SHARON, Pa. — Joshua Marshall, a Penn State Shenango cybersecurity analytics and operations major, spent the summer of 2024 as a cyber intern at Primary Health Network in Sharon, Pa.
In this Q&A, Joshua shares his duties and responsibilities at PHN, and discusses how his internship experience prepared him for a career in the field of cybersecurity.
Begin Q&A:
Q: What was your role at Primary Health Network, and what types of projects were you tasked with as part of your internship?
A: My primary role was to create a program to comprehensively scan different ports on the computer network. I cross referenced the ports with the national vulnerability database, and I also collected SMB information to provide known shares on each device. I completed a forensic investigation on one of the devices that flagged a possible security breach on the computer network. Using tools like Wireshark and Nmap, I was able to recreate the steps taken by a potential hacker to gain access to the computer network.
Q: What classroom experiences at Shenango have prepared you for the work you're doing in this internship?
A: My malware analytics and cyber forensic courses provided me with core knowledge basics to complete the assigned tasks during my internship. This experience helped me take classroom knowledge and apply it to real world experiences.
Q: What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned as part of your internship?
A: I was able to develop my skills at scripting and programming. I learned how to use resources such as Microsoft’s manual pages to learn the syntax of certain programming blocks. I also increased my knowledge of Wireshark and Nmap.
Q: How can you apply your real-world experiences to your remaining classes at Shenango?
A: I can apply the knowledge learned during my internship to help during my last two semesters at Shenango. Having a better understanding of programming basics will definitely aid in my understanding of any future programming classes I take.
Q: Would you say that your internship experience helped you towards reaching your ultimate career goals?
A: I would like to apply for a position with the federal government after graduation. Specifically,I am interested in obtaining a position with the VA Medical Center. My internship with the Primary Health Network has provided me with needed cybersecurity experience within a medical setting to assist me with that goal.
