{"id":466,"date":"2026-10-01T17:36:49","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T17:36:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/?page_id=466"},"modified":"2026-10-14T13:54:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T13:54:14","slug":"skills-artifacts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/skills-artifacts\/","title":{"rendered":"Skills &amp; Artifacts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>During my cybersecurity degree, I have gained skills that have enabled me to appreciate what cybersecurity is from a technical, research, and professional perspective. The three skills I have chosen to focus on are Technical\/Cybersecurity Skills, Research &amp; Critical Thinking, and Communication &amp; Professional Skills. The artifacts below demonstrate how I developed and applied these skills during my coursework and internship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Technical\/Cybersecurity Skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As I was completing my cybersecurity degree, I gained technical skills that allowed me to understand how to go about protecting systems, networks, and information. By taking coursework and working during my internship, I was able to learn about access control, authentication, availability, network security, critical infrastructure, and other issues pertaining to cybersecurity. I was also able to see how they could be applied to systems and security problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Artifact 1: CYSE 368 \u2013 Reflection #2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this reflection, I demonstrated what I learned through the cybersecurity work I did during my internship with Place4Us. I explored and researched role-based access control, least privilege, authentication, authorization, security logging, and privacy. From that research, I learned how I can use those cybersecurity concepts on a real platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-ramzialkaifi wp-block-embed-ramzialkaifi\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"ilOBRaRyWQ\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/reflection-2\/\">Reflection #2<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Reflection #2&#8221; &#8212; ramzialkaifi\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/reflection-2\/embed\/#?secret=ee3xZYaRbG#?secret=ilOBRaRyWQ\" data-secret=\"ilOBRaRyWQ\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Artifact 2: CYSE 200T \u2013 Exploring Attacks on Availability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this write-up, I discussed attacks on availability, with DDoS attacks specifically in mind. I explained various ways in which a DDoS attack can impact the ability to access systems and services, as well as different security controls such as filtering, redundancy, monitoring, and cloud mitigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-ramzialkaifi wp-block-embed-ramzialkaifi\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"F7S8F8ehNi\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/write-up-exploring-attacks-on-availability\/\">Write-Up: Exploring Attacks on Availability<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Write-Up: Exploring Attacks on Availability&#8221; &#8212; ramzialkaifi\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/write-up-exploring-attacks-on-availability\/embed\/#?secret=eKfTet57kp#?secret=F7S8F8ehNi\" data-secret=\"F7S8F8ehNi\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Artifact 3: CYSE 200T \u2013 SCADA Systems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This write-up covers cybersecurity threats involving SCADA systems and critical infrastructure. I discussed vulnerabilities around the use of legacy equipment, authentication, network connectivity, and monitoring. I also explored protections such as network segmentation and increased authentication controls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-ramzialkaifi wp-block-embed-ramzialkaifi\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"adrTqFilJr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/write-up-scada-systems\/\">Write-Up &#8211; SCADA Systems<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Write-Up &#8211; SCADA Systems&#8221; &#8212; ramzialkaifi\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/write-up-scada-systems\/embed\/#?secret=24xUsHrmex#?secret=adrTqFilJr\" data-secret=\"adrTqFilJr\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Research &amp; Critical Thinking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>My college education helped me develop my research and critical thinking skills throughout my cybersecurity degree. During my coursework, I learned to research different cybersecurity topics, identify reputable sources, analyze findings, and use evidence to support my work. This helped me see cybersecurity issues from different perspectives and not just the technical side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Artifact 4: CYSE 425W \u2013 Policy Analysis Paper 5<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this paper, I display my research and critical thinking skills through my analysis of the 2023 U.S. National Cybersecurity Strategy. I provided an analysis of the strategy, drew on research and evidence to support my analysis, and discussed whether its aims and objectives are being met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!selectors.core.file.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39450\/2026\/10\/Policy-Analysis-Paper-5-1-2.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Policy-Analysis-Paper-5-1-2.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-67c4cbdf-e834-443f-8a01-153e52463b6f\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39450\/2026\/10\/Policy-Analysis-Paper-5-1-2.pdf\">Policy-Analysis-Paper-5-1-2<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39450\/2026\/10\/Policy-Analysis-Paper-5-1-2.