Cybersecurity student at Old Dominion University<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Welcome to my Portfolio!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My name is Micah Jefferies. I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity at Old Dominion University and plan to graduate in May 2027. My goal is to become a cybersecurity analyst who protects companies’ networks from hackers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This portfolio showcases my growth and experiences in communication, critical thinking, and network security through coursework, projects, volunteer experiences, and employment. My work includes troubleshooting a Python chatroom, developing an n8n automation workflow, analyzing network traffic, and configuring network access controls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Explore my portfolio to see examples of my work and visit my r\u00e9sum\u00e9 to learn about my background<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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How I Would Introduce Myself Professionally<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My name is Micah Jefferies and I attend Old Dominion University, where I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Cybersecurity. I plan to graduate in May 2027. Even before I started college, I had a strong interest in cybersecurity and felt that it was my duty to protect companies, industries, and individuals from cyberattacks or at least prevent most of them. During my years of college, my interest has only deepened even more toward cybersecurity, specifically network security. Technology, problem-solving, communication, and continuous learning has contributed to my love for cybersecurity. The areas I\u2019m the most interested in when it comes to cybersecurity are network security and application security. I am very interested in learning how networks operate and connect users, the ability to monitor and scan network traffic, identifying suspicious activity in network traffic, finding vulnerabilities in software, and applying different tools or configuring settings to patch vulnerabilities<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the long term, my dream is to become a cybersecurity analyst. I want a career in cybersecurity where I can monitor network activity and traffic, identify suspicious activity, scan network systems for vulnerabilities, and help protect organizations and companies information and data within their network systems. With the coursework and projects I have worked on and completed, I have been able to strengthen my skills in networking, critical thinking, troubleshooting, and interdisciplinary research. I have also learned during my college years that cybersecurity analysts have to communicate with each other effectively, work with others, and continue learning outside of work because the cyberspace as well as cyber threats are always changing and evolving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Key Experiences That Shaped My Path<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One experience that shaped my path in cybersecurity and developed my interest in network security was creating a Python chatroom using socket programming for a class project. For the project, I created both the server and client programs and ran them on my computer. When I first started the server and tried to connect through the client, I received a connection refused error. The client program could not enter the chatroom, so I had to determine what was preventing the programs from communicating. I began solving the problem step by step. I checked whether the server and client were using the same port number and discovered that the client program had a different port number that I entered. The server was listening on one port while the client was trying to connect to another. Because of that, the server and client couldn\u2019t connect. I changed the client\u2019s port number so that it matched the server\u2019s port number, restarted the server, and ran the client again. After making those changes, the client successfully connected to the server, and I was able to send and receive messages. This experience helped me understand how programs use IP addresses and ports to communicate. It also gave me an experience solving a networking problem instead of only learning about networking through class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another experience that shaped my path was creating an n8n workflow that provides information about current and upcoming events around the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. While running the workflow, I saw that one of the event websites was not providing information. I checked the n8n execution log and found a connection timeout error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I tested my internet connection, opened the website in my browser, and checked the website address inside the HTTP Request node. After looking through those possibilities, I checked my firewall settings and saw that the event\u2019s website was being blocked. I configured the firewall settings to allow the connection to my n8n automation, restarted the n8n program, and ran the workflow again. After making the change, n8n was able to collect event information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This project gave me a better understanding of how firewall rules can affect communication between programs and websites. It also gave me experience using execution logs, connection tests, and security settings to solve a networking problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What I Learned Along the Way<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What I have learned is that communication and teamwork is very important within cybersecurity. Networking with employers and other students has made me comfortable discussing my interests, asking questions, and learning from others. Teamwork is important because combining minds and skills from others can make challenging problems easier to solve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My perspective on cybersecurity has also changed. I see now that it is a multidisciplinary field including networking, programming, research, communication, and risk management. Cybersecurity requires continuous learning because technology and cyber threats are always changing and becoming more complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where I Am Headed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking ahead, I plan to pursue a career as a cybersecurity analyst, especially in a position involving network security. I want to monitor network traffic and systems, identify unusual behavior from traffic and logs, scan systems for vulnerabilities, and help determine the best solutions to those vulnerabilities whether it\u2019s an updated framework or installing a new security tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before graduating, I plan to earn the CompTIA Security+ certification, apply for internships for more experience, and continue improving my skills through projects. I also want to learn more about network monitoring, vulnerability scanning, and security analysis tools. After earning my degree, my goal is to obtain an entry-level cybersecurity analyst position with a company or government organization and continue building my knowledge through earning more certificates and building my experience through working with others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cybersecurity student at Old Dominion University Welcome to my Portfolio! My name is Micah Jefferies. I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity at Old Dominion University and plan to graduate in May 2027. 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