Personal Story: Analysis of a Network Security Incident and Solutions

This report details a student's experience with a network security incident. The student, having a background in network security, ethical hacking, and IT support, was called upon to investigate inappropriate messages sent to a landlady. Utilizing their knowledge of network protocols, the TOR Browser, and a custom-built application, the student tracked the source of the messages and identified the responsible individual. The report highlights the student's skills in firewall analysis, data protection, and problem-solving, while also referencing their educational background and professional experiences, including work with the Royal Bank of Scotland and experience in IT support. The student's ability to apply their theoretical knowledge to a practical situation and successfully resolve the security breach demonstrates a strong understanding of network security principles and ethical hacking practices.

Running head: PERSONAL STORY
Personal Story
Name of the Student:
Name of the University
Author Note:

1PERSONAL STORY
Being a recent graduate, one fine day I was sitting with my college friends, having an
evening gossip. My friends used to stay at a rented place. There was this landlady of the
house who suddenly came down from upstairs and complained that she had been receiving
inappropriate messages over her e-mail. We all then rushed upstairs to have a check. My
friends asked me to decode the sender’s address because I had done my graduation in
Network Security and Penetration Testing. I had learned how to hack ethically and being an
information risk analyst, I had the knowledge of protecting data from unauthorised access and
violations by implementing firewalls encryption.
Even though I had my core skills in HTML, network security and different types of
cyber security programs, decoding was not that easy. There were a large number of results of
different servers. However, I had understood from where the messages were sent and it was
the TOR Browser. Besides my studies, having a 5 years’ experience in IT support, I had
programmed an application in my free time. Using the phishing techniques and switch case
coding, I had designed a binary system that was capable of detecting different types of
browsers. Since I had an experience of one year as a Senior Administrator and CS&O
Analyst from March 2018 to March 2019, in doing an assignment with the Royal Bank of
Scotland , I knew how to deal with the telephone and email enquiries. Along with this I also
had an experience of IT Support Administrator in Coriander Restaurant, I also had the
knowledge of installing and configuring computer applications.
Thus using my gained knowledge, I tracked down the emails, through my
programmed application and finally I was able to confirm that the inappropriate messages
were being sent from the TOR Browser itself. As a last step I hacked the firewall of the
distribute server and using the same application I figured out the system which actually had

2PERSONAL STORY
the TOR Browser installed in it. It eventually turned out that it was of one of the people who
used to live in the house before my friends had moved in.
This was possible because I had the full knowledge of networking and the network
protocols. Having a diploma in Computer. I also had successfully completed the certificate
courses in CISCO CCNA which had provided me with an Introduction to the Networks. I had
knowledge of an extensive background in network routing and switching, installation and
configuration of local and wide area networks. I was also able to build, maintain, and monitor
secured network systems. However after this incident I am keener onto learning the software
and Systems Security program from the University of Oxford because this course will enable
me to address any sort of security issues which might arise through the systems and it will
also help me to learn how the security risk and project risk are treated in the social and
organisational context. The Oxford University is my preference since there is a team of
subject specialists and lecturers who would be delivering the courses professionally. Also this
programme in the Oxford will allow me to work alongside the colleagues from the public
sector industry, providing me the theoretical as well as practical experiences. I am glad that I
could help the old lady and configure out the exact sources of the inappropriate messages. My
friends had the confidence in me that I could help her, and this was extremely overwhelming.
In spite of few arguments, am glad that they still have the confidence in me and my
profession.