Just A Bit About Myself _<

🧍‍♂️Introduction

I’m Fernandez, a curious mind who enjoys breaking and securing systems. I work in offensive security as a Penetration Tester and Solutions Engineer, focusing on web, API, network, active directory, wireless security, and red teaming.

My Journey

I began my journey into cybersecurity in 2021, a year after graduating from secondary school, at a time when I wasn’t sure what direction my life was heading.

An uncle figure in my life, who works as a farmer, encouraged me to explore cybersecurity. Although he had little to no background in tech, he understood its value and believed I could succeed in it. At the time, I knew almost nothing about hacking, only what I had seen in movies, but his belief in me pushed me to take the first step.

I’ve always had a natural interest in computers, and that curiosity made the transition easier. I was also fortunate to have a skilled computer engineer in my circle, someone I consider both family and an advisor. From him, I learned a lot about computers, and he constantly challenged me to grow while reinforcing his belief in my potential.

I started learning through Cybrary, taking advantage of both free and trial-based courses. Whenever my 14-day trial expired, I created new accounts just to keep learning and finish what I started. I completed courses such as Introduction to Cybersecurity, CompTIA Security+, Linux+ (with my favorite instructor, Rob Goelz), Python for Cybersecurity, and computer networking through Professor Messer’s training videos, among others.

After building a foundation, I hesitated to dive into hacking because I wasn’t sure I would understand it. Eventually, I pushed past that fear and started in late 2022. I remember selling my gaming desktop just to purchase an Alpha AWUS036ACH wireless adapter so I could practice Wi-Fi hacking. That moment defined how serious I was about learning, I didn’t just want to watch; I wanted to truly understand how things worked.

To cut a long story short, my journey wasn’t widely supported at home. My parents and siblings wanted me to follow a traditional path and go to school, which led to frequent disagreements over the years. From their perspective, there was nothing tangible to show, no income, just continuous learning.

Everything changed in November 2024 when I landed my first role as a penetration tester. I don’t even remember applying to that specific company, it likely came from a period where I was sending out applications consistently without expecting a response. I traveled to Lagos, went through the interview process, and secured the role. From that moment, the belief in my journey began to change.

It has now been about two years since I started my career as a penetration tester. The hard work and consistency have paid off, and I’m grateful for how far I’ve come. There’s still a long way to go, and I’m not slowing down anytime soon.

Today, I can meet some of my needs, and one of the greatest rewards has been achieving a level of financial independence and work experience at a young age. It’s not everything, but it’s something I’m truly grateful for and just the beginning.

Certifications & Degree

  • Bsc Cybersecurity (In-Progress)
  • Certified Red Team Analyst (CRTA)
  • Certified Appsec Practitioner (CAP)
  • Certified Network Security Practitioner (CNSP)

(None of these were sponsored but I’m willing to acquire more certifications )

🪟 Life outside of infosec, the last 20%

When I’m not hacking, I enjoy:

  • Listening to music
  • Playing video games on my console
  • Posting memes
  • Leveling up my skill
  • building hacking tools & projects

✨ Future plans

I plan to focus on:

  • Red Teaming
  • Malware Development
  • Hardware Hacking
  • Satellite Hacking