Reflection Papers

Note: The following cannot be uploaded directly as a pdf. Therefore, I pasted the content instead with little modification.

Internship with Koren Wise

12.04.2024

Koren Wise, Lead Assessor CMMC CCA/PA/PI/LTP, Cloud Architect & CISA/DHS AES-HVA, CISSP, PMP

CEO, Wise Technical Innovations

Luzzitto Tupaz, CYSE 368 – 14928

Fall 2024

Overview 1

Learning Objectives 3

Introduction 3

Organization Overview 3

Initial Orientation and Impressions 3

Management Environment 3

Major Work Duties and Project 4

Use of Cybersecurity Skills 4

Academic Preparation 4

Achieving Internship Objectives 4

Motivating Aspects 4

Discouraging Aspects 4

Challenges Faced 4

Recommendations for Future Interns 4

Conclusion 5

Appendices 5

Overview

This paper is written to detail my internship experience with Koren Wise in Wise Technical Innovations (WTI). As I was told, the internship experience is as to be expected. I had no prior expectations for this internship. Everything happened in a blink of an eye. Come and read through this to experience my internship with me. I’ll try not to make it dull. Enjoy!

Learning Objectives

Become familiar with the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Requirements.
Gain an in-depth understanding of NIST SP 800-171 and 800-171 A.
Learn about the CMMC Program and its implications for the Defense Industrial Base.
Explore career paths in the CMMC Ecosystem and take the Certified CMMC Professional Course.

Introduction

This internship was my last requirement before I graduated. I completed all graduation requirements except an internship. In the prior semesters, there would be a couple of announcements for an internship for the next 16-week semester. However, those are limited in positions, and they mostly require you to have a certification, even if they say that it’s unnecessary. I don’t have any certifications. Thus, I tried applying to any internship positions open through Handshake, LinkedIn, USAJobs, etc. I even contacted Monarch Internship & Co-op Office (MICO) without any luck.

Thanks to the kindness of Professor Duvall. She was able to help me secure an internship through a connection. The internship still needs to be fully confirmed; however, Professor Duvall said that I would get an email a week later if the person in charge would accept interns. I was hoping that they would agree as this is my last requirement. If I didn’t have the internship this semester, I would have taken an extra semester for one course.

As we were accepted, Koren, Wise Technical Innovations (WTI) ‘s CEO, thoroughly explained and discussed the objectives and tasks. We presented the Memorandum of Agreement for the record of the internship. I say to myself that I will give my best effort for this company.

Organization Overview

Wise Technical Innovations (WTI) is an “Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) and HUBZone certified.” They specialize in NIST SP 800-171 compliance, creating Azure and Microsoft 365 Government Community Cloud High (GCCH) cloud enclaves, network design, software development, etc. Their target audience is those who work with Federal and Commercial companies.

Initial Orientation and Impressions

My initial orientation started with an email introduction. As that does not correctly introduce or represent me, Koren set a date for an onboarding meeting. I was pretty nervous as Koren might not like me, or I may not get along with the other intern. The initial meeting went well, and we were set to be in the office on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:00 am until we decided to leave for the day.

We had to take multiple certification exams on the things we never quite learned in school. It was time-consuming, but looking back, it was indeed necessary to make us take that information. We also had to sign an NDA to attend meetings that allowed us to sit in and listen. The first time I arrived at the office felt nerve-wracking as it was a new environment to get used to. I quickly realized it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

Management Environment

WTI is a small company that houses <50 employees. I have yet to meet everyone, but I’m uncertain about the number of employees. My site supervisor is the CEO of WTI, Koren Wise. The only other people I’ve interacted with are from different companies. They are in collaboration with WTI.

Koren is the only one in the office, and Matthew, a fellow intern, and I. It’s a small place that used to be a photoshoot location. The office is enough to fit a few workers, so most of Koren’s employees are remote. Some are even as far as Nebraska, I think. There’s some concession and office space enough for a small group. Koren said that she will continue to develop the space. She only got the place recently. Sadly, I don’t get to see the development of that workspace.

Major Work Duties and Project

There are no primary work duties, as Koren was unsure if she was taking interns for the semester. Therefore, she just describes what we need to accomplish for the day. Our work duties mainly involve ushering the CCP and CCA classes by putting links in chat, making a quiz using documents and ChatGPT, and doing odd jobs that vary.

