Ambassador Spotlight: Emperor

Who are you?

My name is Raviraj; I'm from Gujarat, India. I go by the handle, Emperor. My handle came from an anime called "Kuruko no Basuke." It references the character Akashi Sejuro's special ability, "Emperor Eye." Hence, giving him the nickname "The emperor" (We can chat about this special ability someday when we meet :P). 

What got you into hacking? 

I learned the word "Hacking" when I was younger, playing games in a cybercafe. I'm a HackerOne product security analyst and a Brand Ambassador for India-west. Working as an ethical hacker means being in the hacking world and consistently trying to find ways to secure the world with skills you learn along the way. It helps if you update your knowledge daily, meet new people, and learn from anyone willing to share. I love traveling, food, video games, basketball, chess, and table tennis. If you want to learn about one of the greatest hacking platforms and security/bug-bounty, please send me a dm on Twitter.

What made you want to become an ambassador?  

HackerOne changed my whole life! I always wanted to become a part of it to let others know about a platform bettering the lives of hackers.

H1 Ambassador meet-up at Bsides Ahmedabad

Why do you think people should join this program?

Through the ambassador program, we can not only bring together the best minds of the security world but also educate future generations. Providing them with proper guidance about hacking & security.

What is your role as an ambassador? 

I encourage people to learn more about the HackerOne platform and aid in their learning process. We bring people together so everyone can learn from one another. As an ambassador, this is done by hosting different security and social events for our local hackers.

What is the hacking scene like in your city/region?

In my region, the scene isn't that large because cyber security awareness is nonexistent. As a result, there is no source to learn or understand the concepts. Not to mention, there are fewer opportunities to break into the field.

H1 Ambassador meet-up at Bsides Ahmedabad

What was your last meet-up about? 

It was a security conference at Ahmedabad. My main goal for the event was social networking. Meeting with people to understand their hacker story. Also, collecting feedback on HackerOne as a platform to provide a better experience for newcomers.

How consistently do you meet up? Do you have a predetermined location? 

Mostly big meet-ups like Nullcon & Bsides. We have not had the opportunity to host a local meet-up in the wake of the pandemic. So, we don't currently have a predetermined location to meet. However, this is temporary. Part of my job is to plan for these meet-ups, and when things get back to normal, I have one spot in my mind for our meet-ups. 

Have you ever hacked a program as a team? 

Yes, many times. In my personal opinion: This is the best kind of approach. (fun, bounties, laughs, good times)

What do you believe brings most people into hacking?

Proper guidance- or a mentor and love for the security/hacking world.

Representing H1 Ambassadors at DEFCON 30

How did you feel about the Ambassador World Cup?

It was a fantastic experience. This was the first region-based battle, and we all had a blast competing. The true nature of this event was to bring all of our regions together as a hacking community. The Ambassador World Cup was an incredible idea. We had so many memorable moments & laughs throughout the event. 

What other events would you like to see in the future? 

More hacking-based events, without a doubt. Also, I'd be interested in something like an art event. It would be great to showcase other qualities our hackers have. We should exemplify the wide range of talent hackers have, but nobody sees. Hackers are tattoo artists, singers, and many other disciplines. Something that would broadcast, "Hackers are creative too."

What makes an ambassador community successful?

Since we select people from the region, the ambassador will be well-known in his/her region. Case in point, someone from France will not handle Brazil's community. An ambassador should want to maximize the highest level of growth for the community in their area. It will bring success on a rapid scale to them and those who join. 

H1 Ambassador meet-up at Bsides Ahmedabad

What difficulties do you and your group face?  

Something I mentioned before was membership, having enough people. This had an impact during the Ambassador World Cup. In stage two, we had a far smaller team of hackers than most other teams. The people who joined in were also new to bug bounty and the HackerOne platform. So, I'd like to increase our total participant count by the next world cup!

What can you offer to people just starting out in bug hunting?

We can give them a clear path and platform to start with. Fellow ambassadors exist as a community to help anyone, from starters to experts, learn more. We want to teach bug bounty thoroughly. They will also have a place to get new ideas. Ultimately, it is a great place to build up a career.

Did the ambassador program help you build your professional career? 

The Ambassador program is just helping me in a lot of ways. 

-My networking skills and leadership qualities
-Meeting new people
-Learning the ideology of different hackers/people
-Generating new ideas
-Building my confidence with likeminded people 

What would you like to see next in the ambassador program? What's the next step?

I think we should target the younger generation. This can be done by visiting more universities & colleges to host events (maybe high schools too). We can also host public events like our LHE, which can be more platform-oriented (more about hacking & HackerOne platform presentations).

Emperor sitting with his fellow hackers at H1-702