JSVY - Exploring Cybersecurity, One Step

Mission Statement

Blog

<p>I am a cybersecurity undergraduate passionate about digital defense, ethical hacking, and building secure systems. I document my projects, challenges, and what I’m learning as I grow in this field.</p><p></p><p>“Learning by breaking. Securing by building.”</p>

About Me

<p>An overview of my career goals, industry interests, and the evolving trends I am passionate about within cybersecurity.</p>

Follow @alesnesetril on Instagram for more dope photos!
Wallpaper by @jdiegoph (https://unsplash.com/photos/-xa9XSA7K9k)

Professional Interests

<p>A carefully selected compilation of tutorials, tools, and references to support ongoing cybersecurity education.</p>

Learning Resources

<p>Highlighting my proficiency in key cybersecurity areas such as network security, vulnerability assessment, and ethical hacking.</p>

Technical Skills Showcase

<p>Learning offensive tools and techniques through labs and CTFs</p>

hacker hand stealing data from laptop top down 

Penetration Testing

<p>Regular blog posts documenting my personal growth, lessons learned, and reflections on the cybersecurity landscape.</p>

Blog Insights

<p>Explore a curated collection of my hands-on cybersecurity projects, showcasing practical skills and innovative solutions.</p>

Project Portfolio

Skills & Interests

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact

<p>Showcasing Expertise in Cybersecurity</p><p>At JSVY, I am passionate about cybersecurity and dedicated to sharing my journey as a student and upcoming professional in this dynamic field. My website serves as a comprehensive portfolio where I showcase a diverse range of projects that demonstrate my technical skills and innovative approaches to solving cybersecurity challenges. From penetration testing to vulnerability assessments, these projects highlight my commitment to mastering the craft and staying ahead of emerging threats.</p><h3>Comprehensive Learning Resources and CTF Writeups</h3><p>JSVY is not just a portfolio; it's a learning hub for cybersecurity enthusiasts. I offer detailed Capture The Flag (CTF) writeups that provide step-by-step solutions to complex problems, helping others to learn and grow alongside us. Additionally, my curated learning resources cover essential topics, tools, and techniques that are crucial for anyone looking to excel in cybersecurity. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, JSVY provides valuable insights and practical knowledge to enhance your skills.</p><h3>Personal Growth and Professional Development</h3><p>Beyond technical expertise, JSVY focuses on personal and professional growth within the cybersecurity landscape. This blog documents the lessons learned, challenges overcome, and milestones achieved throughout my journey. This transparent and reflective approach fosters a supportive community and encourages continuous improvement. JSVY is your trusted companion in navigating the complexities of cybersecurity, offering inspiration, education, and a platform to showcase your evolving expertise.</p>

Welcome 

<h3>Zero Day - Why I created this website</h3><p>I am currently transitioning into my second year of university as a cybersecurity student. I created this website as a place to document my learning, track my progress, and share the challenges (and small wins) I encounter along the way.</p><h3>Why a Website?</h3><p>To be honest, I wasn’t totally sure why I needed a personal website at first. It just felt like a good idea. But as I started thinking about it more, I realised it could be:</p><ul><li><p>A home for my personal projects</p></li><li><p>A place to write about what I'm learning</p></li><li><p>A way to show others what I've done and what I'm interested in doing</p></li><li><p>A personal log of how I've grown and developed over time</p></li></ul><p>I’m hoping it becomes something useful for me—and maybe even helpful to others starting their own cybersecurity path.</p><h3>What to Expect</h3><p>This blog will cover:</p><ul><li><p>Short writeups on CTFs and labs I complete</p></li><li><p>Notes on tools I’m learning (Burp Suite, Nmap, Wireshark, etc.)</p></li><li><p>Reflections on what’s difficult, what’s working, and where I want to go</p></li><li><p>Occasional rants and sarcastic comments when software doesn't work</p></li></ul>

