Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday September 27, 2024 - "First 30 in Cybersecurity: Days Done!" Ed.

Highlights for the week

First 30 days in cybersecurity done and I've learned a quite a bit. The process of testing (from scope to reporting), and following up with clients is fundamental to consulting. I participated in my first desktop pen test which was interesting. The lead moved faster than I anticipated, but I did the best I could to capture what I could as far as notes.

What We’re Grateful For

1. Having an awesome job with great people. Always learning something new week to week.
2. Grateful there's still money available for food. This is helping offset the large bills coming my way
3. As always, my gratitude for family and friends will never go unmentioned.

What We Loved

1. Everything about the job so far. Need to keep to the commitment of doing well, asking questions, and tracking my work. I won't repeat the mistakes of the past.

What We Learned

1. CISSP - last week: Business Continuity, Disaster Response Planning, and more.
2. CISSP - this week: (playing catch-up) Criminal investigation, Cryptography, Code of Ethics / ISC2 Code of Conduct, and more.

What We Longed For

1. As always, more time. Balancing time with priorities is proving a challenge. But waking up at 5am to start the week has been rewarding.

What We Loathed

1. Nada!

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday September 21, 2024 - "Tempus Fugit" Ed.

Highlights for the week

This was an intense week. Trying to balance my priorities with work, personal, and wife's work schedule have proven to be a challenge. The consequence has been missing days at the gym. I'm finally over this little cold I picked up, but it seems highly probable I may have to start waking up early to optimize the most hours out of my day.

Along with learning the job, I'm tasking with training to get CISSP certified. I'm super-pumped I'm working through this, but it's happening at an accelerated pace and my time blocked for this is competing with other things. Not hard to make the time, but it is a rough go since I'm still learning the job.

What We’re Grateful For

1. Although my time is becoming more strained by the day, I'm grateful I get the opportunity to upskill and get certified.
2. I'm also grateful for the opportunity to be improving myself and my craft.
3. Grateful for finally having the means to get back to good graces. The road to becoming debt free is going to be a long one, but all is well.

What We Loved

1. Although it was a hectic week, I love my job!!

What We Learned

1. The importance of "voice" as it relates to reporting.
2. Learned about Security policies and Risk management. Lots of math involved in a proper Quant. Risk Assessment.

What We Longed For

1. More time!

What We Loathed

1. Nothing!

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday September 13, 2024 - "The Luck & The Learning" Ed.

Highlights for the week

Got to complete a draft of an official pen test report. I was an awesome experience being able to learn something new. The process is getting cemented more and more. I also got to sit with a colleague and work on their security assessment. It was awesome to learn what an SA is and how to provide proper feedback and collaborate on a document. Finally, I got help setting up my environment for mobile android pen testing. My goal of getting closer to learning about mobile pen testing is getting closer.

What We’re Grateful For

1. Had a pleasant lunch with wife .. let the healing commence.
2. Grateful for friends and amazing coworkers.
3. I get to wake up in a beautiful apartment, in a beautiful neighborhood, working at an amazing job.

What We Loved

1. Everything about the job so far! I'm off to a great start .. let's not f*** it up!!
2. Working with amazing people is bonus!

What We Learned

1. Learned the difference between a Security Assessment and Risk Assessment.
2. Learned that on an engagment better questions need to be asked in order to prevent late changes or missed priorities.

What We Longed For

1. Time. The days and weeks are moving along so fast. I have CISSP to look forward to.

What We Loathed

1. Nothing!!

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday September 6, 2024 - "1st Week In Cybersecurity" Ed.

Highlights for the week

Man, oh Man! What a week it has been. From last Tuesday on, it has been a whirlwind of learning, doing, and growing. Workplace onboarding has been a trip. Paired with a couple of brilliant people on a project. Learned a few things. Now on my second project, learned about an app that includes several features I've never been exposed to. The team I'm on specializes more in networking and wifi pen testing than web application. Which is a godsend to learn since my strength is in Web Apps.

What We’re Grateful For

1. Beyond grateful to have a mom willing to give me money. At the moment, I'm refusing it because I'm grown and should solve my own problems.
2. Grateful that wife found a job. She's grumpy about it, but it is necessary at the moment. I've heard this before.
3. Grateful for the job and the people I'm surrounded with. I get to learn a new thing.

What We Loved

1. My job now is mandating us to get certified. Never thought wanting to learn something new would be so cool!

What We Learned

1. Learned some interesting things about leveraging Burp Suite Pro to do some interesting things, including JWT Analysis.
2. Moving through my workplace's videos. Lots of content to digest, but fun.

What We Longed For

1. Nothing this week!

What We Loathed

1. Nothing this week!

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday September 1, 2024 - "Rabbit Rabbit" Ed.

Highlights for the week

A very heart-felt RABBIT RABBIT! ... where speaking out the words will help manifest your desires. So far, mission accomplished.

A very solid week this week as I've completed my first four days of onboarding at my job job as Security Consultant. It felt great to finally be in the place I've been praying for all this time. After 23 months, it feels so good to finally say I have a job. Imposter Syndrome is trying to creep in, but I remind myself to welcome the challenge, embrace the fact I don't know, and be humble enough to ask. The people I work with are just amazing; Happy vibes all around.

What We’re Grateful For

1. Prayers answered .. kept the faith and stayed consistent to what I wanted to achieve.
2. I needed these last 2 years to really sit with myself and fix what was failing. The loop of failing forward needed to end. I want to endure and thrive.
3. Grateful for friends who were there with me in the dark times and celebrated my win.

What We Loved

1. Finally landing the job I've been praying for and pivoting into the career of my dreams.

What We Learned

1. All learnings paused for the purposes of work.

What We Longed For

1. No real longings this week from a professional stand point.

What We Loathed

1. Nothing negative to report this week.