With Sandra

Mentoring and coaching aspiring cybersecurity professionals across an audience of 500,000 followers across platforms with the resources they need to succeed in their tech careers! 

Average 5m+ monthly impressions across platforms. For sponsorship inquiries: withsandra@smoothmedia.co

Cybersecurity Practitioner

Stack Overflow

Created and implemented secure SDLC policies and procedures and ensuring compliance for all code repositories

Worked with security engineers on automation scripts using Go and Python

Completed ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II annual audits

Information Security Analyst

Bank of America

Cyber Security Rotational Program Analyst

Temple University

Courses taught: CIS 3309, CIS 3374, CIS 2033, CIS 3605 
Courses tutored: All courses in IS&T curriculum. 

Teaching CIS/IST students component-based software design using object-oriented programming skills in C# and ASP.NET. 

Engage students by teaching component-based software development foundations in C# and mentoring students in grasping object-oriented programming concepts

Develop and assist in planning course curriculum for interactive technical labs and leading lab sessions

CIS Teaching Assistant & Peer Tutor

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Designed and built a SAS distribution utility to manage and maintain requests to access higher-protection level data in the bank. Worked in a team of 4 interns in an agile environment with daily stand-ups and tools/languages including Java, ReactJS, Jira, BitBucket, and others.

Software Engineer Intern

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Researched and analyzed sets of data tables based on a specific project topic regarding the factors that correlate the gap in women’s payroll to racial factors

Created a presentation for the BLS to publicly share the analyzed data in a way that is easily understood to benefit awareness in the issue of the gender wage gap

Data Analyst Externship

👩🏻‍💻 I create educational cybersecurity content for a community of 500k learners!

Where cybersecurity professionals level up their career. 

You can find all my career resources through the link on my profile along with my FREE cybersecurity beginner roadmap 🎉 Thanks for connecting! 

For brand partnership inquiries: withsandra@smoothmedia.co

Here are 3 beginner cybersecurity projects that you can complete in a weekend (for free!) 👩🏻‍💻

The best way to get hands-on cybersecurity experience without a job is working on your own technical projects. 

If you don’t know where to start, here are a few I recommend that you can add onto your resume! 

1. 🔵 Build your own SOC Home Lab: 

Here’s my beginner-friendly walkthrough that you can build from scratch for free: https://lnkd.in/erGEvQwf 

By the end of this project, you’ll have created your own home lab using open-source tools, perfect to add to anyone’s resume who wants to be an SOC Analyst. 

2. 🎣 Build your own Secure Web App: 

You can build out your own web app then secure it yourself: https://lnkd.in/eczAwgre 

This is a great hands-on project to add to your resume especially if you’re looking for a web security-focused project!

3. 🐞 Run your first Vulnerability Scan:

You can use Burp Suite to scan for vulnerabilities on any web app: https://lnkd.in/eBb6t7cX  

This project is perfect for anyone looking to go into vulnerability management or anyone interested in pentesting. 

And as an addition, I always recommend those breaking into cybersecurity to consider starting out in IT first since there are more entry-level IT jobs than entry-level cybersecurity jobs. 

This is the best technical IT course I recommend to get you HIRED: https://lnkd.in/dwrpqYsR

I hope these projects can be a good learning experience for you, let me know your thoughts in the comments below 👇

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💡 You can also get my FREE Cybersecurity Beginner Roadmap Guide for anyone who’s looking for where to get started in their cybersecurity career: https://lnkd.in/eY79cbZ3 

#cybersecurity #cybersecurityjobs #cybersecurityprojects

Sandra L.

👩🏻‍💻 I create educational content for those looking to start their careers in cybersecurity. 

You can find all my resources through the link on my profile along with my FREE cybersecurity beginner roadmap 🎉

I also advocate for women in STEM and encourage underrepresented groups to get into tech. Thanks for connecting! 

For business inquiries: hello@withsandra.dev

Cybersecurity Practitioner & Educator 👩🏻‍💻 (500k Subs • 50m+ Views 🌟)

Here are 4 cybersecurity job simulations you can get on your resume (for free!) 👩🏻‍💻

Trying to get cybersecurity experience but don’t have technical experience? I got you! 

There’s a free platform called Forage that hosts cybersecurity simulations from companies like Mastercard, Datacom, and many more! 

