FREE Cybersecurity Internship: Master SOC & Ethical Hacking in 7 Days (Apply Before May 22!) + Video

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Introduction:

Breaking into cybersecurity demands hands-on experience, mentorship, and often expensive certifications. The Root Access Network (T.R.A.N) has launched a competitive internship program offering free certification vouchers, hardware support, and data scholarships to aspiring SOC analysts and ethical hackers. With over 280 applications already submitted, this limited-window opportunity (May 15–22) requires candidates to demonstrate technical aptitude through a rigorous selection process.

Learning Objectives:

  • Master fundamental Linux and Windows security commands for SOC monitoring and incident response.
  • Execute network scanning and vulnerability assessment techniques using open-source tools.
  • Understand cloud hardening and API security basics to defend modern infrastructures.

You Should Know:

1. Linux Command Line Essentials for SOC Analysts

A Security Operations Center (SOC) analyst spends 70% of their time on Linux terminals. Start by practicing these core commands for log analysis and system hardening:

Check live network connections and listening ports:

sudo ss -tulpn
sudo netstat -tulpn

Monitor system logs in real-time (critical for intrusion detection):

sudo tail -f /var/log/syslog
sudo journalctl -xf

Search for failed login attempts (Brute-force indicators):

sudo grep "Failed password" /var/log/auth.log | awk '{print $1,$2,$3,$9,$11}' | sort | uniq -c

Use `lsof` to identify open files and processes tied to suspicious ports:

sudo lsof -i :4444  Common reverse shell port

Step‑by‑step log investigation:

  1. Isolate the timeframe of an alert (e.g., between 02:00 and 03:00).
  2. Extract logs using `sed` or awk: `sed -n ‘/02:00:00/,/03:00:00/p’ /var/log/auth.log`
    3. Correlate with `auditd` rules: `sudo ausearch -ts 02:00 -te 03:00 -m avc`
    4. Package findings for ticketing systems using `zip -e incident_logs.zip .log` (encrypts with password).

  3. Windows Event Log Analysis & PowerShell for Incident Response
    Many enterprise breaches leave traces in Windows Event Logs. Learn to query them like a pro:

List all event logs available:

Get-EventLog -List

Extract failed logon events (Event ID 4625) from the last 24 hours:

Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; ID=4625; StartTime=(Get-Date).AddDays(-1)} | Select-Object TimeCreated, Message

Detect PowerShell downgrade attacks (often used to bypass logging):

Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Windows PowerShell'; ID=4103} | Where-Object {$_.Message -match "EngineVersion=2"}

Step‑by‑step memory acquisition on a compromised Windows host:

1. Download `DumpIt.exe` or `Winpmem` (open-source).

2. Run as Administrator: `Winpmem_manual.exe -o memdump.raw`

3. Verify hash: `Get-FileHash memdump.raw -Algorithm SHA256`

4. Transfer securely via SCP: `scp memdump.raw soc@analysis-box:/cases/case001/`

3. Network Scanning & Vulnerability Enumeration with Nmap

Every ethical hacker and SOC analyst needs Nmap. Use these commands during internship labs:

Quick external port scan (top 1000 ports, service detection):

sudo nmap -sS -sV -T4 --top-ports 1000 203.0.113.10

Find live hosts in an internal subnet without ping sweep:

sudo nmap -sn -Pn 192.168.1.0/24

Aggressive vulnerability script scan (requires `–script vuln`):

sudo nmap --script vuln --script-args=unsafe=1 -p 80,443 192.168.1.100

Step‑by‑step to identify an SMB vulnerability (e.g., EternalBlue):

  1. Scan SMB port: `nmap -p 445 –script smb-vuln 192.168.1.101`
    2. If `smb-vuln-ms17-010` returns VULNERABLE, isolate the host immediately.
  2. Use Metasploit for verification (only on authorized lab): `use exploit/windows/smb/ms17_010_eternalblue`
    4. Document CVSS score and patch recommendation: `wmic qfe list brief /format:texttable` on Windows victim.

  3. Cloud Hardening – AWS IAM & S3 Security
    With data scholarships offered, cloud security is critical. Misconfigured S3 buckets remain the 1 cause of leaks.

