I’m Tim, a recent University graduate with a Bachelors in Computer Science, majoring in Cybersecurity.
I’ve always been fascinated with computers and technology, and it’s been my outlet since I was very young. Ever since I’ve started University (and a little while before that) I’ve been exploring networking, server administration and security.
I first started exploring servers in 2022 on a Dell R420, probably the loudest computer to have in your living room. It did however allow me to explore UNIX through the BSD based TrueNAS and virtualised deployments. From there, I eventually built my own server, on which I installed Proxmox. This led me to dive deeper into ZFS, basic networking principles such as firewalls and containerisation through docker.
I wanted to go deeper into automation, and started to use Ansible in combination with Ubuntu Server’s cloud-init system to deploy my services without having to manually configure everything multiple times. Likewise, I enjoy data and so started using several services such as Wazuh for endpoint security and monitoring.
Simulaneously my course was progressing and through several units I fell in love with the challenge of networking. Networking provided a new horizon for me to explore and integrate into my burgeoning home lab, which I promptly did. It exposed me to new techniques for managing my equipment, and gave me the confidence to explore firewall technologies such as OPNsense. Eventually I ended up with a fairly typical networked security setup such as a Next-Gen Firewall, VLANs and Geoblocking which serves me well to this day.
My course also exposed me to other adjacent fields, but I primarily enjoyed cybersecurity units where I did malware analysis and computer forensics. Some of my units also explored cloud computing and other system administration adjacent fields which synergised quite nicely with what I had already learnt on my own, as well as refining and directing my skills into new areas.
In addition to my coursework at University, I ran for and was elected as President to the committee of the Linux club. The experience of running and being in a leadership position was excellent, and I was incredibly fortunate to work alongside wonderful peers. During my tenure, we developed and deployed a website, conducted more events and outreach as well as collaborating with other clubs in our field to expand our members and provide both an online and in-person spaces to chat and upskill.
I now spend my spare time dabbling with Kubernetes, exploring new services and tooling while practising what I’ve already learnt. This field is ever-evolving, and I love to push myself to explore cutting edge technologies to get a better insight into the evolution abd direction of this industry.