My Cybersecurity Journey Just Got Real

-

Today marked the official start of our technical classes and guess who’s feeling like a mini-hacker already? Me. 😂

We met our facilitator, the ever-vibrant Terry Muthoni, who gave us an introduction to cybersecurity. She patiently answered our questions and somehow managed to make the whole “scary tech stuff” sound like gist. Honestly, I think I hit jackpot with this facilitator. Permit me to say it again: I have the best and most beautiful facilitator. Don’t argue. 😌

Now to the real deal. Our first assignment was to install Kali Linux. If you know, you know. That thing nearly showed me shege at first. My laptop was doing like it wanted to disgrace me in front of my future, but thankfully, the resources shared came to my rescue. I finally pulled through and got it up and running.

Of course, I had to flex small once it was installed. I started running some basic commands:

  • whoami – just to confirm that it was still me in front of the system.

  • pwd – to know where I was standing in the file system. Because in life, you must always know your location.

  • ls – to check what was inside my current folder. Nosy people like me enjoy this one.

  • ifconfig – to view network details, basically trying to see how my laptop dey connect to the world.

  • uname -a – to see full system details and specs. It’s like checking your blood pressure before gym.

  • ping google.com – to test internet connectivity. But mehn, this one humbled me. It just kept running and running like NEPA bills. I later discovered that Ctrl + C stops it and that I can use ping -c 5 google.com to limit it to just 5 runs. Small win, big joy.

  • nmap localhost – to scan my own system for open ports. Felt like spying on myself, but that’s the hacker life, abi?

At the end of it all, I realized that today wasn’t just about installing an OS or typing commands. It was about building confidence, one step at a time. From struggling to install Kali to finally understanding how to control a ping command, I’ve already learned that this journey will stretch me, but it will also shape me.

Day 1 down. Many more to go. Let’s see where this cybersecurity journey takes me.

P.S. If you see me walking with small “IT swag” from now on, don’t be surprised. I deserve it. 😎



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How I Passed the Cisco Introduction to Cybersecurity Course: My Experience & Tips

-
Cybersecurity is an ever-growing field, and as someone transitioning into it, I knew I had to start with the basics. That’s why I took the Cisco Introduction to Cybersecurity course. In this post, I’ll share my experience, key takeaways, and tips for anyone considering this course. As a beginner in cybersecurity, I wanted a structured way to understand the fundamentals. Cisco Networking Academy offers well-recognized courses, and this one seemed like the perfect starting point. What I Learned The importance of cybersecurity in today’s digital world. Different types of cyber threats and how they impact businesses and individuals. Basic security principles like the CIA Triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability). Career paths in cybersecurity and the required skills. My Learning Process Consistency: I dedicated a specific time each day to study. Taking Notes: Writing down key points helped me retain information. Practice Questions: I reviewed quizzes and assessments multiple times. ...
Read more

What Every Aspiring SOC Analyst Should Know

-
Image
  When I started my cybersecurity journey, I quickly realized that being a Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst isn’t just about learning a few technical skills—it’s about developing the mindset of a digital detective. SOC Analysts are the first line of defense in cybersecurity, monitoring threats, investigating incidents, and responding to cyberattacks in real-time. But where do you even begin? I’ve been diving deep into the skills needed for this role, and here are some must-haves that every beginner should focus on: 1. Understanding Networking – The Foundation of Cybersecurity Before you can protect a network, you need to understand how it works. At first, networking felt like a foreign language, but breaking it down into smaller parts helped. Learning how data moves through networks, what protocols like TCP/IP, DNS, and HTTP do, and how attackers exploit them is crucial. What I’m using to learn: Cisco’s Introduction to Networking TryHackMe’s Network Fundamentals YouTube tut...
Read more

How I'm Networking and Connecting with Cybersecurity Professionals on LinkedIn

-
Image
Networking is one of the most valuable skills in cybersecurity, and LinkedIn has been my go-to platform for building connections with industry professionals. As someone transitioning into cybersecurity, I’ve learned that technical skills alone aren’t enough. You also need a strong professional network. Cybersecurity is a dynamic field where knowledge-sharing, mentorship, and industry updates are crucial. Connecting with the right people can open doors to job opportunities, mentorship, and insights into the latest trends. How I'm Growing My Network on LinkedIn 1. Engaging with Content I actively engage with cybersecurity-related posts by liking, commenting, and sharing insights. This helps me stay visible and learn from experienced professionals. 2. Following Industry Leaders I follow top cybersecurity professionals, SOC analysts, ethical hackers, and security advocates. Their posts provide valuable knowledge, and sometimes, they share job opportunities. 3. Joining Cybersecuri...
Read more