Daniel Cobb

Entry #1

CYSE 201S

January 13, 2024

 NICE Workforce Framework

Looking into the NICE Workforce Framework, there is one area that I think I would enjoy the most – Protect and Defend (PR). My reasoning is because of the roles within cybersecurity that typically involve implementing and managing security controls to protect systems and data. I have minor experience dealing with software and breaking down websites to capture a flag. I find it incredibly fulfilling to contribute to companies’ security by safeguarding them against potential vulnerabilities.

The role that particularly interests me is Penetration Tester, which falls under (PR). Penetration Testers actively simulate cyberattacks to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in systems, networks, or applications. I’ve worked with a website called “Hack The Box,” In this simulated environment, the objective is to skillfully penetrate a website or software, securing a key code to successfully unlock and complete the challenge. I enjoyed it a lot because it requires diverse thinking and problem-solving. There’s no singular way to solve each box, making it interesting with each unique challenge and varying difficulty levels. Learning how to break into systems is just the first part of the job for a Penetration Tester. Learning how to prepare and defend against threats, as well as understanding vulnerabilities, raises another level of problem-solving. Overall, I would really enjoy focusing my career towards this path in NICE. It makes me think and challenges me in ways that I find highly engaging.

Now its hard to say because I enjoy all the NICE areas but if I had to say one area I would want to least focus my career on would be Operate and Maintain (OM). Their roles are typically to focuses on daily operation and maintenance of security measures, it includes the day-to-day aspects of cybersecurity, which would be like monitoring and responding to security incidents. I would love to use it to kick start my career but the day-to-day aspect could become quite tiresome and repetitive.