Who am I?
Hello! My name is Connor Harte, and I’m an aspiring cybersecurity analyst.
The purpose of this blog is to showcase my passion for technology, document my learning journey, and share the skills I continue to develop along the way. Each week, I’ll publish a new post highlighting what I worked on and learned during the previous week. Think of this as a personal highlight reel. A space where I reflect on challenges I faced, interesting concepts I explored, and updates from my ongoing home lab and training experiences.
My Background
Technology has always been a big part of my life. Growing up, I was the go-to person in my family whenever something went wrong. Whether the Wifi was down, the printer stopped working, or the internet was slow. I enjoyed solving those problems, and that curiosity naturally evolved into a passion for IT and cybersecurity.
Fast forward to 2024, when I began exploring career paths and decided to enroll in a Cybersecurity Bootcamp at NJIT. That experience opened the door to a new world of learning. One week we were configuring networks, the next we were managing Active Directory, and soon after, we were diving deep into Linux and all its nuances. I quickly realized that cybersecurity combined everything I loved: problem-solving, continuous learning, and hands-on experimentation.
During that same period, I landed my first IT job, my current role as an IT Support Specialist at a prestigious private school in New Jersey. I’m the first point of contact for all help desk tickets making me well-versed in ticketing systems and prioritizing upon severity level. Everything from network connectivity issues and printer malfunctions to user access requests and hardware troubleshooting.
What I love most about this job is that every ticket presents a new learning opportunity.
There have been countless times when my network administrator and I looked at each other and said, “Well, that’s a new one,” before diving into research to find a solution. There is no better feeling than putting our brains together, solving the riddle, and documenting the process for next time!
Certifications
I currently hold three in-demand certifications. The first being the CompTIA Security+ Certification. I studied for about 6 weeks for this exam and passed on the first try. I used a combination of Udemy Courses & practice quizzes (Dion Training), YouTube (Professor Messer), and Chat GPT to help break things down in a simpler manner when I didn’t quite understand a topic.
The second one I hold is the LetsDefend SOC Analyst Learning Path Certification. This hands-on learning path was monumental in learning and practicing foundational knowledge for cybersecurity, SOC and security analyst roles. With an abundance of hands-on labs and a fully integrated SOC simulator, it was tremendously valuable to get comfortable in a SOC environment.
The third is the Google Cybersecurity Certification. This was the first I acquired and was a great introduction to IT and Cybersecurity. It framed my foundational knowledge and explained brand new concepts in a clear and concise manner. It also offered labs and hands-on work, but not to the level that LetsDefend offers.
Current Focus
Right now, I’m working through the TryHackMe SOC Level 1 Course, which offers hands-on labs and in-depth lessons on real-world SOC concepts.
So far, I’ve studied:
Cybersecurity frameworks and compliance standards
Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) fundamentals
Network traffic analysis using Snort and NetworkMiner
This course has been incredibly valuable in continuing to strengthen my skills and foundations as I seek to transition into a SOC Analyst Role.
The Journey Ahead
My goal with this blog is not only to track my growth but also to inspire others who are just starting out in cybersecurity and IT related fields. Whether you’re curious about SOC operations, home lab setups, or simply looking to learn alongside someone else, I hope you’ll find value in following along.
Thanks for being here and welcome to my cybersecurity journey.
Stay tuned for my next post, where I’ll break down what I worked on this week!