Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday August 25, 2023

Highlights for the week

Welp, another mixed bag of highs and lows. The high: Made it past 2nd round of the interview for a Jr. Pentester Role (remote). Got tasked with submitting a bug report which was approved by my mentor. So stoked!! The low: Got the email stating it's going to take a few weeks as they're interviewing other candidates. I feel like I may have bombed the interview somehow. Perhaps it was getting the motto wrong (I was thinking of something relevant to the example they wanted me to give and I blurted out the wrong thing .. so stupid!). There may have been a few other missteps (probably) as nerves got the better of me. Overall, the job search sucks and this is the closest I've come to an opportunity in the direction I want for a new career. QA roles are drying up.

The other low is that I'm coming up on 11.5 months w/o work. By far the longest stretch ever! I will be cleaned of money by mid-September if I don't land something a.s.a.p.

What We Loved

1. Another week came and went. Got to "shoot my shot" with a Security Company job. Hoping for the best, but anticipating the worst. Trying not to get to caught up in the excitement.

What We Learned

1. The priority was Security Jr. Pentester job intreview. Learning a lot about Pen Test Process & Reporting
2. Security+ - Finished the module on Mobile Security. Up next, Cloud Security
3. Cult.ure - Great progress on latest chapter. Not complete, but character development in progress.
4. TCM - Finshed all the modules. Going through the 2-star test scenarios on Juice Shop. I'll try to make my way through the 3s maybe 4s.

What We Longed For

1. As always ... need a job, paycheck, and benefits.

What We Loathed

1. The whole interview process. It's just too much!

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday August 18, 2023

Highlights for the week

What a crazy happy-sad week this has been. From losing a couple of job opportunities I was sure were solid, to making it to the 2nd round of a job and total career pivot in the direction of my dreams, is more than I can ask for. Been learning a lot about Pen Testing and have been fully emersed in the Security space. I have so much hope, even if I'm facing an empty bank account after September. Will follow up on the job thing in my next post.

What We Loved

1. My Mentor referring me to the job. I don't have words for how excited I am for the opportunity.

What We Learned

1. Security+ - Making my way through the Mobile Security Module
2. TCM - been learning more on my own than following the video for "Juice Shop" ... so much fun!!
3. Cult.ure - things are getting exciting. I need to hunker down and finish. Got an idea for another book.

What We Longed For

1. As always, in desperate need of a job and have been longing for a paycheck and insurance.

What We Loathed

1. Recruiters and their bias. That's all I'm going to say about that.

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday August 11, 2023

Highlights for the week

Not so much a highlight, but I can unequivocally say August 2nd is the day I've officially hit my career low. The job I manifested in wanted fell through, and there has been no new opportunities on the horizon. Monday (Aug. 7) I found myself trying to be helpful and empathetic, only to fail. The clock is ticking and the days are mounting. If I don't land something in the next two weeks, I will be in big trouble.
And then on Tuesday, a couple of wonderful things happened: scheduled an interview with a job, and my mentor sat with me through a Pen Test. Also mentioned a job opportunity :)

What We Loved

1. As always grateful for having a wonderful family.
2. Update! Had the first interview with CEO for the role of Security Consultant. Been on such a high all week!

What We Learned

1. Sec+ - still moving through Secure Network module
2. Android Autom. - paused!
3. WebdriverIO - started
4. TCM - blocked - can't seem to kick off docker/juice shop. May spectate through the walk-thru || Update (8/9) Unblocked and moving nicely through Juice Shop
5. Cult.ure - moving along. Chapter 16 is really good.

What We Longed For

1. Job, paycheck/benefits, friends

What We Loathed

1. Gatekeeping! Perhaps ITA, but man oh man! Trying to help and getting shunted put me in a rage. In my head I'm all, "How about you tell me what is helpful!" but that would come off toxic. Heaven forbid I should offend sensibilities. I took the high road and exited that channel.

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday August 4, 2023

Highlights for the week

Welp! It happened again. Got my hopes up on what I thought was going to be a sure-thing, and I got rejected. Coming up on 11 months of unemployment. I don't even know anymore. I find some influencer advice to be useless. "Reach out to your connections" - fail! "Post what you know" - no traction! "Make new connections" - fail! You link up with strangers then never hear from them again. I'm so tired of it all. I'm done with the process. Something has to give. Perhaps it's me being too low-vibrational, but how many times can you put out the energy of attraction and be met with rejection. How many times can you get kicked before you realize it's time to throw in the towel. IT PAYS TO BE A WINNER! And right now, I'm not winning.

