Podcast Summary
Podcast: CyberWire Daily
Episode: Deepen Desai: A doctor in computer viruses. [CISO] [Career Notes]
Date: January 18, 2026
Host: N2K Networks
Guest: Deepen Desai, Global CISO at Zscaler
Episode Overview
This episode features Deepen Desai, the global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of Zscaler, as he shares his unique career journey from a family of medical doctors to becoming a “doctor” for digital viruses. Desai discusses his early fascination with computers and cybersecurity, key career milestones, the evolution and disruption in the cybersecurity space, and his mentoring philosophy for building successful security teams. He offers advice for aspiring professionals and reflects on what he hopes will be his lasting legacy in cybersecurity.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Family Roots and Early Inspiration
- Upbringing:
- Desai comes from a family of doctors and was initially intrigued by medicine, but his real passion was computers and software development.
- First Encounter with Cybersecurity:
- His initial exposure to the security side of technology came from online gaming, where he observed players using cheating tools like aimbots and hacks.
- This sparked his curiosity about how such cheating applications manipulated legitimate processes.
"More than the game, the part that really intrigued me was how those cheating applications were working. What were they doing in the back end?"
— Deepen Desai [02:17]
Education and Early Career
- Academic Focus:
- Emphasized software and operating system fundamentals during his master's, cultivating a deep interest in cybersecurity.
- First Security Project:
- Created a client able to detect DLL injection and monitor modifications to application behavior.
- Career Beginnings:
- Landed an internship at a startup building UTM (Unified Threat Management) appliances.
- Moved on to Dell SonicWall, contributing to cloud and next-gen firewall detection technologies.
"Now you're doing something that you love doing and it's having an influence in protecting thousands of organizations around the globe."
— Deepen Desai [04:40]
Innovation and Disruption at Zscaler
- Joining Zscaler:
- Joined in 2014, attracted by the company’s disruptive concept of delivering a comprehensive cloud security platform.
- The platform replaced the need for traditional appliances with an as-a-service model, enabling large-scale protection and rapid evolution of detection strategies.
"Honestly, it's a disruption in the field of cybersecurity where we're able to scale, where we are able to protect organizations globally."
— Deepen Desai [06:02]
- Pandemic Impact:
- Highlights how companies using legacy technology struggled during COVID-19, while Zscaler customers adapted quickly and maintained security resiliency.
The “Digital Doctor” Analogy
- Family Jokes and Identity:
- Desai laughs about being a “doctor” treating digital viruses, drawing a parallel to his relatives’ work in medicine.
"I always call myself, hey, I am also a doctor. But in the field of treating digital viruses... We are the Internet doctors trying to make sure it's a safe place and protecting the organization."
— Deepen Desai [07:02]
Mentoring and Building Security Teams
- Team Structure:
- Advocates splitting security experts' time:
- ~70% on business needs (malware tracking, creating detections)
- ~30-35% on self-driven research and skill-building.
- Encourages ongoing learning to stay ahead of evolving threats.
- Advocates splitting security experts' time:
"The way you need to structure their daily routine is 70% of their time may go towards what is needed for the business... 30 to 35% at least, that's the minimum you need to provide time ... to develop their skills, do research, learn about new techniques."
— Deepen Desai [07:32]
Advice to Aspiring Cybersecurity Professionals
- Foundations First:
- Emphasizes the importance of strong software development and OS fundamentals.
- Understanding technology at a deep level is crucial for successful security work.
"Unless you know the fundamentals, you will struggle as you try to learn about how the threat actors are trying to abuse the existing technology."
— Deepen Desai [08:16]
Legacy and Lasting Impact
- Proud Accomplishments:
- Takes pride in mentoring and developing talent whose careers have flourished.
- Driven by the advancement of detection tech, especially for zero trust and cloud-based security.
"Most of those guys are leading key technologies at many of the major security vendors... That's one area where I would like to be remembered as a mentor."
— Deepen Desai [08:33]
- Contributions to Industry Transformation:
- Proud of helping organizations transition away from legacy security architectures, particularly valuable during the pandemic.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Early Intrigue with Hacking:
"More than the game, the part that really intrigued me was how those cheating applications were working." — Deepen Desai [02:17]
-
On Doing Impactful Work:
"Now you're doing something that you love doing and it's having an influence in protecting thousands of organizations around the globe." — Deepen Desai [04:40]
-
On Disruption:
"Honestly, it's a disruption in the field of cybersecurity where we're able to scale, where we are able to protect organizations globally." — Deepen Desai [06:02]
-
On Mentoring:
"That's one area where I would like to be remembered as a mentor that helped get them into the field and learn and allow them to pick up some of the newer stuff." — Deepen Desai [08:33]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:00 — Episode start, brief context
- 01:20 — Desai’s family background and early fascination with computers
- 02:17 — Intrigue with online game hacking and technical exploration
- 04:40 — Early career highlights and moving into industry-impacting roles
- 06:02 — Disruption at Zscaler and cloud security transformation
- 07:02 — Digital doctor analogy
- 07:32 — Team structure and philosophy on research time
- 08:16 — Core advice for security career aspirants
- 08:33 — Legacy as a mentor and technology leader
Episode Takeaways
- Desai’s journey illustrates how curiosity, strong technical fundamentals, and a focus on innovation can drive impactful careers in cybersecurity.
- Mentoring and team development are as valuable to Desai as technical accomplishments.
- Cloud-first security disruption continues to shape industry practices, with Zscaler’s evolution serving as a leading example.
- For aspiring professionals: Strong foundational skills are key, and ongoing research and learning should be prioritized.