Who I am
Hello my name is Nicholas, I'm pursuing an Associate of Arts at College of Southern Nevada in order to transfer to University of Las Vegas and pursue their Bachelors in Cybersecurity. I work as a pharmacy technician under CVS Pharmacy which I hope will change soon. I'm actively looking to better myself and dive deep into technology so when possible, I weigh the costs and benefits of looking into different ideas and concepts, anything that could possibly get me ahead of the curve to transition to technology is always on my mind.
First impression of IS101
Gosh, this class has been an eye-opener and this train has to keep moving. In order for me to get closer to my goal, I have to take this class, so far I'm glad I have some proficiency in using a computer and the assignments, homework and discussions aren't being held back. My ability to complete what's dished out in this class is a direct insight on my character. Although I've gotten better in terms of academics, I had to get myself in order prior to this semester to prove I can be successful. This class is asking of me to read assignments and directions thoroughly, to be punctual and to be outside my comfort zone. As long as I don't lag and do the best of my ability, I will pass this class and be met with another or even more challenges.
1.4.2 Computer Security Risks
I chose this LabSim lesson because it applied some relevance to my aspiring career, It revolves around these select countermeasures in order to combat risks while using a computer. These risks are key objectives of malicious actors in order to reveal personal identifying information, financial information and credentials of any sort that might be useful for bad actors to get ahold of. With what I know from prior education and this lesson, Firewalls are used to control and monitor network traffic and can be configured with certain rules to allow certain connections or block all unauthorized connections. Next countermeasure any computer user should utilize is anti-malware software to ward off worms, viruses, spyware and trojan horses. There are many software's that provide these services, it is up to the user's what they prefer. As an extension to anti-malware to fight off spam you would just need to look into additional programs to block off spam. Finally when you're done with using owning a computer in terms of upgrading, selling, or wiping digital footprint; you have to sanitize the device by wiping the disk with software and then overwriting it with random data so it's not recoverable after the wipe, that and even considering physically destroying the hard disk to make it ineligible for recovery.
What I would like to share with the world
Good things will come for those working on themselves but that doesn't mean good things won't come for those not being constantly productive. Consider this: Fishers go to locations they know they will catch fish at, and sometimes fishers will not trek far at all. What matters is who is hungrier—and brother, the lakes are drying up.
Very glad to hear the class has been an eye-opener, in the first few weeks!
ReplyDeleteYes, this bullet train shot out the gate, is picking up momentum, will encounter twists and turns then transforms into a space shuttle and blasts off toward outer space with the defeated Decepticons in retreat. Okay, the final part was 1986 ;-p
I know you will do things to the best of your ability, pass and soar in IS101-3003, Spring 2026, then take on even more challenges, Nicholas ^_^
Hi Nicholas, I was actually a pharmacist back home before I transitioned into nursing because of circumstances. For me, pharmacy was very stimulating, especially pharmacokinetics like ADME, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. I always felt like a mad scientist understanding how drugs move through the body and almost like an alchemist mixing potions and creating super humans. That part of pharmacy always fascinated me more than anything else. I am a little surprised you did not consider continuing in pharmacy, although I understand it can be very expensive here. Everyone has different interests and paths, and cybersecurity has its own depth. I respect that you are choosing something that aligns with your goals. Good luck as you continue building your foundation in technology.
ReplyDeleteI'm still a part of my pharmacy and even if I don't pursue healthcare which I never followed in CSN only thought of, I still have integrity and doing my job correctly until I leave and find a job I'll be satisfied with.
DeleteHi Nicholas, I want to say good luck to you and your plans of transitioning from a medicine-related career to a technology one. I'm sure it sounds intimidating to go from a familiar thing to an unfamiliar one, but as long as you love what you'd do then I'm sure it is going to be worth it. I agree with you saying, "This class is asking of me to read assignments and directions thoroughly, to be punctual and to be outside my comfort zone." I felt the same thing when I started working on the very first assignment (before the class even met in person). As embarrassing as it is, I did not feel the need to read all blocks of texts of instructions, and therefore, I missed crucial details that was right on my face if only I read it the first time. I also like that the class pushes us to be punctual and makes us improve by pushing us out of our comfort zones, I agree with your short statement on that as well. :)
ReplyDeleteI got hired and accumulated on the job hours for the pharmacy but I feel like technology has always been a part of my life, so it's just the establishing of what my dream job would want me to know to do. I did the same things to when he had us do that syllabus assignment when class started, I did what you did and breezed through it without reading thoroughly!
