Cybersecurity Certifications
🔒 Security & Hacking Adventures
Welcome to my cybersecurity journey - where “just one more challenge” turned into an obsession with understanding how things break (so we can build them better).
TryHackMe SOC Level 1
The breakthrough moment: This was where defensive security finally clicked for me. Learning to think like both attacker and defender simultaneously was like seeing the matrix for the first time.
Real skills gained: Incident response, log analysis, threat hunting, SIEM mastery
Jr Penetration Tester
Why this mattered: My first serious dive into ethical hacking. Each successful exploit felt like solving a puzzle where the reward was understanding a fundamental security flaw.
Skills that stuck: Enumeration patience, privilege escalation creativity, report writing that actually helps
Cyber Security 101
The foundation: Where it all began. Simple enough to build confidence, complex enough to realize how much I didn't know about security.
Gateway drugs: Network basics, threat modeling, risk assessment fundamentals
Advent of Cyber 2024
December addiction: 25 days of cybersecurity challenges that made Christmas morning feel like any other day. Each door revealed a new attack vector to explore.
Holiday learning: OSINT techniques, malware analysis, cloud security misconfigurations
Web Fundamentals
Web reality check: Learned that every web application is basically a beautiful frontend hiding a universe of potential vulnerabilities. Humbling and fascinating.
Eye-opening discoveries: OWASP Top 10, SQL injection artistry, XSS creativity
Complete Beginner Pathway
The honest start: Everyone has to start somewhere. This was my "I know nothing but I'm excited to learn everything" phase. No shame in the beginner game.
Building blocks: Linux command line confidence, networking fundamentals, basic scripting
Advent of Cyber 2023
Holiday habit solidified: By this point, Advent of Cyber had become as much a December tradition as holiday cookies. Each day brought a new security concept wrapped in festive storytelling.
Seasonal skills: Advanced OSINT, digital forensics, red team tactics
Pre Security
Before the deep dive: The calm before the storm. This pathway taught me that understanding the basics deeply is more valuable than rushing into advanced topics.
Foundation stones: Operating systems, networking fundamentals, web application basics
Introduction to Cyber Security Learning Path
The gateway drug: Where cybersecurity went from "something I should probably understand" to "something I can't stop thinking about." First taste of what security really means.
Addiction begins: Threat landscape awareness, career path clarity, hands-on security thinking
NahamCon 2023 CTF
Solo warrior returns: Another year, another solo CTF adventure. Nothing teaches you cybersecurity like real-time competition pressure when you're the only one you can rely on.
Individual mastery: Rapid vulnerability assessment, self-directed learning, creative problem solving
Advent of Cyber 2022
The addiction deepens: Second year running - officially hooked on the daily challenge format. Started looking forward to December for cybersecurity reasons, which felt wonderfully nerdy.
Holiday evolution: Malware analysis, cloud security, incident response procedures
NahamCon 2022 CTF
Solo mission: Flying solo in a competition designed for teams. Learned that sometimes the best way to truly understand your strengths and gaps is to tackle challenges completely on your own.
Self-reliance skills: Independent problem solving, time management under pressure, complete ownership of results
Advent of Cyber 2021
The tradition begins: My first Advent of Cyber - where I learned that cybersecurity learning doesn't stop for holidays. Actually, it gets more fun.
Holiday fundamentals: Network protocols, web vulnerabilities, Linux administration
Cyber Apocalypse CTF
Apocalyptic learning: A CTF with a theme as dramatic as its name. Proved that even the most intense-sounding competitions can be incredibly educational.
Survival skills: Cryptography challenges, reverse engineering, web exploitation
NahamCon 2021 CTF
CTF baptism by fire: My first NahamCon, tackled solo. Learned that CTFs are less about winning and more about discovering how much you can learn when it's just you versus the challenge.
Solo foundation: OSINT techniques, forensics fundamentals, puzzle-solving persistence
The Pattern Emerges 📈
Looking back at this collection, I can see my evolution from curious beginner to someone who genuinely understands that security isn’t just about tools - it’s about thinking differently about every system, every connection, every line of code.
The CTF competitions taught me speed and creativity. The learning paths gave me structure and depth. The Advent challenges showed me that even holiday traditions can be educational (and slightly obsessive).