Hi, I’m SJ 👋🏽 I’m a computer science teacher who’s been slowly (but consistently) carving out my path into cybersecurity. I learn best by doing, so most of my work comes from hands-on labs, breaking things, fixing them, and trying again. I am a curious and enthusiastic security professional with a strong commitment to ethics. I thrive on solving problems in the ever-evolving security landscape, staying calm under pressure while using thoughtful analysis to identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks, and strengthen organizational resilience. Right now Im studying for Security+, building Python projects, and spending way too much time inside terminal windows. My goal is to pass Sec+ by March.
Some things I’ve been playing with lately:
Queried login data to detect failed attempts after business hours. Built an incident report summarizing suspicious activity.
Skills: SQL, Log Analysis, Incident Reporting
Configured user/file permissions in Linux to enforce least privilege. Documented vulnerabilities and fixes.
Skills: Linux CLI, File Permissions, Security Controls
Performed network scans to identify open ports and misconfigurations. Mapped findings to potential threats and risks.
Skills: Nmap, Vulnerability Assessment, Risk Management
A tool that analyzes URLs for common phishing patterns, suspicious keywords, and structural anomalies. Skills shown: string parsing, conditional logic, input validation, security fundamentals. Why it matters: Detecting malicious links is a core skill in SOC work and threat analysis.
A customizable password generator that creates secure, randomized passwords using Python’s random library and the Fisher–Yates shuffle to ensure strong entropy and unpredictability. Skills shown: loops, randomness, Fisher–Yates algorithm, functions, user input, secure-by-design thinking. Why it matters: Strong password hygiene and randomness are essential for identity, authentication, and access security.
Conducted hands-on password security research by hashing passwords with SHA-256 and testing their strength using Hashcat in a controlled environment. Skills shown: hashing algorithms, wordlists, brute-force/attack modes, GPU-accelerated cracking, security auditing. Why it matters: Understanding how attackers break weak credentials helps build stronger defenses, policies, and user education.
My experience as a Computer Science teacher sharpened my ability to explain complex technical concepts, manage projects, and provide exceptional support—skills that directly strengthen my cybersecurity work.
Email: sjjames020@gmail.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sonobia-james