NOMINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Ranjan Kathuria is a visionary cybersecurity leader whose groundbreaking work has set new benchmarks in cyber resilience, advanced risk intelligence, and innovative cloud security at a global scale. As Staff Cloud Security Engineer / Architect at Rubrik HQ, Ranjan has architected and led the transformation of Rubrik’s cloud security landscape, driving measurable improvements in both security posture and operational efficiency.

At Rubrik, Ranjan pioneered the deployment of CIS-hardened golden images for virtual machines and containers, resulting in a 60% reduction in vulnerabilities in non-compliant (“no-go”) deployments. His leadership in Infrastructure as Code (IaC) implementation improved deployment speed by 40%, enabling secure, rapid, and standardized cloud deployments while enforcing robust security standards. Ranjan also developed an internal PKI solution that reduced certificate procurement costs by 65%. As the primary security architect, he has trained teams for faster, more effective containment and security investigations.

Beyond Rubrik, Ranjan’s impact resonates throughout the cybersecurity community. He is the inventor of the patent-pending “Efficient vulnerability analysis over backups” (US20230376605A1), an innovation that enables rapid, non-intrusive vulnerability scanning of backup data, strengthening organizational resilience against emerging threats. He has been recognized as a top security researcher in the Quora and HubSpot bug bounty programs, consistently identifying and responsibly disclosing critical vulnerabilities. Ranjan’s thought leadership, including his articles on the disruptive potential of Generative AI in cloud security featured in Cyber Defense Magazine’s 2025 edition, and his presentations at AWS re:Inforce and Wiz San Francisco Meetups, have influenced industry best practices and inspired security professionals globally.

Ranjan has twice served as a founding security engineer, building security programs from the ground up and driving innovation from day one. His exceptional performance and leadership have earned him rapid promotions within Rubrik, culminating in his current role as Cloud Security Architect. These achievements underscore Ranjan’s unique ability to deliver transformative results in fast-paced environments, further distinguishing him as a leader who not only shapes security strategy but also inspires teams and organizations to reach new heights in cybersecurity excellence.

Ranjan’s unwavering commitment to mentorship, technical innovation, and strategic leadership has not only fortified Rubrik’s defenses but also advanced the broader field of cybersecurity.