An Incredible 8-Month Journey with TryHackMe – Transformative Learning Experience!

August 16th, 2024

Over the last 8 months, I have thoroughly enjoyed using TryHackMe as my go-to platform for learning pentesting, hacking, and cybersecurity. The experience has been nothing short of trans formative, providing me with hands-on, practical skills that go far beyond theoretical knowledge.

TryHackMe offers an engaging and immersive learning environment, with a vast range of labs, challenges, and guided paths that cater to learners at all levels. Whether you’re just starting out or already have some experience, the platform provides a structured yet flexible approach that allows you to learn at your own pace.

One of the aspects I’ve appreciated the most is the way TryHackMe breaks down complex topics into manageable, easy-to-understand segments. The interactive labs have given me the confidence to apply what I’ve learned in real-world scenarios, which is invaluable for anyone serious about a career in cybersecurity.

The community and support on TryHackMe are also fantastic. With active discussions, helpful hints, and a supportive network of learners, I never felt stuck or overwhelmed. The team behind TryHackMe continuously updates and expands the content, ensuring that the learning experience stays fresh, relevant, and challenging.

In just 8 months, TryHackMe has significantly advanced my knowledge and skills in pentesting and cyber security. I can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone looking to dive into this field—it’s an indispensable resource that makes learning not just effective but genuinely enjoyable!

Einsteinagogo completes all current 13 TryHackMe Learning Paths Completed !

Finally after many many hours, which I started in January 2024, I have now completed all the TryHackMe Learning Paths, of which there are 13 in total to date, and I went back and completed SOC Level 1, which had been added to.

Also earned 60 badges out of a total of 74, although 74 I think is now impossible as some badges are legacy!

So here’s a timeline of how I did them

  1. Introduction fo Cyber Security – 9th April 2024
  2. Pre Security – 15th April 2024
  3. Complete Beginner – 25th April 2024
  4. Jr Penetration Tester – 15th May 2024
  5. CompTIA Pentest+ – 17th May 2024
  6. DevSecOps – 26th May 2024
  7. Cyber Defense – 17th June 2024
  8. SOC Level 1 – 23rd June 2024
  9. Offensive Pentesting – 26th June 2024
  10. Red Teaming – 30th June 2024
  11. Security Engineer – 11th July 2023 – Time to Complete 64 Hours and 30 minutes
  12. Web Fundamentals – 1st August 2024 – Time to Complete 16 hours 35 minutes
  13. SOC Level – 16th August 2024 – Time to Complete 68 hours 50 minutes

What next, A Rest! There are still some badges which elude me, and another 500+ rooms, I’ve not completed, and I’m not in the Top 500 yet!

 

I unwrapped the long-awaited Fish album “Vigil in A Wilderness of Mirrors” “2024 REMIXED” Vinyl and CD/BLU-RAY

August 16th, 2024

fish logo

Today, my joy knew no bounds as I unwrapped the long-awaited Fish album “2024 REMIXED”, a masterpiece meticulously crafted by the exceptionally gifted Calum Malcolm. This latest offering from Fish is a true gem available in both vinyl and CD/DVD formats. The exclusive release of “Vigil in A Wilderness of Mirrors” brilliantly showcases Fish’s musical genius and Calum Malcolm’s unique artistic vision. This special edition allows fans to fully immerse themselves in the captivating world of the album through a variety of mediums, offering a diverse and enriching listening experience like no other. Whether you prefer the nostalgic crackle of vinyl or the pristine clarity of a CD/DVD, this album is sure to enthrall and fascinate listeners with its profound complexities. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to explore the intricate layers of sound and emotion expertly woven together by Fish and Calum Malcolm in this exceptional musical journey. Dive deep into their creativity and let yourself be transported to a realm of unparalleled musical beauty, where every note and rhythm tells a story that resonates deeply with the soul.

Available to exclusively order from https://fishmusic.scot/

einsteinagogo’s Realtime TryHackMe Badge

August 16th, 2024

einsteinagogo TryHackMe Badge

Fish – Vigil In A Wilderness of Mirrors – 2024 REMIX

August 15th, 2024

Look what dropped through the letter box today, well in fact the Postie gave it to me!

Vigil In The Wilderness of Mirrors Vinyl- Signed by Fish

Vigil In A Wilderness of Mirrors Vinyl- Signed by Fish

So I’ve been waiting for this album for a very long time, 34 years in fact !

