Welcome to my portfolio.
I am a cybersecurity-focused technologist and developer with a background that spans software development, Linux and server administration, cybersecurity, emergency management, and technical problem-solving.
My technical experience comes from both formal education and years of hands-on experimentation—building and hosting servers, writing code and scripts, troubleshooting systems, developing game-server environments, performing security assessments, and documenting what I learn.
This portfolio brings that work together in one place.
My career began with a strong interest in computers, programming, networking, and system administration. Over the years, that interest developed into hands-on experience building software, managing servers, scripting, and eventually focusing heavily on cybersecurity and penetration testing.
I also bring 10+ years of professional emergency management experience, including work supporting government, Department of Defense, and private-sector organizations.
That combination gives me a somewhat different perspective on technology and security:
I understand both the technology and the operational consequences when technology fails.
My emergency-management background includes:
- Emergency Operations Center operations
- Incident coordination
- Disaster preparedness and response
- CBRN/WMD preparedness and response
- Risk assessment
- Multi-agency coordination
- Exercises and training
- Operational planning and documentation
- Time-sensitive decision-making
I am now combining that operational experience with hands-on cybersecurity, programming, and systems work.
My current cybersecurity focus is penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, security analysis, and incident response.
- Network reconnaissance and enumeration
- Vulnerability assessment
- Web application security
- Linux security
- Privilege escalation
- Exploitation in controlled lab environments
- CTF methodology
- Security scripting and automation
- Technical security documentation
- Penetration-testing-style reporting
- Defensive/security analysis
Recon & Enumeration
Nmap · RustScan · ffuf · Gobuster · Feroxbuster · Nikto
Web Security
Burp Suite · curl · Web enumeration/testing tools
Exploitation & Analysis
Metasploit · msfconsole · msfvenom · Wireshark · GDB · Ghidra
Operating Systems
Kali Linux · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows
I maintain a hands-on cybersecurity lab where I practice the full assessment process:
Recon → Enumeration → Analysis → Exploitation → Privilege Escalation → Documentation
My work includes labs and challenges from:
- Hack The Box
- TryHackMe
- OverTheWire
- Pwnable.kr
- Metasploitable2
My CTF repository contains walkthroughs, notes, methodology, and lessons learned from these environments.
➡️ Cyber Labs
➡️ Cybersecurity Portfolio & Reports
Programming has been a major part of my technical development.
I have worked with:
- Python
- C++
- Lua
- Bash
- PHP
- SQL
- HTML/CSS
- Flask
- MySQL
- SQLite
My programming work includes command-line applications, automation scripts, cybersecurity tooling, game development, database-driven applications, web projects, and experimentation with different programming languages and frameworks.
One of the most significant parts of my technical background is my long-term work with OTServ/OpenTibia.
This was not simply a matter of installing a server and playing a game. I worked with the technology across the entire lifecycle of running a custom server environment.
My experience includes:
- Server installation and configuration
- Server hosting and administration
- Linux/Windows server environments
- C++ development
- Lua scripting
- Database configuration and management
- SQL
- Game-server configuration
- Custom scripts and systems
- Server/client configuration
- Troubleshooting and debugging
- Performance and reliability considerations
- Website and account-management systems
- Networking and connectivity
- Managing a complete multiplayer server environment
- Maintaining and modifying an existing codebase
- Developing and integrating custom functionality
Working with OTServ gave me practical experience with something that coursework alone cannot replicate:
building a functioning technical ecosystem from the ground up and keeping it running.
It required understanding how the server, client, scripts, database, network, and supporting services interacted—and troubleshooting problems when one piece affected another.
That experience is one of the foundations of my interest in systems administration, software development, networking, and cybersecurity.
I maintain a separate repository documenting my formal coursework, certifications, labs, assignments, and technical training.
This includes work involving:
- Hack The Box Academy — Penetration Tester
- TryHackMe — Jr. Penetration Tester
- IBM Cybersecurity Analyst
- Google Cybersecurity
- Ethical Hacking
- Linux & Shell Scripting
- Python programming
- Git/GitHub
- Additional cybersecurity and programming coursework
➡️ Classwork & Certifications Portfolio
Before focusing my career on cybersecurity and technology, I spent more than a decade working in emergency management.
That experience remains an important part of my technical identity.
Emergency management taught me how to:
- Analyze incomplete and rapidly changing information
- Identify and prioritize risk
- Coordinate during incidents
- Work under pressure and deadlines
- Communicate technical/operational information to decision-makers
- Document procedures and incidents
- Work across organizations and disciplines
- Plan for system and operational failure
- Think about resilience rather than simply prevention
These skills translate directly into cybersecurity.
A security incident is ultimately an incident—and understanding how people, organizations, systems, communications, and decision-making interact during an incident is just as important as understanding the technology.
I am continuing to build toward a career in:
Cybersecurity → Security Analysis → Penetration Testing → Incident Response
My current technical development focuses on:
- Penetration testing
- Network security
- Web application security
- Linux
- Python and security automation
- Vulnerability assessment
- Defensive security
- Incident response
- Security documentation and reporting
My long-term goal is to combine technical cybersecurity skills, software development, systems knowledge, and emergency-management experience to help organizations identify vulnerabilities, manage risk, improve resilience, and respond effectively to incidents.
| Area | Repository |
|---|---|
| 🔐 Cybersecurity & Reports | Cybersecurity Portfolio |
| 🧪 Cybersecurity Labs | Cyber Labs |
| ⚔️ CTF Writeups | Cybersecurity CTFs |
| 💻 Programming | Programming Portfolio |
| 📚 Coursework & Certifications | Classwork & Certifications |
GitHub: @SDSteele
LinkedIn: Shannon D. Steele
Build it. Break it. Secure it. Understand it.