation research, a final-year build and two group systems. Each one opens into a full case study with the reasoning, my actual contribution, and the report behind it.

Research · In progress2025

MemSift

Cutting false alarms in memory-based malware detection without losing real threats.

Read the case study →
confusion matrix · threshold 0.50

Benign traffic wrongly flagged is the cell that costs an analyst their afternoon.

Academic · Completed2021 – 2022

SteganoCryptZone

Hiding encrypted data in plain sight: hybrid cryptography meets steganography in one tool.

Read the case study →
LSB encoding · image carrier

Only the last bit of each pixel changes, so the carrier looks untouched.

Group project · Completed2020 – 2021

M.O.D.O.S-99

A robotic security dog that integrates with the systems a household already owns.

Read the case study →
sensor subsystem · live sweep

Detection without response was the gap; this unit acts on what it finds.

Group project · Completed2020

ALL-IN-CARE

Four healthcare workflows, one application: channelling, prescriptions, pharmacy and delivery.

Read the case study →
role handover · 18 tables

The patient stops being the integration layer between four organisations.

01 / 04

Experience

IT Administrator
Fcode Labs · Sri Lanka
SEP 2024 – AUG 2025
  • Supported ISO 27001 compliance activities including policy review, risk assessments, and control documentation
  • Managed endpoint security, antivirus deployment, patch management, and backup and recovery operations
  • Administered Microsoft Office 365 user accounts, licences, and access controls
  • Handled IT support requests via Jira Service Desk, resolving hardware, software, and connectivity issues
  • Designed and built an IT asset management system using Microsoft Power Apps and Power BI
  • Monitored network infrastructure and responded to security incidents and alerts
ISO 27001Risk AssessmentPower AppsJiraEndpoint Security
IT Support Engineer Intern
Kingslake · Sri Lanka
NOV 2023 – MAY 2024
  • Installed, configured, and maintained desktops, laptops, printers, and peripheral hardware
  • Provided first and second line technical support to staff onsite and remotely
  • Managed software installations, OS updates, and licence administration
  • Diagnosed and resolved LAN and Wi-Fi connectivity issues
  • Assisted with security audits and ensured backup schedules were maintained and verified
HardwareNetworkingSecurity Audits
Cybersecurity Intern
Hacktify Cyber Security · Remote
FEB 2024 – MAR 2024
  • Performed web application security testing, identifying and documenting XSS, CSRF, IDOR, and SSRF vulnerabilities
  • Conducted red teaming exercises simulating real-world attack scenarios
  • Participated in Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges to sharpen offensive security skills
  • Produced vulnerability reports with reproduction steps, risk ratings, and remediation guidance
Pen TestingXSS · CSRF · IDORRed TeamingCTF
Technical Support Engineer Intern
South Asian Technologies (Pvt) Ltd · Sri Lanka
AUG 2022 – JAN 2023
  • Installed and configured Windows Server and Linux server environments for client deployments
  • Managed Active Directory user accounts, group policies, and access permissions
  • Identified and responded to phishing threats, advising users on best practices
  • Diagnosed and resolved network connectivity issues including LAN, DNS, and DHCP faults
  • Maintained documentation for server configurations and support procedures
Windows ServerLinuxActive DirectoryNetworking
Certified Ethical Hacker V11
Certified Ethical Hacker V11
EC-Council
Verified
Certified Information Security Manager
Certified Information Security Manager
Packt via Coursera
View Course
Fortinet Certified Fundamentals Cybersecurity
Fortinet Certified Fundamentals Cybersecurity
Fortinet
Verified
Operationalizing MITRE ATT&CK
Operationalizing MITRE ATT&CK
AttackIQ
Verified
Breach & Attack Simulation
Breach & Attack Simulation
AttackIQ
Verified
AI Security & Governance
AI Security & Governance
Securiti
Reading
ISO/IEC 27001 Info. Security Associate
ISO/IEC 27001 Info. Security Associate
SkillFront
Verified
Introduction to Cybersecurity
Introduction to Cybersecurity
Cisco Networking Academy
Verified

Education, Certifications, and Skills.

Education

MSc Artificial Intelligence
University of Plymouth
2025 – 2026
BSc (Hons) Computer Security
University of Plymouth
Completed
GCE A/L — Mathematics Stream
Royal College, Colombo
Completed
GCE O/L
Royal College, Colombo
Completed

Research

False Positive Mitigation in Behavioral Malware Detection Using Memory Forensics and Deep Learning
University of Plymouth · In Progress
Supervised by Dr. Fatma Bouabdallah
MSc Dissertation · 2025 – 2026

Certifications

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH V11)
EC-CouncilFeb 2022
Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
Packt via CourseraMay 2025
ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Associate
SkillFrontApr 2023
C|CESH — Cybersecurity & Ethical Hacking
CICRAFeb 2021
Fortinet Certified Fundamentals Cybersecurity
FortinetJul 2023
Foundations of Operationalizing MITRE ATT&CK
AttackIQJul 2021
Foundations of Breach & Attack Simulation
AttackIQDec 2023
AI Security & Governance
SecuritiReading
NSE 2 Network Security Associate
FortinetJul 2023
NSE 1 Network Security Associate
FortinetJul 2023
Introduction to Cybersecurity
Cisco Networking AcademyJun 2023
AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials
Amazon Web Services (AWS)Jan 2024
B2 First — Speaking
Cambridge EnglishMay 2023
Introduction to Computers, Operating Systems and Security
MicrosoftJul 2025
Certificate in Information Technology
NSBM Green UniversityMar 2020

Skills

Security
Penetration TestingThreat ModellingRed TeamingNetwork SecurityEndpoint SecurityData Security & EncryptionXSS · CSRF · IDORSOC OperationsVulnerability Assessment
Compliance & Governance
ISO/IEC 27001ISMSRisk ManagementAudit & ComplianceSDLC
AI / Machine Learning
PyTorchDeep LearningANN · CNN · LSTMscikit-learnSHAP / XAIFeature EngineeringData Visualisation
Programming
PythonC#C · JavaJavaScriptHTML · CSSSQLArduino
Systems & Infrastructure
Linux AdministrationWindows ServerActive DirectorySystem AdministrationNetwork SecurityBackups / RecoveryTroubleshootingPower Apps · Power BIOffice 365Jira
Professional
Technical Writing & Documentation

Extracurricular

Volunteer — NSBM ISACA Student Group2021–22
Senior Steward — Royal College, Colombo2017
President Scout — 42nd Colombo Scout Group2018
Member — Red Cross Society, Royal College2017
Senior Scout — 42nd Colombo Scout Group2014–18

Say hello.

Whether you need a security engineer on your team, a collaborator on research, or someone to think through a hard detection problem, my inbox is open.

Location: Plymouth, United Kingdom · open to relocation