Proftsec Blog

Latest cybersecurity news, tutorials, and hands-on guides.

Making Skills Visible in Cybersecurity — Part 3: Feedback, Critique & Growth

Part 3 of our series on making soft skills visible in cybersecurity careers. This post focuses on navigating feedback, conflict, and interpersonal growth—key traits that shape team trust and leadership potential.

Making Skills Visible in Cybersecurity — Part 2: Standing Out Without a Giant Portfolio

In Part 2 of our series, we explore how early-career cybersecurity professionals can build visibility without relying on a massive portfolio. Learn how to showcase mindset, curiosity, and growth in authentic, actionable ways.

Making Skills Visible in Cybersecurity — Part 1: Skills You Can’t See on a Resume

Part 1 of our series on building visibility in cybersecurity careers. In this post, we break down the critical—but often invisible—skills that don't show up on a traditional resume, and why showcasing them matters more than ever.

Beyond the Firewall: Part 6 – Building Psychological Safety and Team Culture

The conclusion to our soft skills series, focusing on psychological safety and the team culture required to help cybersecurity teams thrive.

Beyond the Firewall: Part 5 – Measuring Soft Skills in Cybersecurity

Part 5 of our series on soft skills in cybersecurity explores how to assess and track growth in areas like communication, leadership, and collaboration over time.

Beyond the Firewall: Part 4 – From Peer to Lead in Cybersecurity Teams

Part 4 of our series on soft skills in cybersecurity education explores leadership growth, team alignment, and the soft challenges of stepping into a lead role.

Beyond the Firewall: Part 3 – Collaboration, Conflict, and Control

Part 3 of our series on soft skills in cybersecurity and IT education. This post focuses on managing conflict, role-based collaboration, and critical interpersonal skills during technical exercises and real-world incidents.

Beyond the Firewall: Part 2 – Teaching Technical Communication in Cybersecurity

Part 2 of our soft skills series explores how technical communication transforms cybersecurity education and operations—plus how to embed it into existing IT lessons.

Beyond the Firewall: Part 1 – Why Soft Skills Make or Break Cyber Careers

Part 1 of our series on soft skills in cybersecurity and IT education. This post explains why communication, empathy, and judgment are just as essential as technical ability—and how to start embedding them into learning environments.

Securing the Future: A First Look at SANS Critical AI Security Controls v1.1

A practical summary of the newly released SANS Critical AI Security Controls and how organizations can start applying them today to protect AI systems.

AI’s Dual Role in Cybersecurity: Defense Tool or Attack Vector?

Exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape—for better and for worse.

Cybersecurity Compliance in 2025: What You Need to Know and How to Prepare

A comprehensive guide to current cybersecurity compliance frameworks, regulatory changes, and a hands-on checklist to assess your readiness—including FedRAMP, SEC, and NIST updates.

Building an AI-Powered Cybersecurity Risk Matrix: From Logs to Actionable Risk Scores

A hands-on guide for students and professionals to build a lightweight AI-assisted tool that translates log events into risk scores using a cybersecurity risk matrix.

The Rise of Medusa Ransomware: What Students and Organizations Need to Know

A breakdown of the Medusa ransomware threat, with a hands-on educational lab simulation to help cybersecurity learners understand its methods, impacts, and how to respond.

The Skills Every Cybersecurity Student Should Develop

A guide for aspiring cybersecurity professionals on the essential skills needed to succeed in the field.

My Cybersecurity Journey: Lessons from Teaching, Consulting, and Hands-On Labs

A personal look into my path from a non-traditional student to a cybersecurity educator, consultant, and hands-on lab developer.

How to Set Up a Beginner's Cybersecurity Lab at Home

A step-by-step guide to setting up a beginner-friendly cybersecurity lab using VirtualBox or VMware Player.

Why I Created Proftsec: A Cybersecurity Learning Hub

The story behind Proftsec.info, the motivation for creating it, and its mission as a cybersecurity resource.