Audit S3 bucket permissions (AWS CLI):

aws s3api get-bucket-acl --bucket your-bucket-name
aws s3api get-bucket-policy --bucket your-bucket-name

List all buckets with public access:

aws s3api list-buckets --query 'Buckets[?PublicAccessBlockConfiguration==null]'

Apply a bucket policy to deny unencrypted uploads:

{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [{
"Effect": "Deny",
"Principal": "",
"Action": "s3:PutObject",
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket/",
"Condition": {"Null": {"s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption": "true"}}
}]
}

Step‑by‑step remediate a public S3 bucket:

  1. Block public access: `aws s3api put-public-access-block –bucket your-bucket –public-access-block-configuration BlockPublicAcls=true,IgnorePublicAcls=true,BlockPublicPolicy=true,RestrictPublicBuckets=true`
    2. Remove bucket ACL: `aws s3api put-bucket-acl –bucket your-bucket –acl private`
    3. Enable default encryption: `aws s3api put-bucket-encryption –bucket your-bucket –server-side-encryption-configuration ‘{“Rules”:[{“ApplyServerSideEncryptionByDefault”:{“SSEAlgorithm”:”AES256″}}]}’`
  2. API Security Testing with Burp Suite & Curl
    Modern applications rely on APIs – insecure endpoints lead to data breaches.

Intercept and modify API requests (Burp Suite):

1. Set browser proxy to `127.0.0.1:8080`

  1. Install Burp’s CA certificate on Android/iOS for mobile testing.
  2. Use `Send to Repeater` and modify JSON payloads (e.g., `{“user_id”: 123}` → `{“user_id”: 0}` for IDOR).
  3. Automate fuzzing with `Intruder` – payload list: `../../../../etc/passwd` for path traversal.

Curl commands to test for rate limiting:

for i in {1..100}; do curl -X POST https://api.example.com/login -d '{"username":"admin","password":"wrong"}' -H "Content-Type: application/json"; done

If status `200 OK` after 100 attempts, the API lacks rate limiting (exposed to brute-force).

Step‑by‑step to exploit JWT misconfiguration:

1. Capture JWT token from Authorization header.

  1. Decode at `jwt.io` – change `alg` to `none` and remove signature.
  2. Send modified token: `curl -H “Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOiJub25lIiwidHlwIjoiSldUIn0.eyJ1c2VyIjoiYWRtaW4ifQ.” https://api.example.com/admin`
  3. If access granted, the API is vulnerable to CVE-2015-2951 (algorithm confusion).

6. Malware Traffic Analysis with Wireshark

Internship candidates must distinguish benign traffic from C2 beacons.

Filter for suspicious DNS queries (long subdomains often indicate exfiltration):

dns.qry.name matches ".[.]{3,}."

Detect PowerShell download cradle:

http.request.uri contains "powershell" or http.request.uri contains "iex"

Identify reverse shell via netcat:

tcp.flags.syn==1 and tcp.flags.ack==0 and tcp.payload contains "sh" or tcp.payload contains "cmd"

Step‑by‑step packet analysis for an internship challenge:

1. Load `malware.pcap` into Wireshark.

  1. Apply `tls.handshake.type == 1` to see SNI domains – look for suspicious `.top` or `.xyz` domains.
  2. Export HTTP objects: `File → Export Objects → HTTP` – check for `.exe` or `.vbs` downloads.
  3. Compute file hash: `sha256sum extracted_payload.exe` then check against VirusTotal.

What Undercode Say:

  • Key Takeaway 1: The internship’s huge influx (280+ day one) proves the hunger for structured, cost-free entry points into cybersecurity. Hands-on application – including basic log analysis or Nmap scans – will separate you from passive applicants.
  • Key Takeaway 2: Certification vouchers and hardware support (laptops, power banks) remove financial barriers, but the real value is community access. The Root Access Network emphasizes peer review and incident response simulations, not just theory.

Analysis: Most free programs stop at videos or PDFs. This one explicitly funds data scholarships and physical devices – a rare model that directly enables practical lab work. However, applicants face fierce competition; submitting generic resumes will fail. Instead, prepare a one-page “technical readiness” summary: list any home lab (VirtualBox, Kali Linux), write a sample incident report, or include a GitHub with Python scripts for log parsing. The selection team will prioritize candidates who already show initiative – commands like grep, awk, or `Get-WinEvent` in the application can make you memorable.

Prediction:

By 2027, internship models like T.R.A.N will replace traditional degree requirements for 40% of SOC roles. The combination of free certification vouchers (e.g., Security+, CySA+), hardware loans, and community-driven red/blue team exercises creates a direct pipeline from self-taught enthusiast to junior analyst. Expect competing programs to emerge, forcing vendors (ISC2, CompTIA) to lower exam costs. The biggest risk? Oversaturation – but those who master the commands and tools listed above will remain in the top 10% of applicants.

Apply before May 22 at: https://lnkd.in/ewqPTCsQ

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Reported By: Somtochukwu Okoma – Hackers Feeds
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