This was the first Fish album after he went solo after leaving Marillion, I’ve been listening to and following Fish since, and not so much Marillion, in fact no “new” Marillion!

Fish has decide to retire, after his Farewell Tour “Road To The Isles Tour” starting in the Autumn 2024, and ending in the UK in Spring 2025.

TERMINATED by BROADCOM VMware IT Academy Software Licensing Programs – 15 August 2024 – ACTION REQUIRED

August 14th, 2024

SO THIS POST IS REALLY AN URGENT REMINDER YOU HAVE UNTIL THE END OF 15 AUGUST 2024, TO PURCHASE NEW SEATS, AND 31 AUGUST 2024 TO REGISTER THOSE SEATS

TERMINATION VMware-IT-Academy-Software-Licensing-Programs.

TERMINATION VMware-IT-Academy-Software-Licensing-Programs.

So I received this as an instructor late Friday 9th August 2024, at approximately 11pm – I had already heard rumours of this because NDG labs had notification earlier on the 2nd August 2024, I’m not sure why it was delayed going out to instructors, I still don’t have an email to my Administrator Account which is registered with the VMware IT Academy Software Licensing Programs, I have yet to receive a response to questions about this email, it states you can purchasxe subscriptions up until 15 August 2024, but seats and licenses must be obtained before 31 August 2024, otherwise email them for assistance!

VMware-IT-Academy-terminated-by-broadcom.

VMware-IT-Academy-terminated-by-broadcom.

Such a shame in my opinion!

Boogeyman Slayer Badge Awarded from TryHackMe SOC Level 1 Training Path Certification

August 14th, 2024

Another badge from Awarded from TryHackMe, this is a recently new badge, as TryhackMe recently updated the SOC Level 1 Training Path Certification, which I completed in June 2024, so I’m currently 50% of the way through SOC Level 2, so I went back to complete the additional rooms, and gain a group of new badges!

Boogeyman Slayer

Boogeyman Slayer

SOC Level 1 Certificazte

SOC Level 1 Certificazte

Workaround and Fix – VMware vRealize Log Insight 8.14.1.0-22806512 to 8.16.0-23264422 upgrade failure

August 14th, 2024

These are my memory dump notes from working with a Failed upgrade, and Snapshot revert failed!

I’ve been meaning to upgrade my VMware vRealize Log Insight 8.14.1.0-22806512 appliance in the #homelab for a while, so I was surprised at first when trying to simply upgrade the PAK file it failed with not enough storage in /tmp, so I tried both these updates

  • VMware-vRealize-Log-Insight-8.16.0-23264422.pak
  • VMware-vRealize-Log-Insight-8.16.0-23364779.pak

but failed, so after SSHing into the appliance and checking all the storage, and removing older log files, I noticed that /tmp is defined as a “ram drive”.

So I increased the memory in the Appliance by 2GB, shutdown, changed the memory, and powered on. SSHed back to the appliance

SSH loginisght storage space

SSH log insight storage space

Using the command 

mount -o remount,size=5G /tmp/

Increased the size to 5GB, so at least the upgrade could complete correctly, I also used 

tail -f /storage/var/loginsight/upgrade.log to check the upgrade status, but trying to apply the Scheme upgrade to Cassandra it failed, this is a stock VMware vRealize Log Insight 8.14.1.0-22806512, so not sure why it failed, and there is not much info on the Broadcom site about VMware vRealize Log Insight.

The GUI stated the Upgrade had failed, and although it stated reverting to 8.14.1.0-22806512 it failed.

So I reverted to the snapshot, I had taken before applying the upgrade, but to my surprise, reverting to a snapshot ended up with a completely non-working appliance, the GUI stopped responding. So reaching out for the backups to restore the appliance, quickly found this VM was missing from the jobs!

Duh! Oh shite, got to fix the appliance now, and this is how I fixed it.

1.SSH to appliance

2. service loginsight stop (be prepared to wait a long time!)

3. /usr/lib/loginsight/application/sbin/li-cassandra.sh –startnow –force

it will respond with

Running Operations for Logs stop……..done
Starting Cassandra…..done

WARNING: Be sure to stop Cassandra before attempting to start Operations for Logs!
In worst case, restart the virtual appliance.