What We Loved

1. Hit my goal of creating an Android app and building out a series of tests for it.

What We Learned

1. Android Automation - lots of great learnings
2. Security+ - Back on program. Making my way through the module for Secure Network Designs. It's a bit of a slog!
3. TCM - Need to resume "Juice Shop" Pen Test Walk-thru. Paused for Android automation learning.
4. Cult*ure - wrote up a great chapter on "The Board" and their inner workings. Should fatten that up a little more.
5. QA Book - Work in progress

What We Longed For

1. A Job and paycheck. As stated, this is quite possibly the lowest point of my career.

What We Loathed

1. Histrionics! This is in response to a thread where someone wanted to vent about something. Some of the responers (myself included) offered fix-it solutions. One such "gatekeeper" stated the OP wanted emotional support, not a solution. My reaction to that was peculiar. It made me angry to see someone getting so wrapped up in what clearly should be non-emotional situation. Furthermore, by detaching, the solution becomes self apparent. This is long way to say, "walk it off ... keep it moving!!"

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday July 28, 2023 - Ashura Ed.

Highlights for the week

What is AshuraA voluntary fast-day observed by the Mohammedans on the 10th day of the month Muharram.

As you can surmise by the subtle Android logo, this week was focused on Android, both the application development and automation process. Spent a good part of last week and this week focused on automation in Espresso with Kotlin. Even learned how to build an app with Kotilin. Next week, more of that.

Security testing with Pen Test process is making great headway. Spent a good portion of time learning how to use zap with automation. This week, so looking forward to the walk-thru.

Also, I was sick the better part of the week, so not a lot of progress made in Sec+

What We Loved

1. Interviewed at a rapid pace at my target company of choice. I have a great feeling, but the grind of looking for another job persists until I sign an offer letter.
2. TCM is phenomenal!!
3. Mentoring - I didn't think I was going to like it as much as I do.

What We Learned

1. Database Testing - Done. Not spending too much time learning to do triggers.
2. Security+ - Paused! Read about FedRamp / StateRamp
3. TCM - Learned a bit about Automating the requests for security vulns.
4. Automation - Android Espresso / Kotilin .. #1 focus for now and the months to come.

What We Longed For

1. A job, pay, and benefits!! About to hit a 11 months. If something doesn't happen by Mid-August, the money will officially be run out.

What We Loathed

1. Unemployment!

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday July 21, 2023 - Paid-In-Full Ed.

Highlights for the week

Three great big wonderful things this week: First, finally the chance to learn more about the actual Pen Testing process, working with TCM learning modules and "Juice Shop".

The second: Finally have the first round interview with a company I have been long since liasing for since January. All finger's crossed for Monday. Manifestations of positivity, prosperity, and passions is finally paying off.

The third: Student Loan is PAID IN FULL!!

What We Loved

1. Everything in so far as staying positive, focused, and disciplined is paying off!

What We Learned

1. Android Espresso - Learned how to test toasts, and write a custom view matcher. I get what is supposed to happen and how things work. What I wish I knew at Fuzz!!
2. Sec+: Module 3.2 - Host & Application Security
3. Database Testing - Learned about stored procedures and how to test. The automation portion is done using TestNG :(
4. TCM - So excited to be on the module concerning Pen Testing. Need to read more from the whitepapers regarding the process.

What We Longed For

1. Employment

What We Loathed

1. Nothing! All happy beeps this week!

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday July 14, 2023 (Sunday Ed.)

Highlights for the week

Posting this a bit late on Sunday as things have been a mixed bag of busy and lazy. Some promising news on the job hunt!

What We Loved

1. My friend / potential manager reached out to let me know the role is in the final stages of budget approval.
2. Got a good idea for the Mentor - planning to learn more about the process of pentesting while I learn techniques.

What We Learned

1. Security+ - started Module 3 .. gonna be a long slog.
2. TCM - Finished Module 4 - OWASP Top 10. Need some more practice on DWVA.
3. Automation - made great progress on Espresso (Android). Even built a rig app to test against.
4. Databse Testing / SQL - learned schema testing.
5. Cult*ure - Chapter 14 is coming along quite nicely. Some interesting character developments.

What We Longed For

1. More time. My plans for the week were hijacked on Wednesday due to personal priorities.
2. Longing for a paycheck, but I've articulated the vision a lot clearer and working towards manifesting it.

What We Loathed

1. A few jobs rejected my application this week. Yet the roles for ones I was rejected for in the past showed up again .. wth!!