🔄 A Necessary Reset — Strategy & Focus
It’s time for another reset, a better strategy moving forward. I’ve been diving into AI tools, reasoning models, and automation while continuing my training in ethical hacking to improve my analytical skills. But I’ve also realized that I need to pivot toward earning key certifications, particularly in AWS. I have the vouchers; now it’s time to use them. I’ll start with AWS Practitioner and Associate certs before moving on to Professional or Specialty tracks.
At the same time, I recognize a familiar challenge: focusing on a single thing. My curiosity is my greatest asset and my greatest obstacle. So instead of fighting it, I’m embracing it, creating my own structured path to follow.
But first, how do you know where you stand in cybersecurity? Is it a role, credentials, your team, or experience? Is there a definitive threshold where you’ve ‘made it’? I’ve met incredible people in this field, each on their own unique journey. If this were sports, I could track stats and performance metrics. The military has its ranks and clear progression. But cybersecurity? There’s no universal scorecard, and that makes self-assessment a constant challenge.
🕵🏽♂️ Exploring the Dark Web & Rethinking My Path
My deep dive into threat intelligence has led me into darker spaces. While most of my experience has been in corporate environments, my recent research has taken me into the intelligence world of the dark web. It’s disturbing, forcing me to reassess what I want to accomplish in cybersecurity. Do I want to react to incidents, or do I want to be ahead of them?
This path originally started with AI’s impact on cybersecurity. I thought DevSecOps was my route, but I’ve realized that ethical hacking is the better foundation. It allows me to develop technical execution while maintaining my analyst mindset. My expertise has been in automation, analysis, threat intelligence, threat hunting, and vulnerability management, but automation is my core passion. And cloud security and AI is where the opportunities are right now.
This shift isn’t just personal, the industry is feeling it too. Astra and Invary just raised millions for AI-powered penetration testing and runtime security, proving that automation is quickly evolving as a necessity. (SecurityWeek)
📌 Key takeaway: Threat intelligence isn’t just research, it’s proactive cybersecurity. If automation is the future, intelligence is the key to shaping it.
🔥 Ransomware, AI, & Dark Web Exposure — The Reality of Cyber Threats
Every time I think about my next step, I come across cyber news that reinforces my direction. The latest reports indicate that ransomware extortion dropped to $813.5M in 2023, but cybercriminals are simply evolving their tactics, shifting toward quieter, more persistent threats. (The Hacker News)
Meanwhile, the DOJ is cracking down on Pakistan-linked dark web operations, exposing just how deep the underground cybercrime networks run. (CyberSecurity News) And new studies show that dark web exposure increases risk levels significantly, yet many organizations still fail to monitor their leaked credentials and data. (CyberSecurity News)
📌 Key takeaway: Cyber threats don’t disappear, they adapt. Threat intelligence isn’t just about reading reports; it’s about understanding the evolution of risk.
☁️ The Cloud, AI, & The Shift Toward Proactive Security
I’ve said before that I want to move from a reactive role to a proactive one. Instead of responding to incidents, I want to anticipate and mitigate them before they escalate. Cloud security, AI-driven intelligence, and automated threat detection will define the future of cybersecurity.
📌 The industry knows this. The Cyber Savanna report paints a brutal picture of cybersecurity as a rigged race you can’t win, but must run anyway. (Dark Reading) The only way forward is to evolve faster than the threats.
Emerging threats in 2025 are becoming increasingly AI-driven, making the shift toward DevSecOps, automation, and predictive security more crucial than ever. (CyberSecurity News)
🎯 My Path Forward — Threat Intelligence & DevSecOps
🔹 Threat Intelligence is my foundation. It’s what led me here, and it’s how I’ll move forward. 🔹 DevSecOps is my structure. I want to blend red and blue team knowledge, making automation and security integration a central focus. 🔹 AWS and Cloud Security are my stepping stones. I’ll complete my AWS certs, ensuring I stay ahead of cloud-driven cyber threats.
And as I move forward, I’ll continue to refine my intelligence-gathering methodology, ensuring that every skill I develop aligns with my long-term vision.
⚡ Call to Action — The Cyber Race Continues
🚀 Cybersecurity is constantly evolving, how do you quantify your growth? 🔹 Are certifications enough, or is real-world experience more critical? 🔹 Is DevSecOps the best path to blend automation and security, or should security remain a separate discipline? 🔹 How do you stay proactive in a field that’s always changing?
Drop your thoughts — let’s talk. 🔥💡