4. nodetool-no-pass flush

5. nodetool-no-pass repair –full

6. /usr/lib/loginsight/application/sbin/li-cassandra.sh –stopnow –force

7. service loginsight start

At this point I still did not have a working VMware vRealize Log Insight 8.14.1.0-22806512.

So I then applied the PAK manually.

8. /usr/lib/loginsight/application/sbin/loginsight-pak-upgrade.py /tmp/VMware-vRealize-Log-Insight-8.16.0-23364779.pak (this was already uploaded via WinSCP to /tmp)

and wait…Log Insight Upgrade

There’s alot of changes in the appliance from 8.14 to 8.16 as you can see above!

and now

Log Insight 8.16

Log Insight 8.16

 

 

 

 

 

Log Insight 8.16

Log Insight 8.16

So I hope my notes helps you upgrade your Appliance if you get stuck!

Oh, and I’ve added the VM to a backup job just in case for future, so snapshots don’t always save you!

 

 

28 More badges earned from @RealTryHackMe in 4 months!

August 13th, 2024

My TryHackMe Profile

So in the last four months since, my last posts, I’ve earned another 28 badges and there they are! When I started this THM journey in December 2023, I was Ranked 55,648 out of approximately 3 million THM Hackers!

Latest badge shows I’m now Ranked 1750 and in the Top 1% ! It would be nice to get into the Top 500 !

DON’T MISS OUT! REGISTER NOW FOR VMWARE EXPLORE 2024 BARCELONA – EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE UNTIL JULY 29TH

July 14th, 2024

Register NOW Here

VMware Explore 2024: Empowering Your Digital Transformation Journey

 

Join us at VMware Explore 2024 in Barcelona, the premier event for digital transformation and cloud computing! This year’s event promises to be an exciting and informative experience, with a lineup of industry-leading speakers, innovative solutions, and valuable networking opportunities.

 

As a valued member of the VMware community, we invite you to register now and take advantage of our early-bird pricing until July 29. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with thought leaders, learn about the latest trends and technologies, and explore how VMware by Broadcom can help empower your digital transformation journey.

 

At VMware Explore 2024, you’ll have access to a wide range of sessions, workshops, and demos that will help you stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving world of cloud computing and digital transformation. From AI and machine learning to multi-cloud strategies and security, our agenda is packed with relevant and timely content that will help you achieve your business goals.

 

In addition to the keynote address, we have a fantastic lineup of sessions and workshops that will help you gain valuable insights and practical advice on how to navigate your digital transformation journey. Our sessions will cover topics such as:

 

* AI and machine learning: How can you leverage these technologies to drive business outcomes and improve customer experience?

* Multi-cloud strategies: How can you create a cloud strategy that meets your unique needs and ensures security, flexibility, and scalability?

* Security: How can you protect your organization from cyber threats and ensure the integrity of your data?

* DevOps and containers: How can you streamline your development processes and improve collaboration across teams?

 

Top Reasons to Attend

Uncomplicate your cloud

Leverage a partner ecosystem that can help you accelerate innovation across your cloud portfolio.

 

Learn directly from the source

Get face time with top experts for solution insights and guidance.

 

Accelerate your next move

Attend technical and career advancement sessions to add momentum to your professional path.

 

Meet friends and influence people

Gather together with those you know, team members you’ve missed, and industry peers you’ve yet to meet.

 

But VMware Explore 2024 is not just about learning – it’s also an opportunity to connect with other industry professionals, thought leaders, and VMware experts. Our expo hall will feature the latest solutions and technologies from our partners and sponsors, giving you a chance to explore and compare different options.

 

At VMware Explore 2024, we’re committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all attendees. That’s why we’ve implemented a number of initiatives to ensure that everyone feels valued and included. From our diverse lineup of speakers to our gender-neutral restrooms, we’re working hard to create a space where everyone can thrive.

 

So what are you waiting for? Register now for VMware Explore 2024 and take advantage of our early-bird pricing until July 29. We look forward to seeing you in Barcelona! ?????

17 More badges earned from @RealTryHackMe in 3 months!

April 23rd, 2024

So I’m trying to build up a 180 day hacking streak at TryHackMe, so in the last 3 months, I’ve earned a total of 17 New Badges! and here they all are!