Starting My Cybersecurity Journey

<h3>Surface level</h3><p>If you're new to cybersecurity like I am, one of the first tools you’ll hear about is <strong>Nmap</strong>—short for "Network Mapper." It’s a command-line tool used for discovering hosts and services on a network. Basically, it tells you <em>what’s out there</em>.</p><p>This week, I decided to properly dive into it—not just running random commands, but actually learning what it's doing under the hood.</p><h3>🧠 What Nmap Does</h3><p>In simple terms, Nmap:</p><ul><li><p>Scans IP addresses to see what hosts are alive</p></li><li><p>Detects open ports</p></li><li><p>Tries to identify the services running on those ports</p></li><li><p>Can even guess the operating system in some cases</p></li></ul><h3>🧪 First Test: Scanning a Testbox</h3><p>I used a TryHackMe room with a target box for practice. Here's the first command I ran:</p><p>"nmap -sS -p- -T4 10.10.10.10"</p><p>Let me break it down:</p><ul><li><p>-sS: SYN scan (stealthy + fast)</p></li><li><p>-p-: Scan all 65535 ports, not just the common ones</p></li><li><p>-T4: Timing option (speeds things up a bit)</p></li><li><p>10.10.10.10: Target IP address</p></li></ul><p><strong>What I Found:</strong><br>Nmap came back with a few interesting open ports:</p><ul><li><p>Port 22: SSH</p></li><li><p>Port 80: HTTP</p></li><li><p>Port 3306: MySQL</p></li></ul><p>From there, I reran the scan with version detection:</p><p>"nmap -sV -p 22,80,3306 10.10.10.10"</p><p><strong>Results:</strong></p><ul><li><p>SSH: OpenSSH 7.9p1</p></li><li><p>HTTP: Apache 2.4.29</p></li><li><p>MySQL: MySQL 5.7.28</p></li></ul><h4>🛠️ Lessons I Learned</h4><ul><li><p><strong>Nmap isn’t just “scan and forget”</strong> – it’s about asking better questions. Start broad, then focus.</p></li><li><p><strong>Timing matters</strong> – -T4 worked fine here, but slower settings like -T2 are better for stealth.</p></li><li><p><strong>Scan all ports!</strong> – Some services hide on higher ports. Always run -p- at least once.</p></li><li><p><strong>Use the output</strong> – The real power comes after the scan. Nmap is a map, not the destination.</p></li></ul><h4>⏭️ What’s Next</h4><ul><li><p>Try the -A option (aggressive scan) and compare results</p></li><li><p>Experiment with nmap -O for OS detection</p></li><li><p>Scan my local network (safely!) and see what’s running</p></li></ul><p>I’ll likely revisit this tool again and again. For now, Nmap feels like the binoculars you use before entering the building. You don’t break in—you first observe.</p><h3>🔍 <strong>Nmap Cheat Sheet – For Beginners in Cybersecurity</strong></h3><h4>📦 <strong>Basic Scan</strong></h4><p>nmap &lt;target&gt;</p><h4>🔍 <strong>Port Scanning Options</strong></h4><p>nmap -p- &lt;target&gt;</p><h4>⚡ <strong>Scan Types</strong></h4><p>nmap -sS &lt;target&gt; (SYN scan; default)</p><p>nmap -sT &lt;target&gt; (TCP connect scan; no raw packet priveleges needed)</p><p>nmap -sU &lt;target&gt; (UDP scan; for UDP services)</p><h4>🔧 <strong>Service &amp; Version Detection</strong></h4><p>nmap -sV &lt;target&gt; (Detect service versions on running open ports)</p><h4>🧠 <strong>OS Detection</strong></h4><p><strong>nmap -O &lt;target&gt;</strong></p><h4>🎯 <strong>Aggressive Scan</strong></h4><p>nmap -A &lt;target&gt;</p><h4>⏱️ <strong>Timing &amp; Performance</strong></h4><p>nmap -T4 &lt;target&gt;</p><ul><li><p>Timing template:</p><ul><li><p>T0 (Paranoid)</p></li><li><p>T1 (Sneaky)</p></li><li><p>T2 (Polite)</p></li><li><p>T3 (Normal)</p></li><li><p>T4 (Aggressive)</p></li><li><p>T5 (Insane)</p></li></ul></li></ul><h4>📂 <strong>Save Output</strong></h4><p>nmap -oN output.txt &lt;target&gt; (normal text output)</p><p>nmap -oX output.xml &lt;target&gt; (XML output)</p><h4>🧰 <strong>Common Combos</strong></h4><p>nmap -sS -p- -T4 &lt;target&gt; (Fast and stealthy port scan)</p><p>nmap -sV -p 22,80,443 &lt;target&gt; (Version detection on specific ports</p><p>nmap -A -T3 &lt;target&gt; (Aggressive scan with normal timing)</p>