Cybersecurity student focused on security operations and detection engineering.

Trent Barber

Rising senior in Cyber Security at the University of South Florida, working toward a career in SOC analysis and detection engineering. Active in USF's WhiteHatters Computer Security Club, and building hands-on experience with Microsoft Sentinel, KQL, and offensive security tooling outside the classroom.

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Write-Ups

A selection of security work — home-lab detection engineering and CTF exploitation, documented end to end.

Home Lab: Sentinel & KQL Detection Engineering
Built a Microsoft Sentinel SIEM from scratch, simulated an attack with Atomic Red Team, and wrote the KQL rule that caught it.
Relevant
A Windows Server box exploited through a mismapped SMB share and escalated to SYSTEM via PrintSpoofer.
Pickle Rick
Command-panel filter bypass and a misconfigured sudo rule, chained to root on a Linux target.
View all write-ups

Technical Background

Tools and platforms I've worked with directly, through coursework, CTFs, and self-directed lab work.

Detection & SIEM
Microsoft Sentinel, Defender XDR — home-lab log ingestion, analytics rules, and incident triage.
Query & Scripting
KQL for detection logic; Python and PowerShell for small automation and log-parsing tools.
Offensive Security
Kali Linux, Metasploit, Nmap, Hydra, SQLMap, Hashcat, FFUF — applied through TryHackMe and HackTheBox.
Forensics & Analysis
Autopsy, Volatility3, Network Miner, and Eric Zimmerman's tools (KAPE, FTK Imager, Registry Explorer).
Reverse Engineering
Ghidra — binary analysis for CTF challenges, including credential extraction from compiled binaries.

Certification Path

Rapid7 InsightAppSec Certified Specialist

Held — June 2025

Application security scanning specialist certification.

CompTIA Security+

In progress

Following a structured study plan alongside coursework and a part-time work schedule.

BTL1 or eJPT

Planned next

Hands-on practitioner certification, chosen based on fit with the target role.

B.S. Cyber Security — University of South Florida

Expected May 2027

Coursework spanning security operations, networks, and applied labs.