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-67c4cbdf-e834-443f-8a01-153e52463b6f\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Artifact 5: CYSE 201S \u2013 Article Review #2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This article review concerns research about cyberbullying, social skills, and empathy. I wrote about the research question, variables, methods, and data analysis of the research. I linked the research findings to ideas from cybersecurity and social science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-ramzialkaifi wp-block-embed-ramzialkaifi\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"H7oDhAJ6gF\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/article-2\/\">Article 2<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Article 2&#8221; &#8212; ramzialkaifi\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/article-2\/embed\/#?secret=0KbjCGNH5d#?secret=H7oDhAJ6gF\" data-secret=\"H7oDhAJ6gF\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Artifact 6: CYSE 200T \u2013 Analytical Paper<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this paper, I show the connection between cybersecurity and other areas of technology and society. I analyzed two scenarios, telecommuting and authentication, and discussed their implications for security, privacy, human behavior, and future policies related to cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-ramzialkaifi wp-block-embed-ramzialkaifi\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"UCJqoz92hM\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/the-analytical-paper\/\">The Analytical Paper<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;The Analytical Paper&#8221; &#8212; ramzialkaifi\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/the-analytical-paper\/embed\/#?secret=ldKAVd54KC#?secret=UCJqoz92hM\" data-secret=\"UCJqoz92hM\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Communication &amp; Professional Skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Communication and professional skills matter because cybersecurity work goes beyond just technical skills. In completing my classes and internship, I&#8217;ve practiced how to organize my thoughts, communicate research and recommendations, collaborate with others, and present cybersecurity topics professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Artifact 7: Place4Us \u2013 Research Draft<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a draft of the work I did for my internship with Place4Us. I investigated different aspects of the platform related to security and privacy and compiled my findings and suggestions in a way that could be shared with the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-25a62fed-f17d-40ac-8624-3f736dbbbd44\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39450\/2026\/10\/Place4Us_Ramzi-Alkaifi-1-1.docx\">Place4Us_Ramzi-Alkaifi-1-1<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39450\/2026\/10\/Place4Us_Ramzi-Alkaifi-1-1.docx\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-25a62fed-f17d-40ac-8624-3f736dbbbd44\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Artifact 8: CYSE 368 \u2013 Reflection #3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This reflection demonstrates my professional development during my internship. I described my process of independently researching cybersecurity issues, applying skills I gained from my cybersecurity courses to a real platform, and making recommendations based on my findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-ramzialkaifi wp-block-embed-ramzialkaifi\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"v32Lv2bjRp\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/reflection-3\/\">Reflection #3<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Reflection #3&#8221; &#8212; ramzialkaifi\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/reflection-3\/embed\/#?secret=zOwtVwmWsa#?secret=v32Lv2bjRp\" data-secret=\"v32Lv2bjRp\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Artifact 9: CYSE 201S \u2013 Cybersecurity Professional Career Paper<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This paper discusses the career of a cybersecurity analyst and introduces the relationship between technical cybersecurity and human behavior and social science. It shows my skill in communicating cybersecurity topics and my ability to relate my college experience to my future career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-ramzialkaifi wp-block-embed-ramzialkaifi\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"ufYjgws9ck\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/cybersecurity-professional-career-paper\/\">Cybersecurity Professional Career Paper<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Cybersecurity Professional Career Paper&#8221; &#8212; ramzialkaifi\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/cybersecurity-professional-career-paper\/embed\/#?secret=NtAzq6UTxx#?secret=ufYjgws9ck\" data-secret=\"ufYjgws9ck\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During my cybersecurity degree, I have gained skills that have enabled me to appreciate what cybersecurity is from a technical, research, and professional perspective. The three skills I have chosen to focus on are Technical\/Cybersecurity Skills, Research &amp; Critical Thinking, and Communication &amp; Professional Skills. The artifacts below demonstrate how I developed and applied these&#8230; <\/p>\n<div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/skills-artifacts\/\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":31273,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/466"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31273"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=466"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/466\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":494,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/466\/revisions\/494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/ramzialkaifi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}