I am a student at Old Dominion University, currently majoring in Cybersecurity. I plan on pursuing a career in the Cybersecurity field post graduation. This portfolio will outline some of the assignments completed in select courses and other undergraduate experiences.
My Cybersecurity Journey
There are many characteristics that are important to excelling in the field of cybersecurity, whether it be the technical skills, foundational knowledge, teamwork, or communication skills that help an individual thrive in the field of cybersecurity, but there is one characteristic that stands out above all others and this is how I learned about it. Ever since I was young, I had an interest in technology, I would find any chance I had to use new devices or navigate computers in search of the ever advancing functions instilled to them. It didn’t take very long for that interest to reflect in my coursework, as I came across a keyboarding and computer class in my youth and signed up for them as my choice of elective classes. Starting the keyboarding and computer classes was just the beginning, once the school season started up and the classes were in full stride, it was apparent that these classes were far more interesting than anything else I had taken previously. Not only were these classes far more interesting than other general education classes I had taken previously, I saw potential in them, a career even. As such I did my best in those classes and felt like I was already on the right track for learning what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and eventually those classes came to an end.
Unfortunately, that spark of interest in technology related classes subsided as there weren’t very many other technology related courses I could enroll in, at least for the time being. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t pursue technology in different ways, any club or school related activity related to technology I researched and tried to get involved with which was enough to keep me satisfied for now. Eventually though, I did receive the chance to once again enroll in technology related classes, specifically for a cybersecurity and networking class. I wasn’t immediately sure about the course in its entirety but some research on the topics led me to believe that it was worth enrolling. As such, when the school season began once again, I was greeted with a classroom of which I had never seen before, a spacious classroom with an abundance of not only computers but also servers and other technology all around. It felt like something straight out of a movie, and it was only the start, as the teacher introduced themself and explained what we could expect from the course. The coursework that they had explained to us seemed challenging and yet fascinating as well as rewarding. This was because the teacher made it very clear that we were working towards an amazing goal, an industry certification. Not just any industry certification, one of the most widely recognized, and although not the most advanced of them, represented a foot in the door to the cybersecurity industry, as the teacher explained that organizations were actively seeking individuals with this specific certification and skillset.
It was no exaggeration to say that not only myself but also all the other students were excited and motivated to work towards this goal as the year went on. With this goal in mind, the coursework began, and it was nothing short of revolutionary. The course work although challenging and complex was something to look forward to, it wasn’t just fill in the blanks, quizzes, or writing assignments, it was interactive labs that allowed the students to get hands on experience working with cybersecurity and networking principles and techniques that were directly applicable to a career in those fields. Whether it was using specialized software and programs to work with network monitoring and management or cybersecurity labs that taught and tested knowledge and skills pertaining to cyberthreats, it was all enjoyable. Even if a student caught themself struggling to figure out specific parts of the labs or assignments, the teacher was always there encouraging us to ask for help, and would help guide us through the process and ideas in order to get past the roadblock without giving us the answer right away. The teacher made it a point to turn challenges into learning opportunities instead of giving up in the face of hardship and adversity.
It wasn’t long before the students, including myself, felt confident about their decision to enroll in this class, as well as making the decision to continue down the path of cybersecurity and networking. After months of hard work from teacher and student alike, new opportunities had approached. The first of which was a guided simulation for which students from across the classes were brought together and tasked with acting as professionals in the field and working in teams to test our knowledge. The basis of the simulation followed that of a disaster which striked critical facilities within our nation and required the assistance of our expertise to deduce what had occurred as well as what needed to be done going forward. This simulation tested our critical thinking skills as well as our communication and collaboration skills in a way that also required us to make use of our knowledge of technology. The event ended by allowing students to report on their team’s findings as well as the evidence that was crucial to our problem solving while also testing the students public speaking skills by requiring them to speak in front of an audience. After our class had returned to our own classroom, it was followed by discussion amongst the students and the teachers who all spoke positively about the experience and what we had learned from going through it.