Our work duties are just described by what Koren tells us to do. For example, on our first day in the office, we were tasked with building a table and chair and setting up the monitor. It took us several hours to build the table and chair. The table and chair are for us to make the room like an office space. Later in the internship, we had to set up a microwave, coffee maker, and fridge. Lastly, we drive to the local Walmart for supplies such as snacks. Our odd jobs are literal odd jobs, but they’re not bad themselves.

The most consistent tasks we executed were VM Deployment, CCP/CCA involvement, and the creation of quiz questions. The VM deployment took about five Fridays for various reasons. Koren teaches CCA/CCP as part of her company and as a Licensed Training Provider.

Koren assigned no projects to us; however, I took it upon myself to make an application that will help CCP candidates strengthen their knowledge. As a student, I would like to learn about concepts quickly, like how the younger generation’s attention span decreases; I would also like to utilize such techniques to teach. The modern problem requires a contemporary solution. Thus, I asked for ideas that may be possible. This results in both Jeopardy and Index Cards. These tools should serve as a contemporary solution in learning quickly.

Use of Cybersecurity Skills

I did not learn any new skills while on the internship. However, I learned to apply my problem-solving skills. Many of the work-related issues require simple common sense. They were not difficult to resolve, just as long as one had patience and open-mindedness. This use of my skill validates my understanding of a problem. Problems start with the question. Identifying the right one is the first step. Once we find the right question, then we can solve the problem. Technical aspects require a basic understanding of how technology works. However, identifying the right tools for the job is another.

The second skill I utilized in this internship was using search engines. ChatGPT is a great tool to look up quick answers. However, ChatGPT should be used as a means to an end and not be relied upon when doing necessary research. The inaccuracy it depicts depends on the question and the trained model. Thus, utilizing search engines like Google seems reliable, at least for now. The internet is growing by the seconds, reaching at least petabytes or more. Thus, artificial intelligence is a good choice for querying the internet.

The two skills synergize to deliver a solution to the problem. Finding the right mixture doesn’t happen all the time. However, as one practices both skills, one will develop a skill that solves problems in information technology or in general.

Academic Preparation

The ODU curriculum did not prepare me for the internship. I had to rely on my problem-solving and querying techniques to resolve issues. However, thanks to those courses, I was able to refine my techniques. My essential skill may not be seen as a big deal or considered a skill, but knowing something others lack is a skill.

My professors sometimes fail to fully expand the definition of the concept or utilize it in a real-world context. My background in using limited resources helps a lot in developing such skills. This allows me to critically analyze the problems and find resources that lead me to improve my learning capabilities.

This internship helped me to understand the difficulty in this line of work. Most issues already exist, and the resources to resolve such issues are in the web of information, the Internet. Other people face problems similar to those one might have. However, this does not warrant that a solution to the issue does not exist. They are tricky to come by. One can find the solution or mitigation with determination, patience, and grit.

No courses prepare you for these issues. You had to have a good learning technique. If you don’t know, just ask. The only way of knowing is by asking questions. Asking somebody is better than nothing. Try until you start somewhere; eventually you will find your solution.

Achieving Internship Objectives

Koren proposes the learning objectives as a guide for interns to move autonomously. Koren is often busy running the company and gives us enough time for daily briefing. I fulfilled all objectives by participating in the Certified CMMC Professional (CCP) and Certified CMMC Assessor (CCA) classes. The required hours and objectives were done through these courses.

The first is understanding the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Requirements. The classes explain and expand on CMMC’s role in securing the CUI, or Controlled Classified Information. The CUIs are similar to documents that require special privileges, such as restricted, confidential, secret, and top secret. The document required to be compliant is called the NIST SP 80,0-171 and its predecessor is a standard made by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Participants shared their knowledge and experience regarding the CMMC, thus fulfilling the last two requirements.

Motivating Aspects

My initial motivation for this internship was the 150 hours. However, as I continued to do the assigned jobs and come to the office, it felt like a routine. The daily drive, the morning sun, and the smell of coffee make the experience feel like a good workplace. All factors played a huge role in making it feel like a haven. It was nice while it lasted.