Here are the ones I recommend doing and getting on your resume: 

💻 Training #1: Datacom Cyberattack Investigation & Risk Assessment 
Investigate a cyberattack and conduct a comprehensive risk assessment with Datacom: https://lnkd.in/dsfz9aTd 

💼 Training #2: Mastercard Cybersecurity Awareness Team 
Identify and prevent security risks with our Security Awareness Team: https://lnkd.in/dD-cWPY7 

🌐 Training #3: Tata IAM Developer Simulation Training 
Assist the cybersecurity consulting team and become an IAM expert by enhancing TechCorp's digital defences: https://lnkd.in/dZjndnAA 

🤖 Training #4: AIG Responding to Ransomware Attack Simulation 
Analyze security alerts and respond to a ransomware attack using Python and stakeholder management skills: https://lnkd.in/dVDnKKYd 

Hope this can be helpful for anyone currently learning and trying to break into cybersecurity! 

Any other resources you’d like to share or add to this list? Feel free to share them with the rest of the community in the comments below! 

💡 You can also get my FREE Cybersecurity Beginner Roadmap Guide for anyone who’s looking for where to get started in their cybersecurity career: https://lnkd.in/e2NaVZZj 

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#Cybersecurity #cybersecurityjobs #freetraining

Here are the top 4 FREE cybersecurity courses for beginners 👩🏻‍💻

Trying to break into cybersecurity but not sure where to start? I got you! 

Whether you’re just starting or looking to level up, these hands-on courses will give you practical skills, boost your resume, and help you stand out in the job market: 

1. 🌐For SOC Analysts: LetsDefend SOC Fundamentals Course
https://lnkd.in/gyYWz22f 

2. 🐞For Ethical Hackers: Range Force Cyber Range Training
https://lnkd.in/evvJ35RM 

3. 📝For GRC Analysts: NIST SP-800 Official Training
https://lnkd.in/dDqkKtZ5 

4. 💻For Cybersecurity Analysts: TryHackMe Beginner Cyber Roadmap
https://lnkd.in/dUf3G_2b 

And as an addition, I always recommend those breaking into cybersecurity to consider starting out in IT first since there are more entry-level IT jobs than entry-level cybersecurity jobs. 

This is the best technical IT course I recommend to get you HIRED: https://lnkd.in/dwrpqYsR

There’s a LOT of cybersecurity training courses out there, so hopefully this list gives you a place to start learning 🎉

Feel free to share any other training with the community below in the comments, I hope these can be helpful! 

💡 You can also get my FREE Cybersecurity Beginner Roadmap Guide for anyone who’s looking for where to get started in their cybersecurity career: https://lnkd.in/e2NaVZZj 

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#cybersecurity #cybersecuritytraining #cybersecurityjobs

Mauricio Orozco

As we wrap up the year, I just want to say how grateful I am for this incredible community and the partnerships that helped make 2025 such a milestone year 👩🏻‍💻 

Because of this platform, I’ve been able to grow my career, interview industry leaders, and build relationships with organizations across the industry. It’s been a game changer. 

A huge thank you to my partners, Palo Alto Networks, Atlassian, Keeper Security, Inc., and Fing, just to name a few, for helping bring valuable cybersecurity conversations to the forefront. 

Your support has made a real impact on the people who follow and learn from this community.

And to my community here on LinkedIn, I hope to continue sharing cybersecurity industry updates and resources that will be useful and relevant to you. 

If you’ve been hesitating to post, take this as your sign: start. 

You never know who’s watching, what door it might open, or how one post could change everything for you too.

As I plan ahead, I’m already beginning to consider select partners for 2026. If you’re interested in collaborating or want to explore partnership opportunities, feel free to reach out.

📩 Email is in the comments.

Here’s to even bigger things next year. Thank you all for being part of this journey. 🚀🔐

#thankful #cybersecurity #infosec

DoorDash just got hacked. Here’s what you need to know 👩🏻‍💻

🚨 DoorDash confirmed a data breach after an employee was hit with a social engineering attack, exposing names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers of customers, Dashers, and merchants.

The message is loud and clear:
Your people are still your biggest attack surface.

Even at massive scale, even with strong tooling, human-targeted attacks continue to slip through. Social engineering isn’t just “phishing awareness” anymore, it’s psychological manipulation at enterprise speed.

So what do we do? Turn it into an advantage.

🔹 Double down on human-layer security: continuous training, realistic phishing simulations, and clear escalation paths.
 🔹 If you're supporting affected users, remind them that follow-on phishing and smishing attempts are almost guaranteed.
 🔹 For defenders: use this moment to revisit access controls, privilege boundaries, and onboarding/offboarding hygiene.

