Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday November 24, 2023 - "Thanksgiving Ed."

Highlights for the week

Huge wins this week! A recruiter reached out and they've forwarding my resume for a another look. Hoping something happens. Been reading "The Secret" and it's eye-opening. Learning some new skills with NoSQL Vulnerabilities. Gratitude might just be my new perspective.

What I'm grateful for - Unemployment had to happen to me for the following reasons:

1. Meeting new people and making new connections
2. Writing a book
3. Reading more
4. Reassessing my career goals
5. Building some great skills I wouldn't have had before
6. Self-Improvement (finally getting the chance to work through some personal traumas)
7. Acquiring a mentor
8. Getting to be a mentor to a great number of people
9. Some tremendous vacation memories (ie. Halloween 2023 at Universal Orlando; Chichen Itzen; Galaxy's Edge

What We Learned

1. Coursera - Learned about AI & Machine Learning as it relates to Cybersecurity
2. ISC(2) - Another series of modules on Incident Response ... very high-level
3. Automation - Practicing Python; About to learn how to use it with SQL
4. Automation (Mobile) - Got iOS App / XCode working
5. Burp Suite - Learning NoSQL Vuln. (cont.)
6. Cult.ure - story is really coming along - found another spin off

What We Longed For

1. As always .. waiting for a job to manifest. The ideal is Junior Pen Tester
2. Finished Sec+ .. need to find practice exams and $$ for the certification

What We Loathed

So d-head on reddit dared to use my lapse in employment against me to support their weak argument. Honestly f** that guy! I'm running my own race.

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday November 10/17, 2023

Highlights for the week

November has begun and so have new rounds of layoffs at different companies. The job market is flooded and the scraps of job ads are super-specific on skills I don't have. The money situation is worse than bad. Getting close to 400 jobs applied to, very little respone. I made some random changes to my linked in profile and instantly recieved a couple of recruiter calls.

Security testing remains in progress. I'm waiting to find new Security+ practice exams. Meanwhile, I'm steadily into ISC(2) and Coursera course. Burp Suite remains in progress. Have not made moves regarding looking to take the Certification yet. Need to make time for practice. I need the reps.

What We Loved

1. A friend handed me a book that has become inspirational. More on that later.

What We Learned

1. ISC(2) - Chapter-1, Modules 1 - 3
2. Coursera - Week02 Module
3. BurpSuite - File upload validation
4. Automation - Attempted BDD; Started on XCode/XCui
5. Cult.ure - Chapter-27/28 in full swing.

What We Longed For

1. I really madly, truly, deeply need a job. I may have to take out another convenience check, but that's putting me in a bind.
2. Need to practice Security Testing. I've paused on pen testing for Burp Suite. It's been helpful.

What We Loathed

1. Being broke!

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday November 3, 2023 - CTF Experience, pt. 2 - "Key Losses"

Highlights for the week

Week started off cold, wet, dreary, and rainy - the perfect fall soup. It also started with me getting bumped from the team I spoke so fondly of. I have no one else to blame since I may have overallocated myself to a project I really had no time for nor did I have experience with. Simply put, I was out of my depth. I am also not fond of losing perfect weekend weather to sit in front of a computer for no money. I feel a little sad at the outcome, but I'm not sorry. I have bigger problems to solve .. namely my lack of employment.

What We Loved

1. Finaly finished with Security+

What We Learned

1. CTF Teams - never commit if you can't follow through [Update] back on the team .. need to get my envornment up to snuff!!
2. Security+ - Done with the videos. Onto taking the practice exams
3. Coursera - Started the lessons with Security in Windows
4. ISC2 - started the course
5. Automation - paused! Security was the focus
6. Burp Suite - Finished password hacking. Onto the next
7. Cult.ure - moving at a glacial pace due to shifting priorities

What We Longed For

1. As always, a job! Will I ever land one

What We Loathed

1. ..the entire recruitment process. Been getting rejected consistently or haven't gotten a reply, only to see the role I applied to get reposted. Seriously!? WTF!!