Nicholas Vidal
AI Security, Cyber Defense & Compliance Architect
Nearly two decades of experience in cyber defense, incident response, and infrastructure security across federal and enterprise environments. Currently building AI security programs that operate at enterprise scale.
Professional Summary
I architect and implement enterprise security programs for AI infrastructure. My work bridges the gap between traditional cybersecurity operations and the emerging threat landscape specific to AI/ML systems — GPU cluster security, model supply chain integrity, inference endpoint protection, and governance-as-code.
My background spans nearly 20 years across military cyber operations, enterprise security program management, and AI infrastructure security engineering. I've operated in federal environments under NIST frameworks, managed incident response across global hybrid infrastructure, and built the security architecture that AI systems require to operate safely in production.
Education & Certifications
Education
- M.S. Digital Forensics & Cyber InvestigationIn Progress — Expected 2026
- B.S. Computer Networks & CybersecurityCompleted 2023
Certifications
- CISSP(ISC)² · Expected 2026
- CompTIA Security+CompTIA · Active
- CompTIA A+CompTIA · Active
Career Trajectory
Cyber Defense & Military Operations
Early CareerBuilt and defended secure communications infrastructure in operational military environments. Managed classified networks under zero-tolerance security requirements. Developed the operational discipline that underpins every security architecture decision since.
Enterprise Cybersecurity Program Management
Mid CareerDesigned and managed enterprise cybersecurity programs across global environments. Built security architectures, led incident response teams, and implemented compliance frameworks aligned to NIST CSF, SOC 2, and ISO 27001. Operated across hybrid on-prem, cloud, and multi-cloud infrastructure at scale.
AI Infrastructure Security Engineering
CurrentRecognized that enterprise AI infrastructure was being deployed without security architecture designed for AI-specific threats. Built a complete AI security program — from MITRE ATLAS threat modeling and governance-as-code to a functional 8-service demonstration lab — to bridge that gap at enterprise scale.
Enterprise Capabilities
The skills and domain expertise I bring to an enterprise AI security team.
AI Security Architecture
- MITRE ATLAS threat modeling for AI/ML systems
- 5-layer defense-in-depth reference architecture
- GPU cluster network segmentation design
- AI-specific SIEM detection engineering
AI Governance & Compliance
- NIST AI RMF to CISO program integration
- Governance-as-code with OPA/Rego policies
- EU AI Act compliance mapping
- Model risk tiering and deployment gates
Infrastructure Security
- Docker / Kubernetes security hardening
- Hybrid cloud security architecture
- Network segmentation and zero trust
- Supply chain security (SBOM, Sigstore, Trivy)
Security Operations
- AI incident response playbook development
- Red team / adversarial ML testing
- NIST CSF 2.0 program management
- Security monitoring and observability
Technical Domains
Portfolio Evidence
Five enterprise-grade security artifacts, a functional demonstration lab, and a 12-video series. Each artifact is a production-ready deliverable demonstrating the depth of work I bring to an AI security program.
Ready to Secure Enterprise AI
I'm looking to bring my experience in cyber defense, AI security architecture, and governance engineering to an enterprise team building the next generation of AI infrastructure.