Introduction
When I first started my Cybersecurity studies, I had no experience with cybersecurity technology, tools, and theories. Throughout my coursework, I have learned a lot about cybersecurity tools and theories that have significantly improved my ability to approach complex cybersecurity problems with technical tools and analytical thinking. My courses have also helped show that to be successful professionally, I need to develop soft skills along with technical skills. For this reflection, I have picked three skills I have improved upon and decided to reflect on Linux, network security, and written communication. I have picked these skills because of how they complement each other and how they prepare me for my career. Linux and network security have provided technical knowledge, and written communication allows me to explain these concepts clearly. I have picked three artifacts for each skill to reflect on and discuss how they have helped me grow and prepare me for a career within the cybersecurity field.
Linux
Knowledge in Linux is important in the cybersecurity field. My coursework has allowed me to research Linux and gain hands-on experience in using Linux to better prepare me for a career. I have grown from not knowing what Linux was, to now being able to confidently navigate the command line, configure users and groups, bash scripting, and network configuration. This is backed by research showing that proficiency in Linux based systems is essential for those in technical roles (Lewis & Crumpler, 2019).
One of the artifacts I selected is an assignment that gave hands-on experience with user and group management. Once I got comfortable with navigating the command line interface, I was able to learn and gain experience with users and groups. This deepened my understanding of the roles and permissions that can be added and removed from them to better secure a Linux based system. I was able to experiment and see first-hand how giving permissions can change how a user or group interacts with the system and what they would be able to do. I saw that by changing permissions, it would change if users would be able to read, execute, or write to a file. This helped connect what I learned from previous classes about access control and the principle of least privilege. By making sure users were limited to permissions necessary to perform their duties to reduce risks from compromised accounts. This assignment also grew my understanding of cybersecurity, as I always thought about defending against external threats, but it is also important to reduce risks internally from incidents such as unauthorized access.
My coursework allowed me to improve my Linux skills with bash scripting. I was able to use the nano and vi editors to create bash scripts to automate tasks in the Linux command line. This was my first time doing bash scripting and was able to gain experience writing conditional statements. My first script included if statements to see if a given input was greater than ten or not. This allowed me to learn basic fundamentals and get an idea of what bash scripting was capable of. I was then able to write scripts that allowed me to further understand how scripting can automate tasks to complete tasks more efficiently while reducing manual errors. Learning bash scripting also gave me further insight into the command line and how I could also use scripting in previous assignments. For user and group management, I was able to reflect on how I could use bash scripting to automate the tasks of creating a user or group and could simplify the process. This also allowed me to think about how bash scripting can lead to consistent permissions to users and help secure a Linux-based system.
I also learned how to apply my Linux skills to networking and combine them to improve in cybersecurity. My coursework has allowed me to use many different commands in the interface to see network information and test network connectivity. One of my assignments allowed me to use commands such as ifconfig, route, netstat, and ping to see different information in the network. I gained knowledge on Linux network configuration files and learned to edit the files. I was able to change from NAT to bridged networking and see how it would change some of the network files. An example of this is I noticed the routing table was cleared, and how I was no longer able to ping certain hosts anymore. My coursework has allowed me to get hands-on experience looking at network configurations through Linux. It has allowed me to improve my problem-solving skills when it comes to network troubleshooting. I also improved my attention to detail and analytical skills through these assignments by adjusting configurations and looking into what changed and why.
Network Security
For my first artifact in network security, I was able to further investigate and learn how to fully utilize Wireshark. Before the assignment I could only capture packets and see the protocols used. This assignment helped me understand the importance of being able to filter out certain packets to find information. By filtering out packet information it helps focus on packets that would better match the criteria for the investigation. For my specific assignment by filtering to the FTP protocol, I was able to see credentials in clear text. This is because the FTP protocol is unsecure and does not encrypt information it transmits. This allowed me to further understand the importance of using secure protocols so the risks of credentials being captured by Wireshark unencrypted is reduced. I was able to understand the attacker side of using Wireshark and the thought process of trying to sniff out critical information. This furthered my understanding of how unsecure protocols can severely weaken a network’s security.
I gained skills in network reconnaissance by using Linux commands like nmap to scan for open ports. This allowed me to search for vulnerabilities in the open ports that would be better closed. The scan also allowed me to find operating systems and services that were being used, giving me more information about the network. I was able to further understand how open ports can weaken network security and the importance of making sure that unnecessary ports were closed. Once the scan was complete, I configured a firewall to block all traffic from a single IP address, resulting in host seems down showing when scanned again from the IP address. I gained better understanding of network security as I was able to use network reconnaissance to find out what firewall configurations to use. I was able to see firsthand how firewall configurations can strengthen a network’s security. This is important for cybersecurity because I can block traffic for ports, protocols, or IP addresses. This better prepared me for a cybersecurity career because I gained experience with firewalls, an important hard skill which is sought after in the cybersecurity job market (Graham & Lu, 2022).
