Ingalls Spring 2024 Intern Review: Jansen Mitchell

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

Our Spring 2024 Internship cohort has four determined interns who’ve joined us from LSU 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 intern, Jansen.

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

Working in a SOC is an immensely collaborative experience. A great team is absolutely essential to ensuring that clients get the attention that they need. It also makes the workplace inviting and fun to be a part of! There is always something to do that contributes to the team as a whole, making my learning all the more valuable as the more knowledgeable I become, the more impactful my contributions can be.

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

While I’ve only learned about port scanning during my studies, it never occurred to me how pervasive it is as an act. It is an early step in reconnaissance and when on the outside looking in, attacks seem like they are more targeted. It turns out that like a door, if you have a web-facing host, no matter what size the business, someone is always checking to see if you’ve left the door open.

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

The internship has only confirmed that cybersecurity is the right path for me. I enjoy both the intellectual and moral development it provides in exploring IT with a security mindset and helping others stay safe from the constant barrage of threats. Over time I hope to develop an increasingly proactive place in the field that can secure workers at all levels.

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

I enjoy listening to Jack Rhysider’s Darknet Diaries podcast. It’s an excellent resource for understanding the greater threat landscape and is filled with plenty of intrigue that anyone outside of the industry can enjoy. I also enjoy using RSS feeds to keep up with blogs such as Krebs on Security and CISA announcements. My favorite email newsletter is TLDR Information Security, which offers an excellent roundup to catch up with news I might have missed.

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

Having just obtained my Sec+, I’m currently studying for my Network+ plus exam, which I hope will be a stepping stone to the CCNA and advanced cybersecurity certificates like the CySA+. I’m also stepping up my investment in backend development with languages such as Python and Go, with the hope of exploring security engineering and application security pathways in the future.

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

The most important thing I do is sleep. If I can’t manage to get anything else done, I’ll at least fight for my seven hours. In addition to that, I do a small yoga and meditation routine every morning to gather my strength and focus for the day. I always make sure to take regular breaks after long sessions of work to keep myself going and to break whatever tunnel vision may be forming.

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.