Think Positive Cyber

Today at location code R880808EF-T2Phal-002-40, I focused on building foundational knowledge for the CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 exam and submitting cybersecurity job applications across the public and private sectors.

My study centered on Professor Messer’s lesson on Secure Baselines (Section 4.1), which emphasized the importance of maintaining consistent, secure configurations across systems. This includes firewall settings, OS patch levels, and application-specific policies. A major takeaway: Microsoft provides over 3,000 Group Policy Objects in Windows 10, with subsets curated for security. Tools like the Security Compliance Toolkit and deployment through Active Directory or Mobile Device Management (MDM) platforms are key for automating baseline enforcement. Once deployed, these baselines must adapt to app updates or emerging vulnerabilities—making auditing and reevaluation essential for maintaining compliance and protection.

In parallel, I applied to several jobs that align with my cybersecurity experience and career trajectory:

• Senior Auditor – EH&S (SEMPRA) | Target Salary: $99,999–$110,000 |
• Network Security Analyst (Community Health Group) | Salary: $105,423.90 |
• IT Specialist (SAIC) | Salary: $85,000–$95,000 |

Each of these positions aligns with my qualifications and supports my goal of securing a federal security clearance. I also noted that the DoD 8140 baseline certification pathway may be relevant to some of these roles.