Introduction

Is this thing on? Taps mic Helloooo, fellow cyberhumans! 👋 Your friendly neighborhood cybersecurity newbie here, fresh out of university with a degree in Digital Infrastructure and Cybersecurity. I’m ditching the metal shears for Caido/Burp and ready to dive headfirst into the wild world of ethical hacking. Buckle up, this is my first blog post.

Why Cybersecurity?

Blame it on the Darknet Diaries. 🎧 This podcast (which I highly recommend, by the way) opened my eyes to a whole new universe while I was busy hammering metal at my old job in a tinsmithing firm. Stories of elite hackers, shadowy figures, and digital espionage? I was hooked. I knew I had to trade in my yellow safety goggles for a pair of blue light glasses and make my mark in the cybersecurity world.

What I’ve Done So Far

Fast forward a few years, and I’m officially a cybersecurity grad! 🎓 My thesis focused on the dark arts of offensive security (don’t worry, the ethical kind). But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Between lectures, assignments, late-night CTFs, leading the student IT union, and working as a SOC analyst, I’ve definitely earned my battle scars. But hey, who needs sleep when you have caffeine and a passion for never ending security?

Oh, and I should mention my love affair with Linux. I’ve hopped from distro to distro, environment to environment throughout the degree, experimenting with tiling window managers and endlessly tweaking my setup. Currently, I’m happily settled with Hyprland on Arch. Maybe one day I’ll share my dotfiles with you – but only if you promise not to judge my questionable color scheme. 🫣

What I’m Currently Up To

Right now, I’m at a crossroads. Do I pursue a master’s in information security? Dive into some programming courses? Or maybe dedicate a year to tackling all those side projects that got neglected during my studies? 🤔 One thing’s for sure: my sights are set on a career in offensive security. In the meantime, I’m sharpening my skills with ‘The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook’ and trying my hand at this whole blogging thing (powered by GitHub Pages and Hugo, in case you’re curious).

Why I Started This Blog

I started this blog for a few reasons:

  • Accountability: If it’s not documented, did it really happen? Writing down my goals and progress helps me stay motivated and focused
  • XP Boost: This blog is my personal scrap book for leveling up my cybersecurity ninja skills.
  • Capturing My Journey: Think of this as a digital diary for my future self to laugh (or cringe) at.
  • Sharing Is Caring (Sometimes): Hopefully, my experiences and insights can help other aspiring cybersecurity professionals on their own journeys and prevent a faceplant or two.
  • Connecting With Others: I’m excited to learn from and collaborate with other people who share my passion for security.
  • To Improve My Writing: Because let’s be honest, my technical writing could use a bit of work

What You Might Find Here

  • A Glimpse into My World: I’ll be sharing my experiences as I navigate the cybersecurity landscape, from learning new skills to working on projects.
  • Helpful resources: I’ll pass along any interesting articles, tools, or tutorials that I come across.
  • Tool Time (But Not Too Much): Occasionally, I’ll review the tools and software I’m using, but I promise not to bombard you with too many useless tools and applications.
  • Cybersecurity In The Real World: If I attend any conferences or meetups, I’ll share insights and takeaways.
  • My Digital Crib: If you’re curious about my workflow or the tools I use, I might share some glimpses into my personal setup. I have a personal road-map containing the projects I want to follow through with somewhere in the future.
  • The Occasional Rant: Sometimes you just need to vent about that frustrating bug or problem you can’t figure out.

Thanks For Stopping By!

Thank you for sticking around for my cybersecurity debut. If you survived this post without a headache, congratulations. You’ve earned a cookie! 🍪 I hope you’ll find some useful info, some laughs and maybe even new appreciation for cybersecurity related content. Don’t be a stranger, I go by the absolute banger name of ApocalypticWasteman on discord if you want to chat.