DeleteHi Nicholas, it was interesting reading your post. It’s cool that you’re planning to transfer to University of Nevada, Las Vegas to study cybersecurity. I also agree that IS101 really pushes us to stay organized and pay attention to details. The part you explained about security risks and tools like firewalls and anti-malware was a good reminder of how important those protections are. Your message about working on yourself and staying motivated was also really inspiring.
ReplyDeleteHi Nicholas! I really liked the part where you mentioned pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. That’s honestly one of the hardest things to do, but it’s also one of the best things we can do for ourselves and for our goals. I also found the topic you chose about computer security risks really interesting because it reminds us how important it is to protect our personal information. Things like firewalls, anti-malware, and even properly wiping a device before getting rid of it are things many people don’t think about, but they make a huge difference in keeping data safe.
ReplyDeleteHello Nicholas, I actually went to a "technical college" to be a pharmacy technician about two years ago. I didn't really enjoy the job so I started pursuing other opportunities. The comparison of IS101 being like a train is very accurate, it really just pushes on forward even if you lag behind, you just have to work to catch up. Security risks are always crucial to pay attention to, whether it's through and insecure connection, or a link someone opens without looking closely beforehand, it can be extremely easy to put your computer in jeopardy, just by not paying attention enough.
ReplyDeleteHey Nicholas, I liked how you connected the computer security risks lesson to your goal of going into cybersecurity. Things like firewalls, anti-malware, and proper disk sanitization are really important in information systems because they help protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access.
ReplyDeleteIt’s cool that you’re already thinking about these concepts early on since they’re foundational skills for anyone moving into a cybersecurity role.
Being in and learning about cybersecurity is such a under represented field until now with how much attacks that are happening everyday. Another fellow enthusiast of the field and I appreciate the whole breakdown onto attacking and defending when it comes to cyber attacks. I also want to mention that everything you said about your impression about IS-101 is my exact same thoughts, but in better words. This course is something out of my comfort zone, not of computers but on re-learning basic skills that we need for our careers. Maybe we can chat about our similarity in knowledge about cybersecurity. Best of luck and background looks like I am in a Call of Duty loading screen.
ReplyDeleteHi Nicholas, I really relate to your mindset about constantly improving yourself. It’s impressive that you work as a pharmacy technician at CVS while managing school and thinking ahead to your career. Your analogy with the fishers is powerful; it reminds me that effort and persistence really make a difference in the long run.
ReplyDeleteHi Nicholas. It is cool that you are pursuing a degree in cybersecurity. Getting cyber-attacks is one of the most annoying things that can happen on a personal computer. I sometimes get messages from McAfee that I may have viruses on my computer. This makes me worried that my saved data will get stolen. Your hard work will prevent those kinds of problems from happening. Good luck on your academic journey.
ReplyDeleteNicholas, your strategic pursuit of a Cybersecurity degree is clearly reflected in your disciplined approach to IS101, where you effectively connect academic rigor with technical countermeasures such as network firewalls, anti-malware protocols, and secure data sanitization to build a professional foundation for your career transition.
ReplyDeleteNicholas, I respect your determination to improve and better yourself. Willing to pursue multiple degrees speaks to that as you are trying to best your situation with the knowledge you gain. Seeing as how you view these classes and challenges as steps towards your goal is a great way to look at it. All the best to you!
ReplyDeleteHey Nicholas, are you doing an AA degree because it has the most general education classes for a degree? I originally was pursing an AA degree because of that, but decided it would be best to just transfer a business degree over to UNLV. Good luck with your college journey!
ReplyDeleteHey Nicholas, I know you'll do great in achieving your goals towards Cybersecurity based on your background working at CVS Pharmacy. There are a lot of opportunities on that field and I agree, good things will come when you are hungry for it and the hungrier one usually goes above and beyond. Have a great semester and best of luck on your goals!
ReplyDeleteHi Nicholas, cyber security is a very popular degree of choice I hope you have an easy time making it a career. It's nice that you have the pharmacy tech experience to fall back on, in case you need it. It is nice having a demanding class to get you used to the demand that a high-tech job like cyber security will need. I also didn't consider the complete hard disk wipe but more often than not my computer fails and I toss it away.
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