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CST 499 - Week 5

 Hey everyone, This week, I made meaningful progress in both understanding deep learning concepts and building practical skills with the fastai workflow. I learned that modern deep learning makes tasks possible that were extremely difficult before 2015, such as distinguishing bird photos from forest photos with relatively little code and training time. I also developed a much clearer picture of what images are to computers: numerical pixel data that can be downloaded, resized, organized, cleaned, and fed into models. I learned how to search for and download images, organize them into folders, resize them, detect broken files, and remove problematic images. I also learned how to use DataBlock and DataLoaders to prepare training data, how to display batches of images to verify the dataset, and how to fine-tune a pretrained model locally to classify images. On top of that, I deepened my understanding of key deep learning ideas such as models, weights, loss functions, gradients, lear...
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CST 499 - Week 4

 Hey everyone,      This week, I made some progress on the project component of my cybersecurity certificate. I spent time working through parts of the project and experimenting with different approaches. However, I wasn’t fully satisfied with the results, so I began refining and reworking sections to improve the overall quality.      Next week, I plan to continue refining my cybersecurity project to reach a standard I’m happy with. In addition, I intend to dedicate focused time to the fast.ai course, now that I have more clarity on its acceptability. My goal is to make significant progress by working on it more intensively throughout the week.      One challenge I’m facing is achieving the level of quality I want in my cybersecurity project, as my current results don’t fully meet my expectations. Additionally, the earlier uncertainty about whether the fast.ai course would be accepted slowed my progress. At this stage, I don’t require im...
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CST 499 - Week 3

 Hey everyone!      This week marked an important shift in my cybersecurity journey. I officially completed my cybersecurity certificate, which felt like a major achievement after all the time spent learning concepts like network security, threat detection, and risk management. Finishing the course gave me a solid foundation, but more importantly, it pushed me to start applying those skills in a practical way.      After completing the certification, I began working on my project. My main focus this week was setting everything up and getting organized before diving into development. I installed and configured my working environment, including a virtual machine and the tools I’ll need for testing and analysis. I also took time to clearly define what my project will focus on, choosing a specific cybersecurity problem to explore rather than keeping things too broad.      In terms of my personal contributions, I handled the initial setup, ...
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CST 499 - Week 2

 Hey everyone,      This week felt like a turning point in my journey into cybersecurity. Instead of just learning concepts, I started connecting technical skills with real-world career preparation. I completed three major modules: Automate Cybersecurity Tasks with Python, Prepare for Cybersecurity Jobs, and Accelerate Your Job Search with AI. Each one pushed me a step closer to being job-ready.      One of my biggest accomplishments this week was finishing the Python automation module. I spent time writing scripts that can help analyze logs and identify unusual activity. While these were guided exercises, I made sure to understand how each script works and how it could be applied in real cybersecurity scenarios. This was my personal contribution—actually doing the hands-on work and not just watching or reading. It gave me a clearer picture of how automation plays a role in security operations.      I also focused on career preparation. ...
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CST 499 - Week 1

 Hey everyone,      This week, I completed three modules: Tools of the Trade: Linux and SQL, Assets, Threats, and Vulnerabilities, and Sound the Alarm: Detection and Response . Each module built on the last and helped me better understand both the technical and analytical sides of cybersecurity .      In Tools of the Trade: Linux and SQL , I strengthened my understanding of how operating systems and databases are used in security work. I learned how Linux is widely used in cybersecurity for system administration, log analysis, and security operations. Practicing basic Linux commands helped me see how security analysts navigate file systems, manage permissions, and investigate system activity. I also learned how SQL is used to query databases, filter information, and analyze large sets of data. Understanding how to retrieve specific information from logs and datasets showed me how powerful SQL can be in identifying suspicious patterns or investigating ...
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CST 489/499

 Hey everyone,      This week has been both productive and insightful as I completed three courses covering cybersecurity fundamentals, risk management, and network security. Each course built upon the last, helping me develop a more connected and practical understanding of key concepts within the field.      One of the most important takeaways was strengthening my knowledge of the CIA triad—confidentiality, integrity, and availability—which serves as the foundation for all cybersecurity practices. Revisiting this concept allowed me to better understand how security measures are designed and evaluated in real-world scenarios.      I also gained a deeper understanding of organizational risk strategies. Learning how organizations identify, assess, and manage risks gave me valuable insight into the decision-making processes behind cybersecurity policies. This helped me see how security is not just about technology, but also about balancing ...
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CST 489 - Week 8

 Hey everyone,      This week was very exciting because I did my first hands-on project! I created an S3 Static Website through AWS. Throughout this project, I gained practical, hands-on experience with Amazon Web Services (AWS), specifically using Amazon S3 to host a static website. Before starting, my understanding of cloud computing was mostly theoretical. This project helped me turn that knowledge into real-world skills.      One of the most important things I learned was how cloud storage works in practice. By creating an S3 bucket, I understood how AWS stores data and how it can be used not just for files, but also for hosting websites. Enabling static website hosting showed me how cloud services can replace traditional web servers for simple applications.      I also learned about permissions and security, which turned out to be a critical part of the project. Initially, I encountered a “403 Access Denied” error, which helped me u...
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