Career Summary
As a cybersecurity professional with over six years of experience, I focus on strengthening digital assets against ever-changing cyber threats. I specialize in penetration testing, ethical hacking, red teaming, and offensive security. I excel at uncovering and addressing vulnerabilities in networks and web applications.
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My mission is to make cyberspace better & safer for everyone by committing to lifelong learning, sharing knowledge with the community, and inspiring others to do the same.
Credentials:
• BS in Cybersecurity Management and Policy from UMGC.
• 12 certifications including OSCP, CISSP, eJPT, OSWP, PenTest+, CEH, CySA+, CCNA, Cloud+, Linux+, Security+, and Network+.
• Pwned 60 HTB machines and mastered 216 THM rooms, securing top leaderboard rankings on both platforms.
• Pursuing OSWA certification and MS in Cybersecurity Management and Policy at UMGC.
Professional Experience
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Content Engineer – Freelance May 2023 – Present
Hack The Box – Folkestone, England, United Kingdom (Remote)
To create and connect cyber-ready humans and organizations
through highly engaging hacking experiences that cultivate
out-of-the-box thinking. We aspire to redefine the standards of cybersecurity expertise, by bringing together community & business.
• Published author for six captivating and engaging blog articles, showcasing exceptional communication and marketing skills to engage readers and drive meaningful traffic to the HTB website (more coming).
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Cyber Defense Operations Craftsman April 2018 – April 2024
(1D771) – Active Duty
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United States Air Force – Worldwide
To fly, fight, and win…airpower anytime, anywhere.
• Led comprehensive vulnerability assessment, identifying and remedying 105 security vulnerabilities, reducing security risk by hardening a server supporting 1,500 Air Mobility missions.
• Directed the Global Air Transportation and Execution System (GATES), providing seamless support to 150 workstations and facilitating secure operations for 183 users as the lead system administrator.
• Managed and mitigated six classified message incidents, ensuring prompt sanitization of secret data leaks across 57 systems and contributing to the success of 15,600 Pacific Air Force missions.
• Facilitated security operations by coordinating workflow among seven work centers, resulting in the timely resolution of 5,000 trouble tickets within a two-year period.
• Ensured uninterrupted network connectivity for 8,000 network devices supporting 43 F-16 fighter aircraft, playing a pivotal role in bolstering North Korean nuclear deterrence efforts.
• Orchestrated unit (organization) information technology (IT) asset program, inventorying and tracking 400 items valued at $600,000 across six facilities, ensuring optimal resource utilization and security.
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Penetration Tester – DOD SkillBridge Internship October 2023 – February 2024
TrustFoundry – United States (Remote)
To have thorough customer engagements to improve
security as efficiently as possible. We know this involves
carefully listening and understanding to our customers. Our attention to customers’ challenges, focus on intelligent solutions, and our genuine passion for security drive us to consistently deliver outstanding results.
• Performed internal and external network penetration tests for four clients using manual and automated techniques to find 48 meaningful and verifiable findings across 513 systems/servers.
• Conducted two thorough web application assessments on three APIs to find 20 findings; performed cross-site scripting (XSS), Structured Query Language (SQL) injection (SQLi), and cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks.
• Expertly operated industry-standard tools and techniques (Kali Linux, Nmap, Burp Suite Professional, Metasploit, Mimikatz, Impacket, Nuclei, Amass, CrackMapExec, Responder, Nessus, Shodan) against 516 systems/servers.
• Wrote and delivered eight clear and concise timely reports, providing clear insights and actionable mitigation strategies for all clients; peer-reviewed three more penetration test reports before delivering to customers.
• Leveraged automation, programming, and scripting skills (Python, Bash, PowerShell, C, C#, VBA, PHP, JavaScript) by coding seven new scripts on the fly during live tests to automate tasks and streamline data parsing.
• Identified and exploited 80 vulnerabilities in Windows and Linux systems/servers, enhancing system security.
• Applied comprehensive knowledge of methodologies and frameworks (OWASP, PTES, MITRE ATT&CK, Cyber Kill Chain, NIST, ISO, PCI-DSS) across nine penetration tests and web application assessments.
• Developed sophisticated exploits and executed advanced chained/multi-staged attacks during 100% of tests.