Our teacher also made it a point to mention the next upcoming event, one even larger and more focused on testing our technical skills, foundational knowledge, and problem solving skills. This would be an event in which students would form teams and compete against hundreds of other students in a capture the flag competition in which the flags were hidden behind tasks that required students to make use of their cybersecurity, networking, programming, encryption, and technology skills and knowledge. The students first separated into teams and then began on their respective preparations based on what we were told to expect from the competition, as there were various different types of tasks that we were expected to complete, our team decided to split up individually and focus on a main task to hone as the date of the competition approached. As the day of the competition arrived, the students were prepared and waiting for the competition to officially begin. As the clock struck noon the countdown began and the competition had officially begun, our team rushed to find the specific tasks that fell under our expertise and quickly completed the quicker of the tasks, which mostly consisted of encryption, networking packet navigation, cybersecurity modules, and puzzles. As the quicker of the tasks began to get completed we started working together to solve the harder tasks which would combine previous elements or dive into more advanced processes and would take us much longer to complete, sometimes even hours of research and problem solving before finding the flag or completing the appropriate task.
As such, the clock’s countdown had reached ever closer to the end, and we spent all the time we had reviewing one anothers tasks in order to finish any that we had potentially missed. Almost out of nowhere we had run out of time, but despite that we checked the standings and had performed far better than we had expected, as such my team and I, as well as all the other students in our class began a much needed celebration for doing so well. I felt like I was on top of the world, and we collectively felt like we could do anything, which our teacher seemingly knew because they did not waste time in helping us shift to start preparing for the up and coming certification exams. Our teacher wasted no effort in explaining what to expect from the exam, as well as helping us find methods and resources to best study and prepare for this ever important exam. Just like that the students and myself became deeply immersed in preparing for this exam which we wanted to pass more than anything but were aware that it would not be easy nonetheless. After months of preparation, we were only left with a small window of time before the school season would end once again, and as such we had to begin taking the exam which we had tirelessly prepared for. Students were assigned slots to take the exam in, typically only three to four at a time.
I felt like it would be a good idea to go early, but not in the first group, so I signed up for the second group and eagerly waited for the results from the first group. For reference, the exam scores ranged somewhere around one to nine hundred with you needing to score around seven hundred or higher to pass. The first group of students went off to take the exam, and although the other students spent that time preparing it felt like time was moving slower than ever. Eventually, we could hear the students from the first group returning to the classroom, and immediately asked by everyone how it had gone, only to hear the devastating news that two of the three students hadn’t passed and were only off by a single point, with one student barely passing but passing nonetheless. Luckily, since the other students had taken it so early, they still had the time to study just a little bit more before receiving another chance to retake it. Despite that, it was almost my group’s turn, and despite studying like I never had before, I was inevitably nervous after the first group results. Walking to the exam room was a harrowing experience but we had eventually arrived and started on the exam right away. Since there is a time limit on the exam, I made sure to go through quickly but accurately making sure to complete all the questions and tasks that I knew right away and then going back to the tasks that required more attention, by making use of efficient time management and general test taking skills in combination with the cybersecurity and networking knowledge I had accumulated through this course I was able to amply finish the exam in time and submit after reviewing each question a few more times at the end.
One final click needed to be made in order to complete the exam and before my score would be revealed determining if I had passed or not. As such, I looked through the questions one more time just to be sure and finally clicked the button while holding my breath, and there it was. I had passed the exam, just by a few points, but I had passed the exam nonetheless and obtained the exam that I had been working towards for what felt like ages. The surge of satisfaction and relief that I felt after completing the exam was much needed and I went up with the rest of my group to report on our results. This was how I learned about the importance of diligence in cybersecurity, being diligent is necessary to thriving in the field of cybersecurity, a cybersecurity professional must be diligent in staying up with the latest innovations in the field of cybersecurity and technology, they must also be diligent in their work, constantly being alert and thinking of new ways to improve the security of their technology, and also being diligent in our methods, by ensuring that the implementations we set forward for security are always working as intended to secure technology regardless of the situation. This was a learning experience that my teacher gave to me and all of their other students. The impact that they have had on the future generation of cybersecurity professionals cannot be overstated and they are someone I will always respect and admire no matter how much time passes.