alexandriastech

Sep 06, 2021

I’m finally back at it using Roppers Academy and working on the Introduction to Computing Fundamentals course. I’m focusing on learning the command-line versus using the GUI (Graphical User Interface). Now, typically, most users are using the GUI. However, when you think of how many clicks you can save with the command line, it’s beneficial to learn a few commands.

In this case, I am using the OS: Kali Linux. To keep it simple, you will use the terminal (that little black box) to type in commands.

Think of how you open a file.

You would use your mouse and wander over and double-click the file.

I have created a file named test.txt. However, I don’t want to just open it using the mouse.

In the command-line, you can just type in open test.txt and the test file open.

There are many commands though that one can learn.

I would suggest searching Linux command cheatsheets, or better yet, create your own after using commands and keeping them as notes!

Date: 09/05/21

Sep 01, 2021

So, this would not be my first time using a virtual machine today, but since I am following the Roppers Academy course. It’s time for me to build my own home lab. Right now, I have chosen Kali Linux.

So, in the past, I have whipped up virtual machines (mostly Linux distros): Ubuntu, Debian, Mint, even Puppy. I’ve also had Windows. In this course, it’s recommended to use Ubuntu, but I chose Kali Linux instead. Kali Linux is a popular (if not the most) OS for penetration testing. It has many security/penetration tools already installed. It’s free and open-source.

On the left of the image, you can already see some tools are pre-installed such as Metasploit.

In order to create a virtual machine, some of the options to do this are VMware Fusion (free), Virtualbox (free), or Parallels https://www.parallels.com/ ($$). I chose to use Parallels to install (they also offer a student discount).

Aug 31, 2021

1 mins read

So today, I wanted to start off with the Roppers Academy’s Computing Fundamentals course. In this section, I wanted to gain a basic understanding of what an operating system is and how that is important to the user. More importantly, how can I go from the average user understanding “Oh yeah, I have Windows or macOS” to understanding what is happening in my operating system and why it functions the way it does.

What is an Operating System?

It is the layer between the user’s applications on the computer and that computer’s hardware. The operating system has programs and/or applications that the user interacts with. It also manages the computer’s resources (including the applications the user works with). At the heart of the operating system lies what is called a kernel.

Some examples of operating systems would include MacOs, Windows, or Linux. However, your mobile phone also has an operating system, one example being Android, the most popular operating system.

Hardware also has its own operating system called firmware.

What does an Operating System do (more in-depth) and what is it responsible for?

The OS is responsible for managing hardware and tasks such as keeping logs, allocating resources at appropriate times, file management, etc. To keep it simple, it is responsible for everything.

Using Linux commands, you can take a look at the logs your operating system keeps.

1. Type in cd /var/log. This will allow us to change directories into the var directory where logs are stored.
2. Now, type in ls. ls will list out all of the contents in your directory.

Wrap-up:

Thank you for taking the time to read my third day on my information security journey; this was a super simple overview and does not touch every base. This is beginner leveled content and I wanted to start from scratch again. Hopefully, this helped you! Feel free to give feedback on any technical content as well!