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Penetration Tester – Contract August 2023
TrustFoundry – United States (Remote)
To have thorough customer engagements to improve
security as efficiently as possible. We know this involves
carefully listening and understanding to our customers. Our attention to customers’ challenges, focus on intelligent solutions, and our genuine passion for security drive us to consistently deliver outstanding results.
• Led vulnerability assessment of Barracuda and Azure firewalls on a client's production network, identifying 34 vulnerabilities; devised and delivered strategies to enhance and secure network traffic.
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Construction Laborer – Full Time August 2013 – April 2018
Apache Industrial Services – Canton, Ohio
The most complete and effective set of industrial services
available for today’s market.
• Painting, sandblasting, fireproofing, asbestos abatement, lead abatement, scaffold building, and safety in oil refineries, chemical plants, and pipelines across Ohio as a contractor.
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Food Production Worker – Part Time to Full Time August 2010 – August 2013
Ponderosa Steakhouse - Carrollton, Ohio
To provide wholesome family dining at a fair price.
By maintaining quality steakhouses and bountiful buffets.
• Duties include meat carving and serving, cook assistant, server assistant, dishwashing, and cleaning.
Education
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Master of Science (MS) (WIP)
Cybersecurity Management and Policy
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)
Projected February 2025
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Bachelor of Science (BS)
Cybersecurity Management and Policy
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)
Minor in Business Administration
Honors: Cum Laude | 3.873 GPA
August 2023
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Associate of Science (AS)
Information Systems Technology
Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)
Degree Incomplete
October 2022
May 2012
Professional Certifications
Capture the Flags (CTFs) & Projects
Hack The Box app.hackthebox.com/profile/766179
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HTB Rank: Pro Hacker
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Highest Global Ranking: #229
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Season 1 Place: 47/5987 (Top 0.8%) - Holo Tier
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Season 2 Place: 166/7390 (Top 2.3%) - Holo Tier
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Season 3 Place: 225/6939 (Top 3.2%) - Holo Tier
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Season 4 Place: 701/9186 (Top 7.6%) - Platinum Tier
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Season 5 Place: TBD
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Two machine writeups
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13 video walkthroughs
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60 user & system owns
TryHackMe tryhackme.com/KyserClark
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Top 0.2%
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216 rooms completed
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Level 13 - God (max)
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30 badges
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365 day streak badge
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Ten learning path certs
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Two room writeups
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17 video walkthroughs
100 Days of Code (Python) kyserclark.com/blog/categories/100-days-of-code
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240 hours
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Four video courses
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Read 2.2 books
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Five larger projects
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176 small programs
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Network automation lab
Additional
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Cybersecurity content creator
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Avid infosec podcast listener
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Packet Tracer & Active Directory Labs
Military Service
Decorations
Click on a Ribbon to Lean More
Permanent Duty Stations
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Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson November 19, 2020 – April 23, 2024
Anchorage, Alaska, USA
732nd Air Mobility Squadron | Air Mobility Command
2nd Permanent Duty Station
515th Air Mobility Operations Wing Commander's Coin x2 - Colonel
732D Air Mobility Sq
Chief Master Sergeant Coin
715TH Air Mobility Operations Group
Airman of the Quarter - Q4 2021
ALS Graduate
732D Air Mobility Sq
Airman of the Quarter - Q3 2021
732D Air Mobility Sq
Airman of the Quarter - Q4 2021
Temporary Duty Stations
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Kadena Air Base May 21, 2023 – May 26, 2023
Okinawa, Japan
Temporary Duty Station
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Eielson Air Force Base March 13, 2023 – March 17, 2023
Fairbanks, Alaska
Temporary Duty Station
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Ramstein Air Base September 16, 2022 – September 23, 2022
Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Temporary Duty Station
Ranks
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Staff Sergeant (SSgt) | E-5
Selection Date: August 24, 2021
Effective Dates: July 1, 2022 - April 23, 2024
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Senior Airman (SrA) | E-4
Effective Dates: October 22, 2020 – June 30, 2022
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Airman First Class (A1C) | E-3
Effective Dates: September 19, 2018 – October 21, 2020
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Airman Basic (AB) | E-1
Effective Dates: April 24, 2018 – September 19, 2018