Hello World.
This is the beginning of a blog focused around information security. I had the idea to start it after dabbling with homelabs and other miscellaneous projects. I figured, with all things considered, I should document my progress in some form, so I am choosing to blog it.
Why I Started This Blog
I am aiming to make a small difference documenting my journey to a blue team infosec role. The path wasn’t as clear to me how to get in the field, and I want to help others that are interested as I progress.
Curiosity Killed The Cat
I am a college student with many hobbies– I grew up experimenting with lots of technologies. Most of the things I learned were over the course of interest I had for playing online video games. An example of this is the time I found out what a DDoS attack was- through being DDoS’d by someone in RuneScape, an online game. Needless to say, I learned the hard way, and never went to foreign websites without a second thought. Through the curiosity I had in various things, it often brought me down the rabbit hole. I always strive to understand things on a deeper level.. unless it’s Survey of American Literature.
Jokes aside, I have developed to be a thinker and a researcher. As of recent, I am experimenting with AWS and Azure and learning more about the cloud. I also finished studying for the Security+ and certified in February of 2022. This curiosity led to my foundational knowledge of IT that will contribute to my career as a whole. The beauty of all these things is that sometimes the benefit isn’t clear until afterward. With that wisdom, it has shifted my perspective on tackling new projects. I have come to the conclusion that I can learn something from anyone and anything, no matter what or who it is.
My life changed after enrolling in a cybersecurity course in my senior year of High School. The teacher that I had was exceptional in ensuring that his students were able to ask him about anything. With this advantage, I was able to converse and gleam new insight that I never had before about the industry. One of many favorite things I enjoyed about that class was the hands-on experience I gained, such as:
- Configuring Enterprise Cisco Switches & Routers
- Imaging Windows & Kali Linux systems
- Wardriving around the school and capturing a TCP 3-way handshake with airmon-ng.
- Delving into .pcap files and taking a deeper look at different internet protocols.
- Simulating network traffic with Cisco Packet Tracer.
- much more..
This class was what sparked my passion. I had prior interest in Front-End Web Development and Software Engineering, but the hands-on experience completely changed my mind.
The Other Side of Things
Aside from tech, one of the many hobbies I had growing up started when I started playing the violin in 3rd grade. I ended up switching to the viola and participating in orchestra. My participation in orchestra uncovered a new love for music. I started producing music in middle school, experimenting with VSTs and software-based synthesizers. Music was and still is one of my hobbies to escape from the real world drama that happens from time to time. I am a volunteer at a local church for Content Management and Audio Engineering. It is one of the ways I give back to my community and fulfill my personal beliefs. Through orchestra and through volunteering at my church, I have met extraordinary people. These moments were crucial for my success, not only in music, but in my support system and well-being.
Conclusion
From music, to technology, to curiosity, and even american literature, everything has contributed in some form to my interest in this career field. It’s a pleasure that you now know a bit about me, and I thank you for participating in this blogging journey. I plan to share documentation, write-ups, informative posts, and whatever else will help others in this career path. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at [email protected] anytime. I look forward to posting a write-up about a .pcap with some malicious network traffic analysis shortly. See you again soon!