Why I Chose This Path

👋 Hello and welcome! My name is Kodali Sai Kishore, and I’m a government employee with a mechanical engineering background. Today, I want to share why I decided to learn cybersecurity, what my first steps looked like, and what I hope to achieve through this journey.

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🧠 Why Cybersecurity?

In the digital world we live in, everything is connected — from phones and apps to government systems. And every day, we hear about data breaches, fraud, and hacking. That made me curious...

How do hackers work? How can we protect systems from being attacked? Can someone like me — not from an IT background — learn cybersecurity and build a career or freelance income?

The answer I found was: Yes. Absolutely.
Cybersecurity is not just for coders — it’s for anyone who’s curious, logical, and ready to learn.

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🔍 Where I Started

Even though I don’t have a computer science degree, I decided to start from scratch. Here's how my journey began:

✅ Step 1: Self-Awareness

I asked myself:

• What skills do I already have? (Problem-solving, documentation, patience)

• What skills do I need? (Linux, Networking, Web Security, Tools)

✅ Step 2: Course Enrollment

I joined a 100+ hour AI-Powered Cybersecurity Course by Frontlines Edutech. The syllabus covered:

• Linux basics & networking

• Python & Bash scripting

• SOC, SIEM, and log analysis

• Web application security & OWASP Top 10

• Projects: HackTheBox, bug bounty labs, and more

✅ Step 3: Mindset Shift

I stopped thinking, “I’m not from IT” and started saying, “I’m a cybersecurity learner now.”

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🔧 My Short-Term Goals

• Build hands-on labs using Kali Linux and TryHackMe

• Complete 3 real-world cybersecurity projects

• Start blogging and documenting what I learn (this blog is my first!)

• Share progress weekly on LinkedIn

• Try beginner bug bounty programs and solve easy HTB machines

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🧭 My Long-Term Vision

I want to:

• Get part-time freelance cybersecurity projects

• Contribute to open source or small companies with pentesting help

• Eventually, become a freelance bug bounty hunter or SOC Analyst

• Help others (especially non-IT folks) realize that cybersecurity is learnable

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💬 Final Thoughts

If you’re reading this and thinking about starting your journey — don’t overthink it. Start with the basics. Be consistent. Practice a little every day. And surround yourself with a community that encourages learning.

This is just my first blog post — but many more are coming, as I continue to learn and grow.

Let’s hack… ethically! 🛡️
Thanks for reading 🙏

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📢 Follow my journey
💻 Hashnode: kishoreinfosec.hashnode.dev
🔗 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kodali-sai-kishore-64a9b825a
✍️ Want to collab or learn together? Drop a comment!