My First ISSA Workshop
Attending my first ISSA workshop on network pentesting — discovering searchsploit's --nmap flag and naabu piped to nmap.
Work Experience
Lessons and notes from professional security work.
My First Security Job
Transitioning from IT assistant to IT Security Professional — deploying Meraki firewalls, M365 conditional access, and Graylog.
My First Cyber Incident
Waking up to Qilin ransomware alerts on a Sunday morning — encrypted servers, FBI reporting, and lessons from my first real incident.
Certification Sprint
Failing the Pentest+ beta, bouncing back with HTB Academy, and stacking CompTIA certs before my student discount expired.
First Frustration
A year of rejected job applications, zero callbacks, and the Michael Jordan quote taped to my bedroom door.
First IT Job
Landing my first IT role at RBR Alliance — managing M365 tenants, Active Directory, and learning on the job.
First CompTIA Certifications
Passing the CompTIA Network+ and Security+ back to back and doubling down on building a cyber lab.
The Plan
Enrolling at Champlain College, earning the ISC2 CC, Microsoft fundamentals, and building a certification roadmap.
You Either Evolve or Die
The moment I realized I had been on autopilot for years — and the decision to pivot into cybersecurity.
TCM Security PWPA
Taking the TCM Security PWPA exam after bombing the HTB CBBH — lessons on methodology, Burp Suite workflow, and bouncing back.
SecurityX and Beyond
Passing the CompTIA SecurityX (formerly CASP+) and figuring out what comes next after earning every CompTIA cybersecurity cert.
1st Post
My first blog post — on stepping out of my comfort zone as a father of three pursuing cybersecurity.