Name: Michelle Ayaim
Date: July 31, 2025
Organization: NIWC Atlantic

This week’s focus was on maintaining secure and effective systems. I completed several key
tasks to secure networks and devices. We focused mostly on updates, patches, plugins, and scans. Every part had an important role to play in making sure that systems were well-maintained, working well, and ready to endure attacks.

The first thing we did was do scans. Scans check servers and computers for issues. These
issues are caused by vulnerabilities, obsolete software, or setups that make it simpler for
attackers to get access. We used the Security Center and VRAM to perform daily scans. After
scanning, we reviewed the reports to determine which concerns were most relevant. VRAM lets you identify which threats to address first. In this way, we didn’t waste time resolving little issues when larger problems required more attention.

Next was Plugins. Plugins are pieces of code that tell scanning programs what to look for.
Without plugins, scanners wouldn’t know what problems to look for. We updated the plugins before running the scans. We used extra plugin files, such as.tar.gz packages, to ensure that your scanning programs detected the most recent threats. We also made sure that they were suitable with the tools we were using, so we wouldn’t receive false alarms or miss serious vulnerabilities.

Thirdly was the Patches. Patches address issues identified during scanning. When the
system has a problem or a weak place, a patch repairs it, much like a band-aid for the computer. We compared patch lists to the findings from VRAM. Then we put out a specific number of monthly fixes for different systems. Some went through WSUS, while others used IIS to help deliver patch files to computers that were having problems downloading them. IIS is a program created by Microsoft. It’s a safe and managed web server that can grow a framework that allows administrators to add and remove components based on their needs. After patching, we used tools like Metbench to confirm that the fixes were implemented correctly.

Finally, it is Updates. Patches are narrower in scope than updates. They may include new program versions, configuration updates, or better system tools. We completed a significant number of updates over the past couple of weeks. These were carefully planned so that nothing would crash or slow down. Each update was recorded so that others could see what had changed and when. Updates improved system performance and security. They helped make sure that your system stayed effective even after updating and scanning.

This has practically been the majority of my recent weeks, since this week marks the fourth Navy ship I have worked on, which I am extremely proud of. While my internship is coming to an end, I have graciously learned a lot and am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it.