This Personal Security Plan (PSP) outlines my approach to operational security as a cybersecurity student and aspiring Blue Team professional. It documents the tools, practices, and defensive strategies I personally use to protect my digital footprint, from system hardening and MFA to secure development, logging, and threat modeling.
Unlike theoretical coursework, this PSP reflects my real-world mindset: I don’t just study cybersecurity, I live it. Maintaining this plan helps me apply Blue Team principles to my own environment, improve my personal risk posture, and continuously adapt to evolving threats.
I created this PSP to demonstrate my commitment to good security hygiene, showcase my defensive thinking, and serve as a baseline for future personal and professional security improvements.
- All personal devices (phone, laptop, VM host) are protected by:
- Strong alphanumeric passwords + biometrics
- Full disk encryption (BitLocker on Windows, FileVault on macOS)
- Auto-lock timers enabled (2–5 mins idle)
- Mobile device runs:
- App permission management
- Encrypted messaging (Signal for sensitive comms)
- Home Wi-Fi secured with WPA2/WPA3 and MAC filtering
- Guest network is isolated from internal LAN
- DNS filtering via NextDNS and Pi-hole (when applicable)
- Regular scans using:
nmapfor open portsWiresharkfor network traffic monitoring- VPN used on public Wi-Fi (Mullvad/ProtonVPN preferred)
- Critical files backed up to encrypted external drive + cloud (Proton Drive)
- All USB drives are scanned in isolated VM before use
- GitHub projects scrubbed for sensitive metadata before uploading
- Use of
.gitignoreand secrets management for all code repos
- MFA enabled on all accounts (prefer TOTP via Authy over SMS)
- Password manager (Bitwarden) used with 20+ char generated passwords
- SSH keys rotated every 6 months
- Personal threat model reviewed quarterly
- Regular checks of PII exposure on haveibeenpwned, Dehashed, and public breach sites
- No personal email/phone used on public GitHub commits or submissions
- Active monitoring of social media settings and exposure
- Alias accounts used for public testing or community platforms when needed
- SIEM: Splunk, Wazuh
- Traffic Analysis: Wireshark, Zeek
- Threat Intel: VirusTotal, AbuseIPDB, Shodan
- Automation/Scripting: Python, PowerShell
- Endpoint Security: Windows Defender + Group Policy hardening
| Category | Risk Level | Mitigation Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Public GitHub exposure | Medium | Regularly review for API keys and PII |
| Mobile app tracking | Medium | Limit app permissions; use tracker blockers |
| Social engineering | High | Ongoing awareness training + limited info sharing |
| Phishing/email compromise | High | Email filters, URL inspection, link hover habits |
| USB/Removable drives | Medium | Only used in test VMs or with AV scanning |
- Continue rotating passwords every 90 days
- Quarterly audit of GitHub and LinkedIn for exposed info
- Maintain isolated VMs for malware/scripting tests
- Expand on PSP based on threat model changes and role evolution
“People always make the best exploits.”
— Elliot Alderson, Mr. Robot