Days 4 & 5 at CyberTexas Foundation CyberPatriot Standard Camp

Entering the World of Linux

Days 4 and 5 of the CyberTexas Foundation CyberPatriot Standard Camp were all about exploring Linux, understanding how operating systems work behind the scenes, and developing the skills needed to secure them.

Before jumping into Day 5, I would first like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Rita Flores for stepping in and leading Day 4 of camp while I fulfilled my civic duty at the Bexar County Courthouse for jury service. Mrs. Flores provided our cyber campers with an outstanding introduction to Linux Mint and laid the foundation for the Linux administration and cybersecurity concepts that we would continue exploring throughout Day 5.

When the campers returned on Day 5, we picked up right where we left off and continued our journey into Linux. For many students, this was their first experience working with an operating system outside of Windows. Over the course of the day, they learned how Linux organizes files and directories, how users and permissions are managed, how software is installed and updated, how firewalls help protect systems, and why Linux plays such a significant role in both cybersecurity and the CyberPatriot competition.

Before we jumped back into Linux Mint, our campers had the opportunity to hear from several cybersecurity professionals who shared their experiences, career journeys, and insights into the ever-changing world of cybersecurity.

🎤 Day 5 Begins with Industry Insight

Before we jumped back into Linux Mint on Day 5, our campers had the opportunity to hear from our first guest speaker of the day, Mr. Wendell Ladd, Vice President of Cybersecurity at Travelers.

Mr. Ladd shared his personal career journey and discussed how he found his way into cybersecurity. He spoke about the importance of developing technical skills, continuously learning, and being willing to tackle challenging problems. Students gained valuable insight into the many career opportunities available within the cybersecurity industry and what it takes to succeed in the field.

One of the recurring themes throughout his presentation was that cybersecurity professionals are lifelong learners. Technology changes constantly, and successful cybersecurity practitioners must be willing to grow along with it.

🐧 Exploring the Linux Filesystem

After Mr. Ladd's presentation, campers returned to Linux Mint and began exploring how Linux organizes information.

Students learned that Linux handles files and folders differently than Windows. Instead of drive letters such as C:\ or D:, Linux begins with a single starting point called the root directory:

/

From there, campers explored several important directories and learned their purpose within the operating system.

Key Directories Explored

📁 /home – User home directories

⚙️ /etc – System configuration files

🚀 /boot – Bootloader and startup files

🛠️ /usr – Applications and programs

📊 /var – Logs and changing system data

🗑️ /tmp – Temporary files

As students worked through exercises, they quickly learned one of Linux's most important rules:

Linux is case-sensitive.

A file named Cyber.txt is completely different from cyber.txt. This simple concept created a few learning moments and became a lesson many students will not soon forget.

💻 Learning the Linux Command Line

Once students became familiar with the Linux desktop environment, it was time to explore one of the most powerful tools available to cybersecurity professionals—the Linux command line.

For some students, the terminal window initially seemed intimidating. However, after learning a few basic commands and seeing how quickly information could be gathered, many began to appreciate why system administrators and cybersecurity professionals use the command line every day.

Campers practiced commands that allowed them to:

⌨️ Navigate directories

📁 Create and manage files

📄 View file contents

🖥️ Display system information

👤 Identify users and groups

⚙️ Perform administrative tasks

As confidence grew, students began relying more on the terminal and less on graphical menus.

👥 Understanding Users, Groups, and Permissions

As students became more comfortable navigating Linux, we shifted our focus toward one of the most important cybersecurity concepts: controlling access.

Campers learned how Linux manages user accounts and how groups help administrators organize permissions across multiple users.

Students explored:

✅ User accounts

✅ Group memberships

✅ Administrative privileges

✅ Authorized versus unauthorized users

This topic is especially important in CyberPatriot competitions, where competitors are frequently required to identify unauthorized accounts and properly secure user access.

The campers quickly realized that protecting systems often begins with understanding who should—and should not—have access.

🔐 Understanding File Permissions

Building upon users and groups, students then learned how Linux protects resources through file permissions.

Campers explored how Linux uses three permission categories:

👤 User (Owner)

👥 Group

🌎 Other

Along with three permission types:

📖 Read

✏️ Write

⚡ Execute

For many students, this was their first exposure to access control, one of the foundational concepts of cybersecurity.

As they examined permissions and modified access rights, students began to understand how operating systems protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.

🛡️ Securing Linux Mint

With a solid understanding of users and permissions, campers turned their attention toward securing the operating system itself.

