This virtual penetration testing lab that I built for my final year project was designed in the graphical Network Simulator (GNS3) that linked to virtual machines hosted on VirtualBox. The target audience for the project was final year college students. The audience dictated that the lab has to be secure for testing and follow the industry practiced zero entry penetration testing methodology with guided instructions on how to perform security auditing tests. The labs aim was to teach students the basic skills and tools used for IT system security.
I chose this project because I feel the need to understand IT security, or at least how to be secure in cyberspace is relevant to businesses big and small.
The background research in this area helped me formulate the project in a bid to address the growing need for cybersecurity professionals.
The clip below is taken from the full demonstration of the virtual lab. The clip shows the use of Kali Linux initiating a password cracking attempt on the target machine. This is just one step in the penetration testing process to gain full access to the target.
I am a self-motivated cybersecurity and networking student on track to graduate with predicted 1st class honours. For my final year project, I have worked with the head of IT at Darlington College to develop a virtualised ethical hacking and penetration testing lab. The labs design was to be used as an entry level introduction to how security auditing and penetration testing would be carried out in industry.
As well as the technical side of IT security I have found I have a particular interest in data governance, information security management systems and the governing standards like ISO27k.
Employment
Currently I am employed at EE and work as a front-line sales advisor. I have been in this role for four years and have developed exceptional skills in customer service, face to face, inbound and outbound sales. I have a proven track record of achieving monthly targets while working in a fast-paced environment.
Personal Development and Skills
I am passionate about cyber security and learning all areas of technology. I have enjoyed broadening my knowledge of IT security and am eager to develop a richer knowledge in, but not exclusively.
- Programming languages, C, C+ Java and Python.
- ISO27K standards.
- Risk and Threat Management.
- Cloud Security.
- Network Security.
