Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday November 21, 2025 - “Holiday Season - Week 2” Ed.

Highlights for the week

Kicked off the work week with typical Monday madness of running personal errands, mininmal job leads, and mapping the week. It was a very AI Focused week, where I sat through an onsite networking event. I also finished the TCM course in AI.

Also sat through a course in understanding the 0-days found in IOT devices. Really interesting to learn how devices like a Traeger Barbeque grill can be hijacked.

Starting an API pen testing campaign next week. Been a minute. Growth happens in the discomfort

What We’re Grateful For

1. Eternally grateful for getting to wake up, tackling the day, every day! Getting a good workout, and keep sane.
2. Will always be greateful for a loving home, awesome family, full 'fridge, and all the treats.
3. Learning more and more about Pen Testing / Bug Bounty Hunting. Sure, my ticket got rejected, but it was for a proper reason.

What We Loved

1. Going to the google network event - New York City Security User Group - November 2025 - Quarterly Meeting. I was inspired to want to volunteer.
2. Loving to end the week helping others. It's been a real blessing.

What We Learned

Remember! Being busy is not the same as making progress. Do what matters if it is working towards your goals. YOU GOT THIS!!

1. BBH! Update to Bugcrowd finding: Report got rejected (which I half-expected).
2. Updated Kali to latest ... for API pen test next week.
3. Learned: Peeling Back the Plastic: Finding 0-Days in IoT Devices. Learned that IOT devices can be hacked and attackers can do bad things to BBQ grills!
4. TCM: AI Fundamentals: [Status: DONE!] Learned so much about the inner workings of AI, namely NLP, LLM, and everything in between.
5. Mentor/Mentee w. IMANI, Lesson 4: [Status: IN PROGRESS!] Split my work into two days. 2nd day will be about more testing.
6. Reading: WAHH Chapter 17 - [Status: IN PROGRESS!]
7. Pen Testing: YNAB [Status: NOT STARTED!] Finished scope, got the target, learned the ROE.
8. Writing: Chapter "War Cry" [Status: NOT STARTED!]. Outline is done. Will make time to put hands on keys.
9. Burp Suite: HTTP Header Labs [Status: TO DO!]
10. QA Day: Need to get started on APIs.
11. QA Day: Picked up another U-Test project which took up the better part of the day. It wasn't a big app and there wasn't much to find.

What We Longed For

1. Another week, no job!

What We Loathed

1. 2025 Job Market.