Table of Contents
Leveling Up as a Frontend Developer: My Cybersecurity Learning Journey
The ITU Her CyberTracks Fellowship: Empowering Women in Cybersecurity Through Global Initiative
My Experience So Far
Study Notes: Technical Knowledge Gained
The Power of Mentorship: Guidance from Industry Leaders
Looking Forward: Next Steps in My Cybersecurity Journey
Acknowledgments and Gratitude
1. Leveling Up as a Frontend Developer: My Cybersecurity Learning Journey
I am always looking for ways to grow and learn. I usually set aside a few hours each week to research opportunities, quality courses, and resources to keep improving myself. This also keeps my mind active and healthy, especially since I am currently job hunting‼️ (which is a job in itself 😬).
I've been a Frontend Developer for the past four years, and since last year, I've been learning about Cloud technologies, specifically AWS. I earned my AWS Cloud Practitioner certification and I really enjoyed it. It's fascinating to explore other parts of the development process, not just the frontend and the backend.
In my last project, "The Cloud Resume Challenge," I focused on the infrastructure side and explored ways to make my app more secure. I understand that security is very important, and we should always aim to build secure applications and systems. This project allowed me to do some research, which broadened my perspective on security. This is where security truly captured my interest. I discovered that I could go above and beyond by adding enhancements to the security aspect of the project. Here are some interesting and useful security improvements I could do:
I could enhanced my project's security by configuring DNSSEC to prevent "man-in-the-middle" attacks, applying the "least privilege" principle and make use of a service called IAM Access Analyzer, use AWS WAF to protect my public API, diagramming code flow to detect attackers, and setting up code scanning and vulnerability checks on my repositories.
I wrote a blog about it if you want to check it out 👀.
Thanks to Mujeres IT, a fantastic support group for women in technology in Uruguay, I discovered an opportunity. The German Embassy was inviting us to apply for a Cybersecurity Program aimed at bridging the gap in the cybersecurity field. I thought, why not? It seemed like a natural next step, so I decided to apply for the program.
2. The ITU Her CyberTracks Fellowship: Empowering Women in Cybersecurity Through Global Initiative
Okay, but first things first, what is ITU?
The International Telecommunication Union, or ITU, is a specialized agency of the United Nations that focuses on information and communication technologies. Established on 1865, as the International Telegraph Union, it is the oldest UN agency and was the first formal international organization. Initially, the ITU aimed to connect telegraph networks between countries. Today, it promotes the global use of the radio spectrum, facilitates international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, helps develop and coordinate worldwide technical standards, and works to improve telecommunication infrastructure in developing countries. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the ITU has a global membership that includes 194 countries and about 900 businesses, academic institutions, and international and regional organizations.
ITU Academy offers a large selection of online, face-to-face and blended courses. ITU Academy Training Centres are internationally recognized institutions offering high-quality training to professionals, with a focus on the needs of developing countries.
About this specific program:
Her CyberTracks is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and co-implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in partnership with UNODC (UN Office on Drugs and Crime) and LAC4 (Latin America and Caribbean Cyber Competence Centre). The goal of Her CyberTracks is to support the equal and meaningful participation of women in cybersecurity. To achieve this, the training course provides women with the skills and mindset needed to succeed in cybersecurity through focused capacity building.
It is a 6-month training program offering a comprehensive curriculum focused on three main areas: TRAIN, which provides expert training to develop skills for a secure cyberspace; MENTOR, which creates a platform for senior professionals to guide and support women in their cybersecurity careers; and INSPIRE, which uses role models and events to encourage and empower women to lead in cybersecurity. The program includes online courses, regional training, and mentorship.
The curriculum includes the Her CyberTracks Latin America, Europe and Africa trainings, which consist of on-site activities featuring soft skills masterclasses, simulations, hands-on exercises, mentorship circles, study visits to cybersecurity organizations, and engaging networking opportunities.
Participants could choose from three available CyberTracks: Policy & Diplomacy CyberTrack, Incident Response CyberTrack, and Criminal Justice CyberTrack.
In my case, I applied for the Incident Response CyberTrack. This track is designed for women already in technical roles who want to enter the cybersecurity field and gain practical experience. Incident response is a structured process that organizations use to identify and handle cybersecurity incidents, like data breaches or cyberattacks. Sounds exciting, right? Cybersecurity incidents are inevitable, and having a strong incident response program is essential for managing them effectively.
