Career and Aspirations

By Day

With nearly six years of experience in the IT industry, I have progressively advanced from a Tier 1 HelpDesk role to my current position as a Senior Software Engineer for a local school district. My journey began in the HelpDesk, swiftly moving to a Tier 2 IT Specialist role, and later transitioning into Software Engineering. For the past two years, I have been privileged to serve as the Senior Software Engineer, where I contribute to a small but dynamic team.

My primary responsibility is full-stack web development, primarily utilizing the .Net framework (C#, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Bootstrap). Additionally, I occasionally work with Python (Flask/Django) for specific projects. Beyond web development, I am heavily involved in scripting to facilitate data transfer and ingestion from vendors, manage Active Directory groups and policies, and monitor and patch servers using Python and PowerShell.

I have extensive experience with Microsoft SQL Server, including database and table creation and management. My role involves managing a diverse group of approximately eight servers, including vendor servers, internal and external web servers, script servers, and file share servers. Over the years, I have become proficient in managing Windows servers and IIS. Additionally, I engage in side projects involving Ubuntu servers running Apache, which is my preferred setup.

Cybersecurity is a critical and passionate aspect of my role. I have developed numerous documents detailing secure development and deployment procedures and configurations for our department. I conduct bi-weekly vulnerability scans on our servers and web applications to ensure robust security posture and write PowerShell scripts to address identified vulnerabilities. Furthermore, I perform manual penetration tests on our web applications, successfully identifying and patching several critical vulnerabilities. This aspect of my job is particularly fulfilling and aligns closely with my professional interests.

By Night

My true passion for IT work begins after hours. In 2019, I officially embarked on my career in the IT industry with the ultimate goal of becoming a penetration tester. Recognizing the challenges of securing a penetration testing role without experience or formal education, I committed myself to building a robust foundation. I began by earning fundamental CompTIA certifications, including A+, Network testout Pro (Network+), Security+, and Linux+.

After establishing a solid base, I specialized in penetration testing certifications, achieving the eLearning Security Junior and Professional Penetration certifications, followed by the CompTIA Pentest+ certification. Concurrently, I completed several Udemy courses focused on penetration testing to further enhance my skills.

In 2021, I started streaming HackTheBox machines on Twitch, providing walkthroughs of various challenges to a dedicated audience. This experience not only helped me consolidate my knowledge but also allowed me to share my passion with like-minded individuals. My streaming career lasted about a year and was both rewarding and intensive.

I also actively engage with TryHackMe, where I currently rank in the top 8% of users, continually honing my skills. In July of this year, I set a personal goal to identify and publish my own Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE). Within a few weeks, I successfully discovered and published my first CVE. At present, I have three additional vulnerabilities pending publication and aim to have them published as soon as possible.