The work is not much, just enough to be well balanced with schoolwork. The critical aspect of this internship was the minor tasks. It was so few that most days, I did schoolwork instead of the implied tasks. However, the tasks are simple and easy to do. The laptop was not secured nor connected to the company’s private infrastructure as Koren brought it new.

Discouraging Aspects

The only thing that could be discouraging is that the job is the same task as the last. Furthermore, you don’t have any technical work most of the time. Other times, you may be required to travel to another company. I didn’t mind any of it, but it sometimes feels overwhelming. Additionally, we summarize our completed tasks into a short list: attending CCP and CCA classes, creating FlexiQuiz, and setting up VMs. We didn’t do a lot of things. The work was plenty, but I felt like things could be improved. However, I had to take into account the uncertainty of the internship. The internship was a last-minute call, so there’s no proper outline for the internship duration.

Challenges Faced

There are a multitude of challenges that we face with uncertainty. The challenges ranged from business-related expenses to technical level. Some of the challenges required more critical thinking before engaging in proposing solutions. Others required multiple days of participation to resolve the issue. Regardless of such challenges, we were able to find the solution or temporary solutions to the problems.

Business Expense

In a company, employees or managers need to handle business expenses. When we were fixing the printer, I didn’t want Koren to spend the money to resolve the issue as it may not be the solution to the problem. The dilemma of having to solve the issue by using somebody else’s money with no guarantee to work was challenging to do. I had to ensure that the solution was practical and budget-friendly for the company. I shouldn’t worry about such an issue, but it caught me off guard and left me unprepared. Classes such as Introduction to Networking say that IT burns more money in the company than in other fields. Thus, that mindset stuck with me. I won’t solve anything with money if I can help it.

Technical

I will describe the nitty-gritty of all technical issues at a great length and how I’ve overcome them. I’m good at handling tech-related issues but not explaining them well. Thus, this section will be longer than the rest. I will try to simplify the process and explain why it is necessary. My adequate skills prove to be of use in these scenarios.

Deploying 10 VMs

Our main objective is to deploy ten virtual machines, install software required by the company, and gather information about installed applications. It was simple enough yet posed the most problems in our internship. I may not disclose the server’s location in another company because of a Non-Disclosure Agreement with Koren. The process, however, only discloses a little about the infrastructure and critical components of the company, preserving its confidential information.

At this company, we first worked to figure out the specifications for the virtual machines since the settings will be permanent. After consulting with our on-site supervisor, they gave us a list of settings to set in the deployment of virtual machines: 8 GB of RAM, one virtual processor, Generation 2 for modern OS, and 128 GB of memory. The server can only do so much, but it’s brand-new and has excellent specifications. Therefore, it should be able to hold the load of 10 virtual machines running consecutively. We set up the first VM and fired it up. It worked for a few seconds and gave us the black screen of death. The VM just didn’t want to start functioning. My on-site supervisor continued with his day and awaited a message from a third-party IT consultant. However, my curious mind decided to view the error. I looked it up, and it says that the set configuration for the VM may be insufficient. I then searched the minimum specifications for Windows 11. None of the configurations were at fault; the guest OS met the minimum requirement. Just for fun, I changed the virtual processors to 2. I restarted the VM, and it loaded normally.

The next issue is regarding the internet connection with the server and VMs. Technically, the server having a problem regarding network connectivity was the first issue, but the on-site supervisor resolved it along with the IT consultant. The IT consultant did not share the solution as it contains sensitive information. After the IT consultant fixed the network issue, we faced an issue installing the guest OS. The VM was not able to connect through the internet. With the help of an IT consultant, we resolved the issue. The solution includes executing several commands. Fun fact: during the installation of Windows 11, you can press Shift + F10 to open a terminal window.

Another issue we encountered was the Host OS update. The server needs to be updated most of the time. The error was persistent as we tried every solution that exists out there. The versions and device configurations are the same as the solutions provided, but we ran out of luck. The site supervisor insists that the update is minor. Thus, we continued with the deployment process.

Additionally, we were required to submit a report about the application necessary for the virtual machines. We had to delete each programs that should not be there so we wrote a script with the help of the internet and Koren. It worked on local computer but almost failed at the virtual machines. Some packages could not be uninstalled even after we restarted the virtual machine. Thus, we took note of the uninstalled programs and wrote them in a report.

