This page highlights a series of written reflections completed for CYSE 280: Windows System Management and Security. Each assignment involved analyzing cybersecurity topics through class material and selected episodes of the podcast Darknet Diaries. These reflections helped build my critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills by connecting real-world cybersecurity cases to course concepts.

Assignment 1 – Windows Server Comparison

In this assignment, I created a comparison table highlighting key features, functionality, and security changes across various Microsoft Windows Server versions. This helped me understand how system security and management have evolved over time.

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Assignment 2 – NotPetya (Episode #54)

In this reflection, I analyzed the NotPetya malware attack and its global impact on infrastructure. I connected the attack to course discussions about unpatched vulnerabilities, ransomware behavior, and incident response.

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Assignment 3 – Shadow Brokers (Episode #53)

In this assignment, I reflected on the Shadow Brokers’ leak of NSA cyber tools and how that disclosure increased risk for Windows users worldwide. I considered the implications of leaked zero-day exploits and their role in later cyberattacks.

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Assignment 4 – Olympic Destroyer (Episode #77)

In this response, I explored the Olympic Destroyer cyberattack and how attribution challenges complicate response strategies. I connected this case to class topics on nation-state threats and misinformation in cybersecurity.

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Assignment 5 – Human Hacker (Episode #69)

In this assignment, I examined how attackers use social engineering to bypass technical controls. I reflected on the importance of user training and the need to recognize the human element as a major security vulnerability.

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Assignment 6 – Alberto (Episode #25)

In this reflection, I considered how early exposure to hacking shaped the behaviors of a young cybercriminal. I used this case to think about ethical boundaries, motivations, and the need for positive intervention through education.

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Assignment 7 – ZeuS (Episode #111)

In this assignment, I analyzed how the ZeuS banking trojan was used to steal financial data at scale. I connected the malware’s design to course discussions about credential theft, botnets, and defense-in-depth strategies.

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Assignment 8 – Beirut Bank Job (Episode #6)

In this assignment, I analyzed how the ZeuS banking trojan was used to steal financial data at scale. I connected the malware’s design to course discussions about credential theft, botnets, and defense-in-depth strategies.

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Assignment 9 – Stuxnet (Episode #29)

In this assignment, I studied the Stuxnet worm as a case of cyberwarfare targeting industrial systems. I connected it to class topics on critical infrastructure protection and the risks of highly specialized malware.

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Assignment 10 – WannaCry (Episode #73)

In this response, I reflected on the WannaCry ransomware attack and how it exploited known vulnerabilities. This case reinforced the importance of patch management and rapid threat response.

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Assignment 11 – Jeremy from Marketing (Episode #36)

In this reflection, I explored how insider threats can unintentionally lead to major breaches. I focused on the role of access control and organizational security policies in preventing internal security lapses.

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Assignment 12 – Black Duck Eggs (Episode #21)

In this assignment, I examined how digital espionage was used to target valuable intellectual property. I considered how state-level threats operate covertly and why cybersecurity now plays a key role in economic and national security.

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