For my next artifact I was able to use my network reconnaissance skills and combine with a new tool called Metasploit Framework (MSF). I scanned a subnet for open ports and was able to find software information. I had to use the information to research vulnerabilities and use the results to set up a payload on MSF. This was my first time using MSF and was able to gain a deeper understanding of the thought process a bad actor may have when trying to infiltrate a network. I found a vulnerability through an open port that showed outdated Windows software vulnerable to a well known exploit. Through this assignment I learned the importance of security principles such as making sure software is up to date. I learned how by keeping outdated software up in a subnet can be exploited and let an unauthorized user get into a system.
From my coursework I was able to learn and grow significantly in my network security skills. The coursework allowed me to develop a fundamental understanding of tools that was built upon and combined with other skills through different assignments. I started at Wireshark where I learned how to capture traffic and grew into being able to use that tool to look through packets to find suspicious behavior. I learned how to configure firewalls to better secure a network and important commands like nmap to perform network reconnaissance. I was able to develop myself from simply using tools to being able to identify vulnerabilities and properly address them as a defender or test them through authorized exploitation. My approach to network security has also changed through these assignments. I learned the importance of layered security and of having a proactive security stance. I am more prepared for a cybersecurity career because I can better monitor and investigate suspicious activity, identify vulnerabilities and reduce risks, and understand attacker behavior. The growth I’ve had with technical tools like Wireshark and MSF and the other technologies are important because according to Rehaimi et al. (2026), those technical skills are within the top ten most important hard skills.
Written Communication
My next skill is written communication, I picked this because “the verbal, written and presentation communication skills are also considered necessary” in a career for cybersecurity (Avinash, 2021). My first artifact for this skill is a report on what ransomware is. This report allowed me to sharpen my skills in communicating technical concepts through writing. I had to learn how to properly organize and structure a written report so that a general reader can still understand the technical concepts I wrote about. I did this by first defining what it was, going into the different types, real-world impacts, and prevention strategies. This report also helped me develop better research strategies as this was the first time I was learning about ransomware. I had to use multiple sources to further my understanding to better communicate the topic and support explanations. This was important to prepare for a career in cybersecurity because I need to be able to explain technical concepts to those without a background in technology. This developed my writing skills for reports I may have to write up that will be reviewed by peers in non-technical departments.
My next artifact focuses on more technical details from a cyber attack on an Olympic event. This report was more challenging because I had to write about complex technical details. I had to learn how to discuss those technical details in a way a general reader could still understand. I learned through this report that the best way to do this was to keep descriptions of the attack very clear and concise and give just enough technical details to explain the attack without overwhelming the reader. I also learned that by describing the attack in logical sequence of how it happened helped the report flow better for understanding. This report better prepared me for a career because as a cybersecurity professional I will have to document incidents and explain technical findings.
My last artifact connects my written communication to interdisciplinary studies. I picked this artifact because while writing this report it helped me grow in understanding that cybersecurity is not just a technical issue. Cybersecurity is an interdisciplinary problem that requires understanding from multiple disciplines to help solve problems in the field. Through this report I also developed my written communication skills further and not only explained technical concepts but included perspectives from other disciplines onto a broader technical issue. It helped further understand psychological problems such as users choosing weak passwords. Political science helped me understand regulations and international coordination when it comes to addressing cybersecurity concerns. Understanding this better prepares me for a cybersecurity career because I can now relate cybersecurity concerns to other disciplines to better communicate an idea. My ability to communicate technical concepts is important because “skills such as verbal and written communication … are ultimate skills that are demanded no matter the occupation” (Lipovac & Bagic Babac, 2021, p. 520).
Conclusion
I have grown significantly in my technical and soft skills for cybersecurity. The growth I have made in Linux, network security, and written communication has given me a variety of skills that I can use in my career. I have learned different cybersecurity concepts and tools and applied them hands-on. I have also learned how to properly communicate technical concepts concisely and use proper research and evidence to further my explanations. My coursework has allowed me to gain fundamental skills in different areas and taught me how to combine them together to better prepare me for a future career.
Sources:
Avinash, K. (2021, August 1). An analysis of information technology security job advertisements. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353935540_An_analysis_of_information_technology_security_job_advertisements
Graham, C. M., & Lu, Y. (2022, September 1). Skills Expectations in Cybersecurity: Semantic Network Analysis of Job Advertisements. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363427379_Skills_Expectations_in_Cybersecurity_Semantic_Network_Analysis_of_Job_Advertisements
Lewis, J. & Crumpler, W. (2019, January 29). The Cybersecurity Workforce Gap. CSIS. https://www.csis.org/analysis/cybersecurity-workforce-gap
Lipovac, I., & Bagić Babac, M. (2021, November 26). CONTENT ANALYSIS OF JOB ADVERTISEMENTS FOR IDENTIFYING EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS. Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems. https://www.indecs.eu/2021/indecs2021-pp511-525.pdf
Rehaimi, A., Sadqi, Y., Elboushaki, A., Safi, S., & Awad, A. I. (2026, July 31). Bridging the skills gap in recruitment: A RAG-based LLM framework for cybersecurity job advertisement analysis. Science Direct. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306457326004577?utm_source=chatgpt.com