National Cyber League
Earned Team 1st place at WSU, ranking 15th/4672 globally. Cybersecurity competition based on NSA knowledge units.
above is a post my school made about the competition with a picture of me and my team! :3
The National Cyber League (NCL) is a biannual capture the flag cybersecurity competition that consists of a series of challenges that allow students to demonstrate their ability to identify hackers from forensic data, pentest and audit vulnerable websites, recover from ransomware attacks, and more. The competition is based on the NSA's Cybersecurity 9 domain Knowledge Units.
| Semester | team | individual |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Spring | 1st WSU, 15/4672 | 6th WSU, 153/6278 |
| 2023 Fall | 1st WSU, 15/3593 | 2nd WSU, 108/7934 |
Experience
My involvement in cybersecurity competitions has been instrumental in my professional development:
- Knowledge Expansion: Acquired extensive insights into cybersecurity, adeptly addressing unfamiliar challenges and mastering diverse tools and techniques with a focus on pattern analysis.
- Analytical Proficiency: Developed strong analytical skills, enabling a strategic approach to problem-solving.
Individual and Team Dynamics
- Individual Competition: Appreciated the conducive, focused environment that facilitated personal skill enhancement.
- Team Competition: Flourished in the collaborative atmosphere, contributing to effective teamwork and shared success.
These experiences have significantly augmented my understanding of cybersecurity complexities, fostering both analytical prowess and effective collaboration in a professional context.
Professional Development Highlights
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Linux Proficiency
- Acquired a comprehensive command set and leveraged Linux effectively in addressing challenges.
- Demonstrated adaptability, seamlessly transferring skills from Mac, as commands are analogous.
- Leveraged prior experience with homelab, containers, and servers for successful problem-solving.
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Networking Expertise
- Gained in-depth knowledge of networking principles, utilizing tools like
nmapandwiresharkfor comprehensive network analysis. - Mastered different protocols, enhancing understanding of network structures and functionalities.
- Gained in-depth knowledge of networking principles, utilizing tools like
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Coding Skills
- Developed proficiency in Python, utilizing it for data parsing and task automation.
- Gained exposure to diverse libraries and languages for specific challenges, such as reverse engineering in C and creating scripts for data extraction.
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Password Cracking
- Demonstrated expertise in password cracking, understanding the intricacies of password creation.
- Proficiently employed hashcat, sometimes with SLURM, for effective password cracking.
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Reverse Engineering and Data Recovery
- Acquired skills in forensic analysis, utilizing tools like radare2 and autopsy for reverse engineering and data recovery.
- Demonstrated proficiency in reverse engineering, and recovering data from compromised systems.
These experiences reflect a commitment to continuous learning and professional growth, showcasing a versatile skill set applicable to various software development and cybersecurity challenges.
Challenges
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Open Source Intelligence
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since i was mostly self taught, i had a lot of experience trying to find information about a topic online. this was pretty easy for me and i have gotten full points on every challenge every time 😼
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Cryptography
- this is one of the harder ones for me as i'm not really exposed to cryptography in my day to day life. i have learned a lot about it though and i'm getting better at it.
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Log Analysis
- i have decent experience with linux and reading error logs. i also use vim and linux commands to parse through the logs so it wasn't too hard. but figuring out what format some logs are serizalized in can be a challenge.