Course Overview

CYSE 270 introduced fundamental Linux system administration skills used in cybersecurity environments. Throughout this course I worked extensively with the Linux command line to manage storage, configure networking, automate system tasks, and analyze system configurations. These labs were completed using Kali Linux and Ubuntu virtual machines.

The course emphasized hands-on practice with real administrative tasks that security professionals frequently perform in enterprise environments such as disk management, scripting, and system monitoring.

Skills Demonstrated

• Linux system administration
• Bash scripting
• Network configuration and troubleshooting
• Storage management and filesystem configuration
• Task automation using cron jobs
• Command line utilities used in cybersecurity

My favorite labs from the course:

Network Configuration Lab

This lab focused on identifying and analyzing Linux network configurations. I used command line utilities such as ifconfig, route, netstat, ping, and host to examine network interfaces and routing tables.

The lab also required switching a virtual machine from NAT mode to Bridged mode and comparing the network behavior in both configurations. The analysis demonstrated how IP addresses, gateways, and DNS settings change depending on network topology.

Key commands used:

ifconfig
route
netstat
ping
host
cat

Lab_11_Network_Basics_Config.docx_compressed

Task Automation with Cron

In this assignment I created a Linux backup automation script that archived a user’s home directory using the tar command and compressed the file for storage efficiency.

The script generated backup files using a timestamp and MIDAS ID, then moved the archive into the /var/backups directory. I scheduled the script to run automatically using crontab, demonstrating how system administrators automate maintenance tasks in Linux environments.

Skills demonstrated:

Bash scripting
tar archive creation
file compression
automated task scheduling
cron configuration

CYSE270-Lab-9-Task-Automation

Storage Management and Partitioning

This lab involved analyzing and managing local storage devices within a Linux virtual machine. I inspected disk devices, created partitions, and mounted a new filesystem.

Key tools used included:

fdisk
parted
lsblk
df
filesystem mounting and unmounting

I also attached a new virtual disk to the VM, created a primary partition, formatted it with ext4, and mounted it to a new directory for use by the system.

CYSE270-Lab-7

Reflection

This course strengthened my comfort working in Linux environments and using command line tools to manage systems. These labs reinforced how Linux is widely used in cybersecurity for system monitoring, automation, and forensic analysis. Through hands-on labs I gained experience troubleshooting network configurations, writing automation scripts, and managing system storage—skills that directly translate to real-world cybersecurity and IT operations roles.

Small Design Tip (this will make your portfolio look way better)

At the top of the page add a small header block like this:

CYSE 270 – Linux in Cybersecurity
Old Dominion University | Spring 2025

Then add three quick badges

Linux | System Administration | Automation

It makes it look much more like a professional portfolio instead of a class assignment.