Students explored Linux Mint's security settings and learned how administrators protect systems through proper configuration and maintenance.

Topics included:

🔑 Password management

👤 Administrative privileges

⚙️ System settings

🔄 Software updates

🛡️ Firewall protection

One lesson continued to appear throughout every discussion:

You cannot secure what you do not understand.

The more students learned about Linux, the more they understood how cybersecurity professionals defend systems from attack.

🔥 Firewalls and Network Defense

Next, students explored one of the most important security tools available on a modern operating system: the firewall.

Using Linux Mint's Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) and GUFW graphical interface, campers learned how firewall rules control traffic entering and leaving a system.

Students discussed:

🌐 Network traffic

🚪 Ports and services

🔒 Allow and deny rules

🛡️ Secure default configurations

They also learned about common ports such as HTTP (80), HTTPS (443), and SSH (22), helping connect operating system security to networking concepts they will continue studying throughout their cybersecurity education.

⚙️ Keeping Systems Updated

As the day progressed, students learned how Linux administrators install software and maintain systems using package management tools.

Using Linux Mint's software management tools and discussing APT package management, campers learned why updates are so important to cybersecurity.

This led to one of the most important lessons of the week:

Many successful cyberattacks exploit systems that have not been updated.

Students learned that software updates are not simply about adding features. They often contain critical security patches that protect systems from newly discovered vulnerabilities.

🎤 Learning About Critical Infrastructure Security

After lunch, campers welcomed our second guest speaker of the day, Mr. David Webb.

Mr. Webb delivered an outstanding presentation on cybersecurity and critical infrastructure. He discussed attacks that have targeted water treatment facilities, healthcare organizations, and the Texas power grid, helping students understand how cybersecurity impacts everyday life.

One of the most valuable aspects of his presentation was showing students how the same skills they are learning today can eventually be used to help protect critical systems across Texas and the nation.

The concepts they encounter in CyberPatriot competition images—users, permissions, operating systems, networking, and system hardening—form the foundation of securing real-world infrastructure.

Students left the presentation with a deeper appreciation for the importance of cybersecurity and the responsibility that comes with protecting critical systems.

🎤 Real-World Cybersecurity Experiences

Throughout Days 4 and 5, campers also had the opportunity to hear from Mr. Paul J. Guerra.

Mr. Guerra shared stories involving cybersecurity investigations, fraud cases, account takeovers, and major security incidents. His real-world experiences helped bridge the gap between classroom learning and the challenges cybersecurity professionals face every day.

Students were fascinated by the stories and gained a better understanding of how technical skills are used to investigate incidents and protect organizations.

🚀 Looking Back on Days 4 and 5

Over the course of Days 4 and 5, our cyber campers built a strong foundation in Linux administration and cybersecurity. They learned how Linux systems are organized, how users and permissions are managed, how software is installed and updated, how firewalls help protect systems, and why Linux plays such a significant role in both cybersecurity and the CyberPatriot competition.

More importantly, they learned that cybersecurity is not about memorizing commands or clicking buttons.

Cybersecurity is about understanding how technology works beneath the surface.

Every command they executed, every user account they reviewed, every permission they modified, and every security setting they explored helped build the foundation they will use in future CyberPatriot competitions and, potentially, future cybersecurity careers.

The CyberPatriot competition may be the goal today, but the skills our campers are building will serve them far beyond competition day.

They are developing the technical knowledge, curiosity, discipline, and problem-solving mindset needed to become the next generation of cyber defenders.

And after watching their confidence grow throughout these two days, it is exciting to imagine where their cybersecurity journeys will take them next.

None of this would have been possible without the incredible team working tirelessly behind the scenes each and every day.

From setting up classrooms and technology to coordinating logistics, supporting instructors and guest speakers, mentoring students, answering questions, solving unexpected challenges, and ensuring every detail ran smoothly, the #CyTX Team played an essential role in the success of this week's CyberPatriot Standard Camp.

While our campers experienced the lessons, activities, competitions, and presentations, what they may not have seen were the countless hours of planning, preparation, coordination, and hard work that took place long before the first camper arrived. Every successful lab, every engaging presentation, and every memorable experience was made possible by a dedicated group of volunteers, mentors, instructors, and supporters who share a common mission: inspiring and developing the next generation of cyber defenders.

To the entire #CyTX Team, thank you for your commitment, passion, professionalism, and unwavering support. Your efforts made a lasting impact on these students, and this camp would not have been the same without you. Together, we are helping build the future of cybersecurity—one cyber defender at a time.

⚔️ Cyber Like A Viking! ⚔️