Lastly, the performance of the virtual machines could have been faster. It took 15 minutes for a virtual machine to boot. Again, we noted this issue and reported it to the higher-ups, who will decide on the best course of action later. It was also lagging. However, it was not up to me or my fellow interns to determine what is best for the company as we were only interns.

Printer

The printer was an old HP DesignJet T520 24-inch. Somebody handed it to Koren. I initially thought the printer only needed to be plugged in and, voilà, it would work – it didn’t go as planned. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be talking about it. The first issue when we plugged it in was the printhead. The printer outputs an error stating a problem with the printhead; it was either misaligned or needs replacing. The first thing I checked was the alignment of the printhead. The removal part of the printhead was quite a challenge as it was my first time, and I was not confident that I would resolve the issue. After visually inspecting the printhead and the pins, I found no issue and returned it. I restarted the printer multiple times, and the main menu showed up. The printer is indicating that it’s low on ink. Thus, Koren tasked us with finding ink cartridges. It arrived, but the first issue kept surfacing. Koren replaced the cartridges, but the main menu still won’t show. Koren then tasked us with ordering a new printhead. We were unsure if the printhead came with new ink cartridges. However, we gained the approval to order, and we did. Once we got the printhead, we replaced the old one and installed a new ink cartridge. The printer was finally working.

Not for long, though, as we faced another issue. This time, the problem is the Wi-Fi connection. The printer was unable to connect to the router. Additionally, the printer did not show the error but instead insisted on printing the report of the failed attempt. We printed it out, and it displays an error message regarding MAC filtering. According to Koren, the router did not have such a feature. She relentlessly tried to find fault with the router, but eventually, she remembered that her router had a configuration set for the enterprise. A setting about the encryption algorithm: I don’t know the default configuration, but it made her router vulnerable. However, we were able to connect the printer. Afterward, Koren tried to revert the settings but failed miserably. My fellow intern and I needed to improvise and utilize our hotspot for the remainder of the day as Koren tried to resolve the issue. It took a couple of days for Koren to fix the problem; she had to reset the router and call customer service. Afterward, we had an internet connection, and the printer was connected.

Lastly, the paper is placed in the bottom corner instead of full length. I have some experience with printer configuration as I own one, and it’s an HP with similar software but a different driver for the printer. The first thing I did was connect to the printer through the computer. A quick search did not show it, so I manually entered the printer’s IP address. I unlocked the printer configuration and looked closely at the settings. I found settings that autorotate the paper. I changed the settings to rotate by 0 degrees. The following print then resolves part of the issue. However, the next issue is that it did not fill the paper. The paper is 11 inches by 17 inches, but the print only takes part of that paper and even includes the next page on the same paper. I tried to change the document layout to match the paper. It works but fails at other times. The next step for me was to figure out the configuration of the print paper. The default settings for print paper were set to letter. Letter size is 8.5 in. by 11 in. This discrepancy was clear as day. I looked up and down for custom paper size. Then, I found legal. Legal is 8.5 inches by 14 inches in size. It was a bit far, but I thought it was fine until it wasn’t. The print showed that it fills most of the paper. That solution was not quite adequate. I looked up the size for 11 inches by 17 paper sizes and found a ledger, also known as a tabloid. They are exactly the same match. I made a document regarding the size and print. The document came out perfectly. However, just to be sure it’s fully functional, I printed an existing document. The print failed to accommodate the size fully. I gave up and proposed the only logical solution I could think of – changing the paper to letter size. I revert all changes to the configurations and print a document in the letter size. It failed at first because I accidentally reset all configurations, which reset autorotate, but after that change, the document printed the paper as intended.

From the initial setup of the printer to finding a solution to the printer, the overall process took about weeks or most of the internship hours. The solutions are simple but quite a headache to find. This field is not for the weak. One must have a lot of patience and problem-solving skills to figure out the issue. 8/10. I would do it again if I had the chance.

Personal Project

The personal project was supposed to be a quick and straightforward application that spiraled into a big mess of code. The idea of learning should be fun. Thus, with Koren and Matthew’s suggestions, I planned to create an index card and jeopardy application by utilizing a Javascript framework, Nextjs. I’m no expert in software development, but I thought it would be awesome to have an aid with ChatGPT and Copilot. The ChatGPT will be used to make content, while Copilot will guide me in creating the website.

