My Cybersecurity Journey 2024: Achievements, Challenges, and Milestones
From certifications to CTF victories and content creation, explore my third year of growth and contributions in the world of cybersecurity.
Table of Contents
🔴 Content Creation for HackTheBox
◾️ Fishy HTTP Challenge
◾️ Miscloud — Sherlock
🔴 Real World OSINT Challenge
◾ Walkthrough Video
🔴 Coaching in Missing Person CTF
🔴 National Level CTF — CyberHackathon 2024
Introduction
I publish an article every year in May about my cybersecurity journey. In the past, I wrote:
Starting this year, I will publish at the end of every year instead of May. These articles focus exclusively on my achievements and cybersecurity journey to inspire others, avoiding personal details.
Pre-Requisites
Before reading this article, I recommend checking out my previous article, “Level Up! My Evolving Cybersecurity Skillset in Year 2”, as it covers achievements in the early part of 2024.
Certification
This year, I achieved the Google Cloud Security Engineer Certification. I applied this knowledge to create a Sherlock challenge for HackTheBox, showcasing practical skills.
Content Creation for HackTheBox
Fishy HTTP Challenge
I developed an easy forensic challenge named Fishy HTTP on HackTheBox. Dive in and play it to uncover its secrets.
Miscloud — Sherlock
Leveraging my Google Cloud expertise, I created a medium-level challenge called Miscloud on HackTheBox. It’s an exciting blend of cloud security and Sherlockian problem-solving.
Real World OSINT Challenge
I created an OSINT challenge named Private Investigator for the ProCom Onsite CTF 2024 at FAST University. Due to its positive reception, I released it on TryHackMe. Unfortunately, Twitter/X updates rendered it inactive because the new update doesn’t show the likes section. However, you can still learn from its walkthrough and related Medium article.
Walkthrough Video
Coaching in Missing Person CTF
This year, I participated as a coach in the TraceLab Missing Person CTF three times. Coaching provided a unique perspective on intelligence gathering and pivoting strategies, as I observed and collaborated with various teams during the process.
My First Blood on CTF
I secured my first blood in the BlackHat MEU CTF 2024, a milestone that boosted my confidence in competitive cybersecurity.
You can read my friend D3monWolf’s(Kabeer Ahmed) article on BlackHat MEA 2024 forensics challenges here: https://kabeerahmed11.medium.com/blackhat-mea-2024-ctf-qualification-82a06e29d59f
National Level CTF — CyberHackathon 2024
This year, I had an incredible experience at CyberHackathon 2024. Unlike last year’s debut, where I felt overwhelmed as an introvert, this time I felt more confident. Our team secured 3rd position in Karachi qualifiers and 3rd position in the finals in the Blue Teaming category.
During the event, I met some amazing individuals like Goku (Asim Zahoor), Muhammad Shaheer, The Cyber Simon, Megachar0x01 (Abdullah Shahbaz), 72ghoul (Hasan Faraz), and many more. These interactions were highly enriching and inspirational.
Conclusion
- Passed the Google Cloud Security Engineer Certification.
- Released my first Sherlock challenge (Miscloud) on HackTheBox.
- Published a real-world OSINT challenge (Private Investigator).
- Earned the OSINT Dojo Student Badge by showcasing my OSINT work.
- Created the forensic challenge Fishy HTTP on HackTheBox.
- Secured 3rd position in both qualifiers and finals at CyberHackathon 2024.
- Participated as a coach in TraceLab Missing Person CTF.
- Achieved my first blood in BlackHat MEU CTF 2024.
I may have missed some details, such as my participation in various online CTFs and other activities. For the most up-to-date information, follow me on my social media profiles!
This year has been transformative for my cybersecurity journey. Meeting inspiring individuals and achieving new milestones has further fueled my passion for the field. I’m incredibly grateful for the growth and look forward to the challenges of 2025. Stay tuned for more updates in the next year-end article!
No matter where you are in your journey, remember that progress is made one step at a time. The path to success is filled with challenges, but each obstacle is an opportunity to learn and grow. Stay curious, embrace the process, and never stop pushing your limits. The cybersecurity world is vast, and your unique perspective can make a difference. Keep hacking, keep learning, and keep inspiring others!
Thank you for reading, and I hope this inspires you to continue your journey in cybersecurity!
If you found this article helpful or informative, I would greatly appreciate your support by giving it a like and following me on Medium and my social media accounts. Your support will motivate me to create more content and share my knowledge and experience with others. Thank you for your support!
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