My name is Padarthi Shanmukha Venkata Siva Sai Charan, and I am pursuing B.Tech in Computer Science with a specialization in Cyber Security at Mohan Babu University, Tirupati. From the beginning of my academic journey, I have been passionate about cybersecurity and always wanted to gain real-world experience beyond classroom learning. I was particularly interested in understanding how organizations identify, assess, and mitigate security risks in real-world environments. This curiosity motivated me to continuously learn about web application security, network security, vulnerability assessment, and security operations through practical labs, projects, and self-learning.

Getting selected for the Work-Based Learning (WBL) Programme at C-DAC Delhi was a turning point in my career. I am sincerely grateful to Shoyab Ali Sir for providing me with this wonderful opportunity. Being selected for an internship at one of India's premier research and development organizations was both an honour and a proud moment for me. The programme provided me with exposure to professional cybersecurity practices and helped me transform my theoretical knowledge into practical skills.

Before joining the WBL Programme, I had learned various cybersecurity concepts through academic studies and personal practice, but I had limited exposure to how security assessments are conducted in professional environments. The internship at C-DAC Delhi bridged this gap by allowing me to work alongside experienced cybersecurity professionals and contribute to real-world security projects.

During my internship at C-DAC Delhi, I worked on Web Application Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) for government applications. Being entrusted with assessing the security of government applications was both a proud moment and a great responsibility.

One of the most memorable experiences was visiting various government organizations and participating in security audits. These visits helped me understand how cybersecurity is implemented in real-world environments and how critical security assessments are for protecting sensitive government systems.

My responsibilities included identifying security vulnerabilities, testing web applications against OWASP Top 10 risks, performing security assessments, documenting findings, and providing remediation recommendations. I worked with tools such as Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Nmap, and Kali Linux while following industry-standard methodologies for security testing.

I was fortunate to work under the guidance of Anurag Rajput Sir, whose leadership and mentorship helped me understand the practical aspects of cybersecurity. I am also deeply thankful to Arun sir, Rupesh sir, and Prabhat sir for their continuous support, guidance, and encouragement throughout the internship.