About the selection process…
The program received over 1,000 applications from around the world, but only 159 were accepted. Out of those 159, 55 were chosen for the Incident Response CyberTrack, which was the most popular choice among applicants. I'm thrilled to be one of the participants selected for the program. It will take me to the Latin America and Caribbean Cyber Competence Centre (LAC4) in the Dominican Republic for hands-on training.
It's important to have such initiatives to provide women with the opportunity to build a career in the cybersecurity field, where only 20% of the workforce is female. Crazy, right?
3. My Experience So Far
My first impressions of the program are very positive. The course is well-organized into seven modules, plus a one-week hands-on experience at LAC4. This training happens at the facility in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The platform provides clear information about the modules, topics, and deadlines for completing activities.
One thing I really like is the forums where you can interact with fellow students. It's amazing to hear from other women studying with me from the other side of the world. I love that multicultural aspect.
4. Study Notes: Technical Knowledge Gained
By now, I have completed the first 2 modules:
Module 1 - Cybersecurity Fundamentals, you can find my study notes here.
And Module 2 - Digital First Responder, you can also find my study notes here.
For someone new to cybersecurity, I found these two courses to be an excellent starting point.
Interestingly, Module Two reminded me of my first job, especially the "Treatment of IT Disruptions" section. Here's a little story: When I was 17, I got my first job at an English institute. I was an Administrative Assistant, but I also worked in the library and multimedia room. I remember whenever something wasn't working with the computers or video equipment (yes, back when VHS was how we watched movies 😂), I was always curious and tried to fix those problems myself. It was fun, and I always learned something new.
5. The Power of Mentorship: Guidance from Industry Leaders
As I mentioned earlier, the training includes mentorship. Based on my profile, I was assigned a mentor named Elvira. She is from Kenya and works as a Cybersecurity Analyst at NTT DATA Middle East and Africa. We've exchanged introductory emails and even had our first one-on-one meeting last week 😃.
For our first mentorship meeting, I prepared a "First Mentorship Agenda", which we used as a guide. I think this kept the conversation smooth and organized.
During the first mentorship session, I learned a lot from Elvira. She was very encouraging and eagerly shared her views and insights on various topics. I felt comfortable speaking with her. We agreed on the time, platform, and duration of the meeting.
TIP: I strongly suggest being prepared for meetings to make the most of the mentorship. It's also a way to show respect for the mentor, who is generously giving their valuable free time.
6. Looking Forward: Next Steps in My Cybersecurity Journey
One of the tasks is to define SMART Goals. One of my SMART Goals is to research career paths and roles within the cybersecurity field so I have a clear vision of where I want to go. During my conversation with Elvira, she advised me to explore defensive security and the various roles involved, and I think that was great advice!
Defensive cybersecurity aims to prevent cyber attacks by safeguarding everything from an organization’s systems and software to its full network infrastructure.
Apart from the Fellowship program:
I am studying in the Cisco Network Academy, following the Junior Cybersecurity Analyst career path to complement the training. This is a great platform to learn from high-quality content for free.
I am also participating in the initiative “IT For Girls - Ciberseguridad y OT” by WoMakersCode. This program offers mentorship and training in cybersecurity and OT technologies for Spanish-speaking women, providing 1,000 Udemy scholarships and over 900 Claroty certifications through partnerships with NTT DATA Europe & Latam, NTT DATA FOUNDATION, Claroty, and Udemy.
If you're a woman curious about cybersecurity and wondering if you belong there, you absolutely do.
7. Acknowledgments and Gratitude
I have already posted a thank-you message on my LinkedIn to the ITU organizers and the IT for Girls organizers and speakers. However, I want to express my gratitude again to everyone who makes these initiatives possible. These programs have a significant impact on the women who participate.
Mentors are incredibly important in technology. They can be positive role models for those starting in the field, where everything is new and uncertain. Special thanks to my mentor Elvira for volunteering her time and sharing her experience. I look forward to our upcoming one-on-one sessions.
Thank you to the other women in the cybersecurity field for being so welcoming, inspiring, and encouraging. This supportive network is one of the things I enjoy most about being in tech.
If you are on a similar path as me or enjoy what I share, feel free to reach out to my email at lauradiaz1586@gmail.com ✨
Top comments (0)