In an exclusive interview, Sneha Rajguru speaks to Krishna Bahirwani about the event and its importance.
What inspired you to get into InfoSec?
I got into information security since my schooling days, by then I knew what hacking was and it was really very fascinating for me to see how a hacker could just change the home page of a website and rip off the database from the web application's server.
My parents have been a great inspiration and support to me, they always persuaded me to take up "Information Technology", as a career and field of study, maybe they had already realised my passion towards computers.
One day it so happened that while returning from school, I came across an advertisement which said "Hackers are here, where are you?", and that was it, that's when I decided to get into cyber security and began to learn the working of web applications, how they are built and defaced or manipulated.
Knowing that I always wanted to be a White Hat or ethical hacker, I took a step ahead and achieved various certifications in the field of security, by then along with my graduation degree I had almost 11 other certificates related to information technology, and ever since then I have continued my quest to find vulnerabilities within the applications and continuously learn new techniques and now there is no looking back.
What is Winja?
Well, Winja has been inspired and derived from 'Woman-Ninja'.It is an idea - a platform to represent and celebrate women in information security.
Winja focuses on bringing women in InfoSec ahead and to help them explore their potential in a comfortable environment and to geek out without feeling intimidated. It is an event where women are introduced to various trends in information security. Various sets of simulated hacking challenges relating to web applications, networks and mobile are loaded and the attendees need to solve these challenges to prove as well as enhance their hacking skills and also learn different attack methodologies to exploit a vulnerability.
Winja is a completely hands-on and technical event, with an aim to spread awareness of information security among the Women.
How did you get involved with Winja?
While in college I was introduced to null - The open security community. I really liked the idea where security experts and enthusiasts used to meet on a monthly basis and share the knowledge and technology that they had mastered. While attending these sessions it occurred to me that women in information security are rare, and this needs to be changed. This is what lead me to form a community which serves as an ideal platform to promote information security among women. We provide all possible help and support to the women who need guidance or advice to excel in this field. For this, I was strongly supported and encouraged by my employer Payatu Technologies.
How does the initiative help get women into InfoSec?
Winja is a complete hands-on event which simulates real-world hacking challenges. This makes the women attendees more confident on taking down a system and also securing it by learning new techniques and methodologies.
Once they are through this simulated hacking environment where they are encouraged to solve security challenges, they are able to hold their own in the InfoSec field without the feeling of being intimidated.
How successful do you feel Winja is as an initiative?
Winja got its official existence with the help and support from Nullcon, Goa. Nullcon has supported us since 2015 with a platform for Winja and this year they are hosting us with additional space for the Winja Community.
Winja will have two different sessions this year at Nullcon. The first includes a speaker's panel discussion, where leading women CXO's from the field of information security are taking part to discuss, encourage and showcase the future of information security and the pivotal role a woman can play in it while also addressing some of the challenges and the importance of gender diversity in the field.
The other session we will conduct is called Winja-CTF or Winja Capture the Flag which is a hands-on hacking challenge, wherein we are expecting almost 60 female attendees to participate.
We have received a good response from around the world and have started getting enquiries for starting similar events.
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