Breaches like this aren’t going away, but how we prepare and respond is what sets mature security programs apart. Stay vigilant. 🛡️

Do you use DoorDash? What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments below!

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This is a part of my ongoing Cyber News Bytes Series, where I share relevant news and analysis with cyber professionals. 

💡 Check out my newsletter for more of the latest cybersecurity news delivered straight to your inbox every week! https://lnkd.in/e2NaVZZj  

#cybersecurity #securitybreach #cybersecuritynews

Here are 3 beginner cybersecurity courses to get you HIRED 👩🏻‍💻

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing fields in the world, with 700,000+ open roles in the U.S. and millions more globally.

One of the biggest questions I get from people breaking into cybersecurity is:
"How do I get real technical experience without a job?"

I got you! Whether you’re just starting or looking to level up, these hands-on courses will give you practical skills, boost your resume, and help you stand out in the job market:

💻 Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate: 
Learn SOC fundamentals, Linux, Python, and hands-on tools like Chronicle and Splunk.
https://lnkd.in/eV4QGg6c 

🔐 Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate: 
Build job-ready skills using Microsoft Defender, Azure, and incident response frameworks.
https://lnkd.in/eAYnhtFy 

🌐 IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate: 
Gain experience with IBM QRadar, threat detection workflows, and real-world case studies.
https://lnkd.in/ejnbE7fs 

As data breaches, AI-driven attacks, and ransomware continue to rise, companies urgently need skilled professionals to protect their systems.

Whether you are switching careers, upskilling from IT, or entering tech for the first time, cybersecurity offers one of the smartest paths to a high-paying career.

Launch your cybersecurity career. Start learning on Coursera today with my special promo of 40% off for 3 months of Coursera Plus - https://lnkd.in/eTXQJShS

Which course are you most interested in taking? Let me know in the comments below! 

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#CourseraPartner #Cybersecurity #Training

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 🦃🍁

I just wanted to take a moment to say how grateful I am for this community. 

Whether you engage with my posts, share your expertise, or quietly soak up knowledge, you’re the reason I love showing up here.

Thank you for the support, the conversations, and the energy you bring to this space. I truly appreciate each of you.

As we head into the holiday season, I hope you take a moment to rest, recharge, and reflect on how far you’ve come. 

And if you’re on a journey to grow, whether in your career or your personal goals, keep learning, keep pushing, and keep believing in what you’re building. 

Small steps now lead to big wins later.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful, restful, and inspiring Thanksgiving. 🤎

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💡 As always, you can check out my newsletter for more of the latest cybersecurity news delivered straight to your inbox every week! https://lnkd.in/e2NaVZZj  

#cybersecurity #thankful #thanksgiving

Humans really sat down one day and said: “Let’s invent malware” 😅

And here we are.. still fighting the monsters we created.

Here are the 4 most effective ways to keep your devices secure:

🛡️ Keep your devices updated
Most malware exploits old, unpatched vulnerabilities. Updates may be annoying, but so is ransomware.

🔗 Stop clicking mystery links
If the link looks suspicious, feels suspicious, or your gut says “nah, trust it. Curiosity is how malware wins.

🌐 Use reputable antivirus/EDR tools
Good security tools catch malicious behavior early, before it becomes a “why is my screen locked?” moment.

🔐 Turn on MFA everywhere
Even if malware steals your password, MFA can block the attack from going any further.

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Check out my newsletter for more of the latest cybersecurity news delivered straight to your inbox every week! https://lnkd.in/e2NaVZZj  

#cybersecurity #techmemes #securityawareness

Oracle has a new actively exploited Zero-Day Vulnerability. Here’s what you need to know 👩🏻‍💻👀

CISA just added a critical Oracle Identity Manager vulnerability (CVE-2025-61757) to its actively exploited list.

Attackers can bypass authentication and potentially run code remotely just by tweaking a URL.

Yes the system you trust to manage identities can be tricked into letting outsiders in.

Researchers have already seen this exploited in the wild. Agencies now have a hard deadline to patch before December 12, 2025. That’s not theoretical. That’s happening now. 💻

Why it matters 🔍⚠️

This isn’t a one off flaw. Even enterprise-grade systems can have overlooked gaps. Attackers are precise, patient, and persistent they’ll probe assumptions faster than you patch them.

This is where defenders need to pay attention: identity systems are a high value target.

How you can use this 🧠🛡️

When you’re practicing, auditing, or managing security, remember: attackers look for the gaps no one expects.

