Introduction

As a cybersecurity major in Old Dominion University’s interdisciplinary studies program, I have developed a variety of skills that are showcased through the artifacts embedded in my ePortfolio. These artifacts represent both my technical expertise and the integration of interdisciplinary concepts. They range from psychology, criminology, policy analysis and ethical reasoning. In this reflection essay, I will analyze how each artifacts represents a stage in my academic and professional development. I will tie in together my coursework, research and personal growth. Also, I will demonstrate how these experiences have shaped my preparedness for a career in cybersecurity in the government.

Investigation and Cybercriminology

The artifacts that I have completed during my Cybercriminology course pushed me to critical analyze the motivations behind cybercriminal activity using psychological and sociological frameworks. I have studied how cognitive biases, social influences and perceived anonymity could contribute to online deviance. It challenged me to bridge the gap between cybersecurity and human behavior. In the Cybercriminology course, I was introduced a theoretical model called Rational Choice theory. I struggled to understand how to apply that theory into real-world case studies. However, with practice, i gained confidence, and understood the theory. By integrating insights from various disciplines like criminology, information security and sociology, professionals can develop holistic strategies to address the complex nature of cyberthreats ( Dr. Mike Brass, 2024).

In the first artifact, Cybercrime Media assignment, I explored how to examine cybercrimes both through the legal and media perspectives. This has helped my bridge the gap between legal documentation and public reporting. This training has developed my viewpoint that cybercrimes cases are not black and white, but complex and require critical analysis

The second artifact, Exploring Risky Behavior, is another training to my critical analysis skills. This training forced to to recognize how everyday behaviors can create vulnerabilities. Observing people at the gym and identifying potential cyber risks like connecting to an unsecured Wi-Fi network, has helped my understand that in order for cybersecurity to be effective understanding psychology and social behaviors is just as important as having technical expertise. I realized in my future career I need to balance technical controls with efforts to educate and influence safter user behaviors

The third artifact, Open Source Intelligence assignment, pushed my investigation skills by researching a real individual by only using publicly available information. I developed an appreciation of OSNIT techniques, realizing that it is a double edged sword. It is easy to uncover personal data, and has made the ethical implications that I have discussed in class more important. This assignment has shifted how I think about the availability of personal information online. In my future work, especially if I enter a government agency role, these skills and ethical considerations will be critical to balance. From gathering information to respecting an individual’s privacy rights.

Penetration Testing/Ethical Hacking

One of the main objectives of a cybersecurity major is to gain knowledge in technical knowledge. This involves networking, cybersecurity tools, cyber techniques, cyber attacks and basic IT/computer knowledge. The three artifacts in this section reflect on the technical knowledge I have developed throughout my college journey.

The first artifact, Steganography Assignment, was one of the technically interesting assignments I have encountered. It blended both creativity and cybersecurity skills. I had to learn how to analyze metadata and use hashing to verify file integrity. It broadened my view of cybersecurity, and taught me that defending systems requires understanding of both visible and hidden threats. Moving forward, this knowledge will impact how I approach tasks in a government agency environment.

The second artifact, Foundations of Cybersecurity Final Exam, was a turning point in my understanding of core security principles and technical vulnerabilities. I analyzes code for buffer overflows, race conditions, and privilege escalation. This exam forced me to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical way. This assignment developed my confidence in my technical ability to identify vulnerabilities and increased my understanding of the importance of securing coding. This will be a critical skill, especially in the FBI or CIA environment where the Untied States systems are continually being attacked by other nations.

The third artifact, Traffic Sniffing Assignment, I used Wireshark to impersonate an outside attacker and captured FTP credentials and inspected ICMP traffic. This was one of the most impactful learning experiences. This assignment reinforced the importance of encrypting network traffic and using secure communications protocols. It made me realize how critical network defense are opened my eyes how easy it is to intercept sensitive information. This experience has pushed me in deep thinking on how to defend against attackers attempting tin intercept network traffic. This will be essential in a FBI or CIA environment.

Cyber Policy and Strategy

Cyber Policy and Strategy has been a major part of my interdisciplinary degree. Cybersecurity is not just technical expertise, but involves making polices and laws do combat against unethical usage of technology. I have come to appreciate the importance of analyzing cybersecurity laws, creating them, and strengthen them.

