This past year, I’ve made it a point to attend as many cybersecurity conferences as I can. Attending a conference can be an incredibly enriching experience. Not only do I get to meet new people and expand my knowledge, but I also have the opportunity to get inspired by new ideas. As an IT professional and cybersecurity student, I recently attended Hack Space Con, and it really delivered on all fronts.
I spent my first day attending the the workshop “Soft Skills & Spaceships – How your non-technical skills will take you to the moon” by Heath Adams and Zach Hill from TCM Security. The workshop went over best practices for resume writing, interview skill and a whole manner of professional etiquette. Zach and Heath were extremity knowledgeable on the subject and brought incredible insight from their years of hiring cybersecurity professionals.
I absolutely love the feeling of leaving a workshop energized and motivated to act on what I learned. My greatest takeaway from the workshop is that I needed to start a blog and write about my progress and achievements in my transition to cybersecurity. I also plan to use my years in the video production industry to start making walk-through videos and post them on YouTube.

The second workshop I attended was “Introduction to Privesc with PEASS-ng suite: Hidden tips & tricks!” by Carlos Polop. This workshop went deep into linPEAS. During the first hour Carlos combed through the linPEAS output and explained every single category and possibility of privilege escalation it can bring. During the second hour, Carlos went over different privilege escalation scenarios and followed up each one with a live demo.
As I progress with my studies and practice on HackTheBox more & more, I find that I am getting better at getting a foothold on machines but struggling with privilege escalation. This workshop could not have come at a better time in my life. I am eagerly looking forward to implementing everything I learned next time I am practicing.
I cannot recommend taking a workshop with Carlos enough. He is extremely knowledgeable and a great speaker.

On the second day I took a leap and left my comfort zone. I joined forces with 3 fellow attendees to compete in the CTF MetaCTF was hosting. None of us had ever met, but it wasn’t until the clock ran out and we closed our laptops that we realized we didn’t even know each other’s names and finally formally introduced ourselves. I believe that every one of us had an absolutely amazing time. The CTF had flags for all levels. I focused my efforts on the encryption part since that is what I was most comfortable with. However, my absolute favorite flag was the Phreaking challenge. I always read about Phreaking and was fascinated with the subject, but sadly I have not had a landline in 20 years so I guess I will have to scratch the itch at CTF events with novelty flag challenges.

Our Team took second place in the MetaCTF competition. I had an absolutely wonderful time working and learning from my teammates. In the past, I was always hesitant to jump into CTF competitions, but I had such an amazing experience I am now looking forward to doing CTFs on a regular basis.

In conclusion, attending these workshops and participating in the CTF competition not only enriched my cybersecurity knowledge but also provided a valuable opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and collaborate with like-minded individuals. The lessons learned from the expert speakers will undoubtedly enhance my abilities in the field and elevate my performance on platforms like HackTheBox as well as in my schoolwork. Moreover, the excitement and camaraderie I experienced during the MetaCTF competition ignited a newfound passion for engaging in CTFs on a regular basis. I wholeheartedly encourage anyone interested in expanding their cybersecurity skills to seize such opportunities, as they not only provide essential technical insights but also foster personal growth and lasting connections in the industry.