Christopher Jones
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Cybersecurity Student & Hands-On Lab Enthusiast
Welcome! This portfolio tracks my progress in ethical hacking, systems administration, and real-world penetration testing methodologies. Explore my active projects, lab write-ups, and the technical skills I’m building day by day.
About Me
As a Computer Science student at Southern New Hampshire University with a background in IT support and systems troubleshooting, I adhere to a rigorous “learn-by-doing” methodology. My technical progression began with hands-on workflow coordination and endpoint support and has transitioned into a focused specialization in offensive security, penetration testing, and practical network defense. Rather than relying exclusively on theoretical instruction, I design and maintain an enterprise-grade home cyber lab. This bare-metal and virtualized environment serves as a daily platform for simulating Active Directory attack chains, GPU-accelerated hash cracking, VLAN segmentation, and traffic analysis. My security expertise extends beyond the operating system. Operating at the intersection of digital and physical domains, I integrate specialized hardware—including sub-1 GHz RF transceivers and wireless monitor-mode adapters—to capture handshakes, analyze protocols, and develop an attacker’s perspective. Guided by an analytical mindset and a persistent troubleshooting approach, I intend to apply my practical laboratory experience to real-world defensive and offensive security challenges.
Cybersecurity Skills
My current focus lies at the intersection of Offensive Security and Network Infrastructure, where I’m building a skill set that connects real‑world vulnerability discovery with practical defensive hardening.
Specialized RF & Hardware — Hands‑on experience with Sub‑1GHz signal analysis, Bluetooth (BLE) sniffing, and HID‑based attack vectors using tools such as the Flipper Zero, LILYGO CC1101, and BLEShark Nano.
Penetration Testing – Skilled in the PTES methodology, including reconnaissance, automated scanning (Nmap, RustScan), and web application exploitation (SQLi, XSS) using Burp Suite and Caido.
Network Security – Strong understanding of the OSI model, TCP/IP, and VLAN segmentation. Experienced in traffic capture and analysis with Wireshark and in auditing wireless security (WPA2/3) through monitor mode and packet injection.
Defensive Foundations — Certified in Google IT Support & Networking, with a solid background in system administration, troubleshooting, and identity access management.
“Be curious, not judgmental” ~ Ted Lasso
Google Helpdesk & IT Support
The Google IT Support Professional Certificate provided a robust foundation in the core competencies required to maintain secure and efficient systems. Through practical labs and real-world scenarios, I acquired hands-on proficiency in troubleshooting, operating systems, networking fundamentals, system administration, and security protocols. The program enhanced my diagnostic capabilities, user and device management skills, and confidence in Linux and Windows environments, while reinforcing structured problem-solving methodologies employed by IT professionals. This certification served as a catalyst for my transition into cybersecurity, strengthening my technical expertise and commitment to ongoing professional development.
Penetration Testing Certifications
Applied Hacking Credentials
My certifications from TryHackMe and HackSmarter reflect hundreds of hours in live-fire offensive labs. Rather than multiple-choice theory, these credentials validate real execution: enumerating attack surfaces, exploiting misconfigurations, escalating privileges in both Linux and Windows environments, and mapping complete attack paths.
This training reinforced a disciplined adversary mindset—learning to break down complex systems methodically and translate offensive discoveries into stronger defensive posture.
Planned Certifications
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
Credentialed by EC-Council, this certification validates my abilities to identify and address security vulnerabilities ethically.
CompTIA Security+ Certified
This globally recognized certification confirms my foundational skills in cybersecurity principles and risk management.
Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
Acknowledged for rigorous hands-on penetration testing expertise, this certification underscores my practical skills operin securing networks.