The Zero-Trust Architect

Growing up in India, Akshay Annappayya Ganiga (MSIT '24) was a kid who loved to take apart his toys.  

Such curiosity – what he calls the “break to build” mentality – eventually led him to engineering and now drives his work as a solution engineer at cloud-based security-as-a-service company Zscaler. 

Ganiga describes his role as part architect, part problem-solver, and part translator. He breaks down complex cybersecurity concepts to make them clear for IT teams and executives. 

“At its core, my job is to help organizations move beyond the traditional VPN-and-firewall model and adopt zero trust,” he said, meaning companies apply strict verification and authorization for every user, device, and application attempting to access a network. “My job is to ensure people can connect securely to what they need without adding complexity.” 

His work sits at the intersection of two rapidly evolving fields: cybersecurity and AI. 

At Zscaler, Ganiga helps customers replace traditional security approaches with zero trust architectures, designing traffic-forwarding systems that inspect all user information in the cloud using patented technology to detect and block threats in real time. 

“Cybersecurity is one of the most dynamic fields today,” Ganiga said. “Adversaries are constantly evolving, businesses are changing how they operate, and technology itself continues to move forward.” 

That constant evolution requires the kind of adaptability Ganiga learned in Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) program. The MSIT program blends technical depth with leadership and communication skills, preparing graduates to navigate the complex interplay between technology and business. 

For Ganiga, the program’s emphasis on responsible AI proved particularly prescient. He recalls exploring the evolution from passive AI to generative AI and ultimately general AI in his coursework, knowledge that now shapes his daily work. 

“AI has become central to both the product I work with and the way I work myself,” Ganiga said. “AI and machine learning continuously classify traffic, detect anomalies, and prevent threats from spreading.” 

He also uses AI tools personally to simplify technical explanations and brainstorm new ways to present complex concepts to clients.  

But his MSIT training taught him to approach AI with equal doses of enthusiasm and caution. 

“While AI is rapidly advancing, it’s equally important to use and moderate it securely,” Ganiga said. “For me, it’s about striking a balance, leveraging AI to its maximum potential while ensuring that sensitive data and users remain protected.” 

This balanced approach reflects one of the most important lessons from his time in the program: Responsible AI and cybersecurity must go hand in hand. It's not enough to innovate, Ganiga said. AI users – whether personally or professionally – also need guardrails. 

The MSIT program’s emphasis on clear communication proves invaluable in his current role as well. Working with classmates from diverse industries taught him to see problems from multiple angles, a skill he now applies for a wide range of clients at Zscaler.  

“Every day, I translate between the technical and the business side,” Ganiga said. “When I explain zero trust, I'm showing how cybersecurity and AI make life easier for employees and IT teams while keeping them safe.” 

That translation ability – turning complex technical concepts into clear business value – traces back to his childhood curiosity about how things work. The same drive that once led him to disassemble toys now helps him break down cybersecurity barriers for organizations worldwide. 

"What excites me most is that every conversation I have is about striking a balance between innovation and cybersecurity," Ganiga said. “It makes the work both challenging and rewarding.”