In my Cyber Strategy and Policy course, I had to critically analyze a U.S national cybersecurity strategy. I have chosen the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. All three of the artifacts under this section required holistic thinking and understanding the intersection between technology, politics, society, and ethics. These include Social implication, Ethics implication, and Critical Assessment assignments. One of the challenges I faced was addressing what were the social, ethical and political implications of the cybersecurity policy I have chosen. I also faced the challenge of addressing consequences that came from the policy and offering insight on how the policy could have been better. These artifact reflects on my ability to shift between technical and strategic perspectives. Also, I came to the realization of the importance of cybersecurity ethics. This is important because it preserves the integrity, functionality, and reliability of human institutions and practices reliant on data and networks (Anne Gomez, 2024). I realized how interdisciplinary skills, like being able to communicate across different domains is vital for cybersecurity professionals working in policy-driven environments like the FBI or CIA.

Portfolio Development and Narrative Identity

Building my ePortfolio has been a process of self-discovery. Dan P. McAdams (2013) explains that individuals develop a narrative identity by organizing life experiences into a story that provides life with purpose and direction. My artifacts tell a story from being a curious student to a career-ready professional. Each artifact reflects a different pivotal moment of learning: technical skills, ethical reasoning, and interdisciplinary application. In IDS 300W, I learned to apply narrative structure to my academic and professional experiences. I see that my journey was a redemptive narrative, moving from uncertainty to purpose, where challenges fostered growth.

Interdisciplinary Integration

The theme in my academic work is the integration of disciplines. Throughout the course that I have been through, it has helped me understand how different disciplines- Cybercriminalology, Cyber strategy & Policy, and Ethical Hacking can influence cybersecurity behaviors. This reflects what Repo and Szostak (2020) mentions as a benefit of interdisciplinary study. Which is defined as the ability to integrate multiple field to solve a problem that one discipline can not solve by itself. In the cyber realm is constantly changing and introducing new threats. The technical skills in cybersecurity itself will not be sufficient. Cybersecurity professionals need to understand risk management, psychological behavior, and communication strategies. My portfolio demonstrates is perspective through the artifacts that have been embedded.

Career/Professional Readiness

Across all artifacts, I faced moments of difficulty, ranging from grappling with complex policy documents, debugging scripts and analyzing different ethical viewpoints. These challenges have me to develop adaptability, and critical thinking. The process of creating each artifact refined my research skills, ability to synthesize information from multiple disciplines, and communication abilities. I learned to view cybersecurity as both a technical field and human-centered field which is shaped by law, ethics, politics and psychology.

My intended career in the FBI or CIA demands the kind of interdisciplinary competence as mentioned throughout this reflection paper. Government cyber defense is about detecting threats, understand actor’s motives, evaluating policy impacts and anticipating geopolitical consequences. This portfolio showcases evidence that I possess the technical foundation and interdisciplinary insight to meet those demands.

Conclusion

Reflecting on my academic journey through the lens of narrative identity and interdisciplinary learning, it has helped me understand the level of growth I developed and goals of the future. Each artifact in my portfolio tells an event in my story. It began with curiosity and evolved into a driven pursuit of cybersecurity excellence. Integrating lessons learned my cybercriminlology, ethics, and policy, I am better prepared to enter the professional field where stakes are high and challenging. My journey through Old Dominion University’s interdisciplinary program has equipped me the skills to succeed and approach challenges with confidence.

References

Brass, Dr Mike. “Strong Interrelationships between Academia and Information Security, in All Its Various Guises, Stretch Back Decades. However, It Is Only Recently That the Intersection between the Much of the Social Sciences and Information Security Has Come to the Fore.” Linkedin.com, 9 Sept. 2024, www.linkedin.com/pulse/intersection-between-social-sciences-information-security-brass-eduse/.

Gomez, Anne. “Cybersecurity Ethics: Everything You Need to Know.” Www.ollusa.edu, 25 Apr. 2024, www.ollusa.edu/blog/cybersecurity-ethics.html.

“(PDF) Narrative Identity.” ResearchGate, www.researchgate.net/publication/269603657_Narrative_Identity.

Repko, Allen , and Rick Szostak. Interdisciplinary Research Process and Theory. 2021.

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