// CONTACT

Let's talk.

One inbox, fast turnaround. Whether it's a quote, a question, a talk invite or a coffee — drop me a line and I'll get back inside 24 hours.

harsh@bothra ~ — contact.sh
$ cat /etc/contact name ..... Harsh Bothra role ..... Independent security consultant email .... hbothra22@gmail.com based .... India · Remote-first · Worldwide avail .... [Open] for engagements tz ....... Asia/Kolkata (UTC+5:30) comms .... Slack · Email · MS Teams · whatever works for you   $ ping hbothra22@gmail.com 64 bytes from harsh: response_time=<24h ttl=infinite
// FAQ

Common questions.

A few things people ask before reaching out.

How fast can you start a pentest?

Typical lead time from first email to engagement start is 1–2 weeks, depending on calendar & scope complexity. Urgent work can sometimes be slotted in faster — ask.

How is pricing structured?

Hourly. Tier 1 (web, API, external network, cloud config) starts from $60/hr. Tier 2 (mobile, thick client, internal network) starts from $80/hr. Tier 3 (AI/ML, agentic AI, code review) starts from $100/hr. Fixed-price quotes available for well-defined scopes.

What's included in a pentest engagement?

Full reporting (exec summary + technical detail), kick-off call, read-out call with eng + leadership, 3 months of free re-testing on remediated findings, and report updates post-remediation. No surprise add-ons.

Do you do retainer work?

Yes. vCISO and advisory engagements are typically monthly retainers with a defined set of deliverables & standing meetings. Pentest retainers (e.g. quarterly assessments for SaaS products) are also available.

Will I work directly with you, or with a junior?

You'll work directly with me end-to-end — scoping, kick-off, testing, reporting, read-out, re-testing. No junior handoffs. This is the whole point of how I've structured the practice.

What about mentorship slots?

I take on a small number of mentees at a time. Sessions are bi-weekly, focused on whatever moves the needle for you. Apply via email with a short note on where you're at and where you want to go.

What's your availability for speaking?

I'm always happy to consider talks, podcasts, panels and workshops — particularly on recon, methodology, business-logic abuse, cookie/auth attacks, AI/ML security, and the consultancy side of the work. Email with details.

Do you sign NDAs?

Routinely. Mutual NDAs are signed before any sensitive scoping details are shared. Customer references are available on request, with permission.