Next time you’re testing or patching, ask yourself:
 👉 If I were an attacker, how would I bypass authentication?
 👉 If I were defending, how would I detect and stop it?
Thinking like both attacker and defender trains your mind and separates beginners from true professionals.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments below!

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This is part of my ongoing Cyber News Bytes Series, where I break down relevant stories for cyber professionals.

💡 Check out my newsletter for more of the latest cybersecurity news delivered straight to your inbox every week! https://lnkd.in/e2NaVZZj   

#cybersecurity #IAM #securitybreach #CVE #vulnerability

AI Bugs Are Putting Major Tech at Risk 👩🏻‍💻👀

What if the AI tools everyone relies on could be hacked.. right now?

Meta, Nvidia, and Microsoft just had critical AI vulnerabilities exposed, and it’s a wake up call for anyone in cybersecurity.

Researchers discovered serious bugs in AI inference engines that could allow attackers to run code remotely. 

Unsafe reuse of Python’s pickle deserialization over networks is the culprit a tiny mistake with huge consequences.

Why it matters 🔍⚠️

AI is everywhere powering chatbots, developer tools, and enterprise systems. A single vulnerability can allow attackers to steal models, inject malware, or gain persistent access. 

Even the biggest tech companies aren’t immune, proving that no system is completely safe. For anyone in cybersecurity, this highlights just how critical AI vulnerabilities are.

How you can turn it into an advantage 🧠🛡️

Keeping frameworks and libraries up to date, auditing code carefully when reusing modules, and studying unsafe deserialization patterns are all ways to turn these incidents into learning opportunities. 

By examining what went wrong, you can build skills that will make you a stronger defender and a more thoughtful practitioner.

What are your thoughts on AI Security right now, are we doing enough? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

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This is a part of my ongoing Cyber News Bytes Series, where I share relevant news and analysis with cyber professionals. 

💡 Check out my newsletter for more of the latest cybersecurity news delivered straight to your inbox every week! https://lnkd.in/e2NaVZZj

Can we defend against a global-scale cyber attack? 👩🏻‍💻👀

If we’re being honest, not with the strategies most organizations rely on today.

A true global-scale cyber event wouldn’t look like a single breach or a lone ransomware strain. 

It would be distributed, coordinated, fast-moving, and targeting our most interdependent systems, cloud platforms, identity providers, supply chains, OT infrastructure, and the vendors we can’t operate without.

And here’s the truth most people don’t want to say out loud:

Our digital world isn’t built for linear threats anymore. Attackers automate. They scale. They collaborate. 

Our defenses? Still largely reactive and siloed.

But can we defend against something that widespread?

Yes, if we evolve before the attackers do.

🔹 Shift from prevention to resilience.
 Assume compromise. Build systems that can absorb impact and recover quickly.

🔹 Adopt AI-driven detection and response.
 Human-only SOCs can’t keep up with machine-speed attacks. Autonomous security isn’t a luxury anymore.

🔹 Secure the identity layer.
 Because it’s the first domino in every major breach.

🔹 Make supply-chain security a board-level priority.
 Your vendors are your attack surface.

🔹 Prioritize global collaboration over competition.
 Threat intel sharing isn’t optional in a hyper-connected world.

The question isn’t “Can we stop everything?”
It’s “Can we build systems that survive anything?”

Cybersecurity is no longer about avoiding attacks, it’s about ensuring the world keeps running when they happen.

What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments below!

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This is a part of my ongoing Cyber News Bytes Series, where I share relevant news and analysis with cyber professionals. 

💡 Check out my newsletter for more of the latest cybersecurity news delivered straight to your inbox every week! https://lnkd.in/e2NaVZZj  

#cybersecurity #securitybreach #cybersecuritynews

Sprinto AI just changed the future of GRC 👩🏻‍💻🚀 

Anyone who’s worked with GRC teams knows this: the work is less about the big decisions and more about the daily grind that never stops.

It’s always been about the extensive manual work, too many moving parts, too many things slipping through the cracks simply because teams are stretched thin.

Sprinto AI isn’t about replacing that human effort. It’s about clearing the fog around it.

What it actually does is help GRC teams operate with the kind of flow they’ve always needed:

• Controls that stay aligned with how the business evolves
• Risks that show up early instead of during a tense audit call
• Less manual chasing and more space for real judgment
• Multi-framework work that doesn’t feel like juggling knives

It’s the first time GRC feels like it can move at the same pace as the business instead of lagging behind.

If you want to understand what they’re building, here’s more about the launch: https://lnkd.in/ekeZpn_u

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#SprintoPartner #GRC #Cybersecurity #Compliance

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