Learning about programming, reverse engineering, binary exploitation, and everything else I can about cybersecurity
I grew up in a small town near Albany in upstate New York. When I was a teenager in the 90s, computers and the internet were just starting to become popular and I spent a lot of time on AOL and IRC. I was drawn to the programming scene on AOL and wrote quite a few of my own punter programs using Visual Basic. The AOL programming scene was also where I became interested in security - using programs like punters or AOHell to make AOL do things it shouldn't.
Because of my fascination with the internet and programming, I knew that this was a field I wanted to work in. I worked some office jobs which did not scratch this itch, so then I looked into certifications such as MSCE which seemed prohibitively expensive to me at that time. At this point, my dream job in IT seemed out of reach, so I ended up in a string of construction and mechanical roles.
Although I have had a rewarding and successful career in the mechanical field, my urge to work with computers has never subsided. I recently had the opportunity to earn a cost-free associate's degree through my current employer and I took full advantage of this. In 2023, I completed my AS in Information Technology where I learned all about Windows Server, Linux, Active Directory, Networking, Security, and a range of other topics. Along the way I also earned CompTIA A+, CCNA, and CompTIA Security+ certifications. But this was not enough...
After completing my associate's degree, I attended Western Governors University and completed a BS in Computer Science. In addition to the programming basics, I also learned Python, Java, and C++ (my favorite). I wish I had all of this knowledge back in my VB days! During this program I also learned how much I enjoy low level topics. The computer architecture course where I got to design an ALU in Logisim is still one of my favorite courses to date. These lessons led me to my next adventure...
I am now enrolled in the OMS Cybersecurity program at Georgia Tech. This program not only appealed to me because it covers a lot of the low level and security topics I'm interested in, but also because of its reputation for rigor and prestige. My goal after completing this degree is to end up in a career which fits my interests such as reverse engineer or malware analyst. I know that most likely I will begin in something like a developer role, but I look forward to every step along the way!