Igor Rudenko’s career in cybersecurity spans more than a decade and two continents. Igor spent years in Ukrainian law enforcement investigating international cybercrimes like the Egregor ransomware and fraudulent call centers before moving into the private sector.
Now working as a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) for the U.S.-based company, he specialises in application security, DevSecOps, and penetration testing. In this interview for IT Security Guru, Igor reflects on lessons learned from high-profile investigations, explains his approach to penetration testing today, and shares practical advice for organisations looking to secure their digital assets.
How has your cybercrime investigation experience influenced your approach to penetration testing and app security?
A: My years in law enforcement gave me a deep appreciation for both the technical and legal sides of cybersecurity. I worked on cases involving ransomware, insider trading, and large-scale fraud, where the ability to collect, analyse, and preserve digital evidence was critical.
Now, in the private sector, I use that experience to inform my approach to penetration testing and secure software development. I’m always thinking a few steps ahead-about how attackers might exploit a system, but also about how to document findings so they’re actionable and useful for both technical and business teams.
How has investigating cases like Egregor shaped your current work?
The Egregor case, and others like it, taught me that attackers are always looking for the weakest link, often a misconfigured service or overlooked access control. In that investigation, we used penetration testing techniques to identify how the attackers moved laterally and escalated privileges.
Now, I apply the same mindset to secure development: I look for places where assumptions might break down, or where a small oversight could lead to a major vulnerability.
In my current role, I’m focused on integrating security into the development lifecycle. That means using static analysis tools like SonarQube to catch insecure coding patterns early, and dynamic scanners like OWASP ZAP to simulate real-world attacks on running applications.
I integrate both into CI/CD pipelines, review code for common pitfalls (especially in .NET and cloud environments), and work closely with developers to remediate issues before they reach production.
What’s your penetration testing workflow and go-to tech?
Absolutely. My approach combines classic penetration testing with cloud security auditing and automation. For example, while working on a project for a construction company in Poland, I started by mapping their network with Nmap to identify open ports and unnecessary access points.
For web application testing, I relied on Burp Suite to uncover vulnerabilities like SQL injection, XSS, and CSRF, and to analyse authentication and input validation in depth. To simulate real-world attacks, I used Metasploit for emulating privilege escalation and lateral movement within the internal network.
I also helped the company shift toward a Zero Trust Architecture by implementing granular authentication, least privilege access, multi-factor authentication for critical systems, and role-based access control to eliminate shared credentials.
On the cloud front, I audited AWS configurations and used Terraform for infrastructure as code, automating secure deployments and enforcing policy-as-code with AWS Config and Sentinel. This comprehensive approach resulted in a 50% reduction in cyber risk for the company.
How do you apply these practices in secure development and DevSecOps?
A: In my current SDET role in the U.S., I’ve expanded these principles by integrating security tools directly into our CI/CD pipelines. I use SonarQube for static code analysis and OWASP ZAP for dynamic testing, particularly for .NET and ASP.NET applications.
I also automate the detection of suspicious patterns with Python and C# scripts, and ensure that secure coding practices-like parameterised queries in Entity Framework-are standard. Every code commit triggers automated tests and security scans, embedding security into every stage of development and deployment. By combining penetration testing rigor, automation, and secure architecture, I help organisations move from reactive security to a proactive, resilient approach.
What key trends should organisations adopt to stay ahead of evolving threats?
A: To stay ahead of evolving threats, organisations need to go beyond basic perimeter defenses and prioritise Zero Trust Architecture. That means enforcing continuous verification, least privilege access, and micro-segmentation to contain lateral movement, especially important in defending against ransomware and advanced persistent threats.
Pairing Zero Trust with AI-powered behavioral analytics can help detect anomalies like unusual data access patterns. When integrated with SOAR tools, these systems can respond in real time, reducing dwell time and impact.
For ransomware resilience, I recommend immutable backups and strict network segmentation to isolate critical systems. On the cloud side, using Infrastructure as Code tools like Terraform helps eliminate human error and enforce secure configurations, especially around API gateways and OWASP Top 10 issues.
Finally, proactive threat hunting is key. Running MITRE ATT&CK simulations and staying plugged into threat intelligence networks gives teams an edge against emerging tactics like AI-generated phishing or potential quantum-era threats.
In short, the future of cybersecurity lies in combining Zero Trust, AI, and automation, not just to react faster, but to predict and prevent threats before they materialise.
What’s the common thread between your past and current roles?
My background in law enforcement shaped the way I think about security today. Back then, I worked on investigations involving ransomware, data breaches, and financial fraud, often in coordination with international partners. That experience gave me a strong understanding of how attackers operate and what’s at stake when systems are compromised.
Now in the private sector, I apply that knowledge to software development and infrastructure. I focus on building systems with security integrated from the start, using many of the same principles I relied on during investigations. While the environment is different, the underlying goal remains the same: reducing risk and strengthening defenses.
