Senior Thesis

It’s like I blinked and now college is more than halfway over. Senior year is approaching, and I wanted to take some time to be intentional about what I was looking to get out of it.

The answer is simple: I want to self actualize. That calls for me to devote myself to the level of consistency I know I can reach in my personal pursuits – cybersecurity is a big part of that.

Here is a system I set up to cultivate that for myself.

Cybersecurity Perspectives Series

We will call this a self-curated academic rotational program for all intense and purpose. It will consist of six independent research papers for academic credit.

  1. Internet Interconnectedness & Security Foundations
  2. Financial Sector Ransomware Attack Vectors & Response
  3. Implementing Security by Design in Modern Systems
  4. Compliance Requirements & Implementation
  5. AI-Driven Security Automation: Benefits & Risks
  6. Addressing the Cybersecurity Skills Gap & Future Challenges

Senior Thesis

Just got approval! Will be analyzing how Zeus malware impacts system performance. Setting up sandbox to measure before/after infection:

  • CPU spikes and usage patterns
  • RAM consumption shifts
  • Network traffic weirdness

Running statistical analysis to see what changes are actually significant. Testing if these performance changes could reliably flag an infection. Focusing on Zeus because it targets financial data/credentials.

Data Science Capstone

Second semester, I will deliver a data science capstone where my team will collaborate with industry sponsors to solve real-world problems through comprehensive data analysis and deliver actionable insights through professional reports.

I want to really push myself to deliver the best work I can. Having these three projects be reflective of what I learned during my time at Claremont McKenna will prove to me that I am ready for the next step in my journey. Cybersecurity wasn’t even an option before – but I love what i have been able to contribute to, make, and learn in such a short time.

Specific Areas

01

Zeus Malware Analysis

This comprehensive research initiative examines the Zeus malware family, one of the most notorious banking trojans in cybersecurity history. It is my first real way to blend theoretical, academic research, and actual hands-on research to figure something out. Honestly, I wanted to align cybersecurity to my data science major in a real way and share findings.

02

Internet Interconnectedness & Security Foundations

This paper will explore the fundamental architecture of computer networks and how their original design considerations impact modern security challenges.

03

Financial Sector Ransomware Attack Vectors & Response

This paper will examine the specific nature of ransomware threats targeting financial institutions and develop a comprehensive response framework.

04

AI-Driven Security Automation: Benefits & Risks

This paper will examine the implementation of AI technologies in security operations

05

Compliance Requirements & Implementation

This paper will explore the intersection of regulatory compliance and effective security practices in the financial sector.

06

Addressing the Cybersecurity Skills Gap & Future Challenges

This capstone paper will address the human element of cybersecurity and explore emerging challenges.

Tools!

Still doing a lot of research to figure out what my options are for sandboxes. There is a recommended tool Cuckoo Sandbox, but it is automated. I want to do this a lot more manually so I can learn. Getting two VMs and segmenting the network properly will likely be my best option. If any of you have recommendations feel free to comment them!

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Senior thesis blog postS

Coming Soon

Stay tuned, blog posts and research will be launching soon 🙂