The vital issue is deployment. Developers often want to avoid seeing their hard work go down the drain. Thus, they monitor the deploy environment for errors and note bugs that may appear. For my issues, the hosting platform often performs a strict check on my program, which fails to deploy. My local development does not output errors as rigorous as the hosting platform, making me pull my hair out.

The minor and unfixable issue is compatibility regarding packages. Some packages get a yearly update, while some only get updates once the dependency updates their codes. This causes a whole chain of programs not to function as intended. There is not much a developer can do except wait for a workaround, mitigation, or temporary fix.

Recommendations for Future Interns

This paragraph is just my advice, in general, and I’ll follow the paragraph with advice regarding this internship. First, make a plan. It does not matter what you’re going to do. Make a plan and commit to the plan. It will be hard to stay consistent, but try to stick to it. Plan your 5 years. Vision yourself in what you’re going to do 5 years from now. What would you want to do? What would you have accomplished? It is essential to keep focus on an end goal. It allows you to stay motivated when done correctly. If you don’t have a solid plan for your 5 years, try to stay in the general area where all possible outcomes collide. Plan your future courses. View your Degreeworks and find all classes requiring prerequisites and classes you can take without one. Lay them out into semesters. This is only a plan, and things may not always work out. Plan your certifications. If you don’t have money, find a research opportunity that gives you a stipend. Review for the certification and take it.

Take as many as you can, but limit them to monetary availability. Not all certifications are being looked at, so pick the right ones. Balance your life by planning your routines. It prevents you from overbooking yourself. Also, note all events that will happen in your life. This will allow you to prioritize what is most important. Change your mentality into a positive one. Your future rides on you surviving college. Take any opportunity that you can. Not all opportunities can be accepted, as your life may have specific requirements, but at least try. Give yourself enough time to complete tasks. An assignment can take up to an hour when you’re mentally exhausted. Get enough rest. Exercise. Eat healthy. Have varying perspectives that allow you to make better decisions. Treat yourself sometimes.

The most important requirement I would like future interns to abide by is the eagerness to learn. This internship can be overwhelming when you are first introduced. However, as time goes on, you can feel the improvement in your knowledge. Miss a single moment and know what you could have learned is gone. Be open to the possibility of failure, and ask questions when necessary.

Don’t be afraid to ask. Koren is a mom and a CEO of her own company. Despite her busy schedule, she is ready to answer any questions. Know that most of the things you will ask her are about uncertainty in tasks and suggestions. Most of the tasks are straightforward and do not require any third-party involvement. If you have any ideas, present them. Koren is more than happy to approve or disapprove ideas. If she does disapprove, she provides explanations and context to ease the rejection.

Overall, there are limited downsides to this internship. It may not be the best, but it’s the most significant opportunity. What makes this internship the greatest is its imperfection and spontaneous task decision. One does not know what may come next.

Conclusion

The last day was a bittersweet moment for me. I will never forget the sun hitting my face every 10 a.m. God, I hated that sun so much, but it was nice. I can always feel the warmth of the cold weather. The smell of the coffee Koren brewed fills the room like a scented candle. Or the construction noise that goes off now and then despite me wearing earphones. The room vibrates as they utilize their heavy machinery. Or the vehicles that rage on with impatience. I can hear the loud exhaust from miles away. Or emergency service wails in the background, making me guess where they are headed. Hopefully, they are ready to save lives. Or the boxes we kept because “we might need it later.” It never happened, but we did clean up. Or the two monitors that never allowed me to be more productive. You often just use one monitor, but the two monitors let you see all the windows. Or the table that adjusts to standing or sitting. We rarely increase the height to stand up as we get tired quickly. Or the messy wiring behind the desk, “there’s nothing we can do,” I remarked, “it is what it is.” It is truly an unforgettable experience. The environment, the placement, and everything else make it so comfortable. It’s like leaving when I finally found peace. I include pictures of the office space for both me and Matthew.

This was indeed a remarkable internship. I’m thankful for those who have helped me cultivate a good learning mindset and guide me in my future endeavors. Words can not express enough how grateful I am.

ltupa001

Internship