Ingalls Spring 2023 Intern Review: Gregory Bailey

In this Intern Review, we hear from Gregory Bailey about what it's like working at Ingalls and what's next in his cybersecurity career journey.

Our Spring 2023 intern cohort has four cyber-hungry interns who’ve joined us from LSUA to learn what it’s like working in a Security Operations Center (SOC). Now that they’ve had a moment to breathe, we thought it was time to conduct an interview to learn about them and their experience inside the SOC at Ingalls! Read on to hear from our amazing intern Gregory Bailey.

What have you learned about working within a SOC during this internship?

I’ve learned quite a bit and have just begun to discover the tip of the iceberg. Working within a SOC was certainly not how I imagined it as there is a whole lot more going on behind the scenes. The most valuable lesson learned has been the importance of communication and working together as a team.

What has been the most interesting technique you've seen a threat actor attempt?

The most intriguing thing to me has been how threat actors attempt to exploit different bugs within software or apps. What brought my attention to this subject was the exploit used with Outlook (CVE-2023-23397). It was fascinating to learn that the threat actors exploited the access of a sound file within Outlook in order to attempt a remote login to compromise sensitive information or install malware.

How has this internship influenced your outlook and career path in cybersecurity?

Being able to be part of this internship has allowed me to have a better understanding of what cybersecurity is and the requirements it takes to be able to work within the field. It has helped me better understand what learning paths to take and the skills I need to develop in order to be effective and efficient within cybersecurity.

What are your favorite resources for what's happening in cybersecurity?

My favorite resources are DarkReading, BleepingComputer, and PurpleSec to keep up with the latest. My list of Podcasts and other resources are continually growing, but I enjoy exploring any knowledge or news source that will lend useful information throughout this journey.

What are your upcoming activities/educational goals for the next year?

The next year will be filled with enhancing my understanding of the various processes threat actors utilize when launching attacks and how those processes work when executed. I plan to get more hands-on experience with LetsDefend and Hack the Box and continue to pursue my bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time to reach a work-school-life balance?

I really enjoy being outdoors or creating something. My wife and I have come to really enjoy bird watching and are quite fascinated by them. My absolute favorite thing to do is woodworking. Creating things by hand, regardless of any flaws it may have, gives me a sense of pride and appreciation for handcrafted projects.

Are you interested in becoming one of our awesome interns? Check out our SOC Intern Yearbook and reach out to our team directly for more details.