I'm Andrei Cocan — a detail-driven cybersecurity enthusiast with hands-on experience in threat analysis, network defense, cloud infrastructure, and endpoint protection. I enjoy solving complex problems and ensuring systems operate securely under evolving threats. Curious by nature and methodical by design, I thrive in technical environments where adaptability and critical thinking matter.
Technical Skills
Active Directory
AWS
Azure
Bash
CIS Controls
DHCP
DNS
Event Viewer
GDPR
HIPAA
Hyper-V
Jira
LAN/WAN
Linux
MacOS
MITRE ATT&CK
MySQL
Nessus
NIST 800-53 R5
NIST CSF
NIST Privacy Framework
Nmap
OpenSSL
OWASP
PCI DSS
PowerShell
Python
SDLC
ServiceNow
TCP/IP
VirusTotal
VMware
VPN
Wazuh
Windows
Wireshark
Experience
Technical Specialist
2017 – Present
Volunteer
- Troubleshot hardware, software, and network issues across campus systems.
- Implemented improvements to system reliability, security, and performance.
- Maintained printers, workstations, livestream tech, wireless and wired networks.
CNC & Laser Systems Technician
2018 – 2021
- Operated and maintained precision CNC equipment and laser systems with a focus on efficiency and accuracy.
- Diagnosed issues with software and hardware configurations on precision machines.
- Executed QA checks ensuring compliance with technical specs and client specifications.
Education
Certifications
Relevant Coursework Experience
Security Operations & Threat Analysis
- Conducted vulnerability assessments using Nessus, identifying critical flaws in Windows/Linux systems and recommending remediation strategies.
- Performed penetration testing with Metasploit and Burp Suite, simulating real-world attacks to evaluate network resilience and patch management effectiveness.
- Analyzed SIEM logs (Splunk) to detect anomalous activity, correlating events to identify potential breaches in a lab environment.
Incident Response
- Developed an incident response plan for a ransomware scenario, including containment, eradication, and recovery procedures aligned with NIST SP 800-61.
Security Policy & Compliance
- Authored a comprehensive security policy for a mock healthcare provider, ensuring HIPAA compliance through encryption, access controls (RBAC), and audit logging.
- Mapped organizational controls to NIST CSF and ISO 27001 frameworks, conducting gap analyses to prioritize risk mitigation efforts.
Network & System Hardening
- Configured firewall rules (pfSense) to segment networks, block malicious IPs, and enforce zero-trust principles.
- Hardened Windows Server & Ubuntu systems by disabling unnecessary services, enforcing GPOs, and implementing FIPS 140-2 encryption standards.
Collaborative & Ethical Hacking Projects
- Led a red team/blue team exercise, exploiting misconfigurations (e.g., default credentials, open SMB shares) while teammates practiced defensive tactics (log analysis, patch deployment).
- Participated in capture-the-flag (CTF) competitions, solving challenges in cryptography (John the Ripper) and web app security (OWASP ZAP).