Cybersecurity & Cloud Professional · Nairobi, Kenya

Denise Sophy Ondiso Mutayi

SOC & Cloud Nerd · Cybersecurity Intern · NOC Engineer · Gamer ·
ISC2 CC · Fortinet NSE · Azure Security · @Denise_Sophy_|

IT and Cybersecurity graduate on a mission to secure cloud infrastructure and defend digital systems. Sharing my journey from NOC operations to cloud security — one incident at a time.

↗ Get in touch View my work
About me

Building a career at the
intersection of security & cloud

I'm a cybersecurity and IT professional based in Nairobi, Kenya, with hands-on experience across NOC operations, security monitoring, endpoint security, and cloud infrastructure.

My journey started with a Diploma and BSc in Information Technology from JKUAT, and has taken me through internships at the ICT Authority and Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, into cloud and SOC environments where I work with Azure, Sentinel, and security tooling daily.

I'm passionate about cloud security, sharing my learning publicly on X as @Denise_Sophy_, and tackling cybersecurity challenges through the 100 Days of Cybersecurity and Hack The Box. When I'm not in a terminal, I'm gaming.

3
Internships & roles
6
Certifications
100+
Days SOC practice
3
Cloud platforms
Technical arsenal

Skills & Technologies

Cloud Platforms
Microsoft AzureAWS FoundationalGCP IntroductoryAzure VMsAzure Blob StorageCosmos DB
Cloud Security
IAMAzure DefenderMicrosoft SentinelKey ManagementEncryptionCompliance Policies
Networking
TCP/IPVNet / VPCVPNsFirewallsDNS / DHCPRouting & SwitchingVLANs
Monitoring & SOC
NagiosWiresharkAzure MonitorSplunkDefender for CloudNmap
Systems & Scripting
LinuxWindows ServerActive DirectoryBashPowerShellPython (Basic)
Operations
Incident ResponseRCATicketing SystemsSLA ManagementTechnical DocsVulnerability Assessment
Career journey

Work Experience

Jan 2026 – Present · Remote
Cybersecurity Intern — Monitoring & Security Operations
Future Interns
  • Monitor system logs and network activity using Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM) to detect threats and anomalies
  • Support end-to-end incident handling — detection, triage, escalation, investigation, and resolution within SLAs
  • Apply security hardening across Windows and Linux environments including patching and firewall review
  • Maintain detailed incident documentation and RCA findings for audit trails and knowledge management
Sept 2023 – Dec 2023 · Nairobi, Kenya
Network Operations Centre (NOC) Intern
ICT Authority
  • Monitored enterprise infrastructure 24/7 using Nagios and Wireshark across a TCP/IP government network
  • Manned the service desk — triaged, assigned, and tracked incidents via ticketing system within SLAs
  • Conducted root cause analysis on recurring incidents; implemented preventive solutions
  • Supported Active Directory user account management and produced system performance reports
Oct 2021 – Dec 2021 · Nairobi, Kenya
Technical Support Intern
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC)
  • Provided first-line ICT support across Windows environments via phone, email, and Teams
  • Resolved issues related to system access, connectivity, and endpoint configuration
  • Assisted with Active Directory user setup, access control, and password management
  • Maintained service desk records and educated users on recurring issue resolution
What I've built

Projects

Project 01 · 2025
Cloud Infrastructure Implementation on Azure
Deployed and secured a full cloud compute environment on Microsoft Azure as part of the CyberShujaa Cloud & Network Security programme. Configured VNets, VPNs, application gateways, Azure Defender, and Sentinel. Secured SQL and NoSQL data services through encryption, IAM, and key management.
Microsoft AzureAzure DefenderSentinelVNet / VPNCosmos DBIAM
Project 02 · May 2025 – Present
SOC & Security Operations Practice — 100 Days of Cybersecurity
Ongoing personal challenge simulating real-world SOC environments. Performing log analysis, packet inspection, and anomaly detection using SIEM tools and PCAP files. Documenting findings and building repeatable incident response playbooks.
SIEMWiresharkIncident ResponseLog AnalysisThreat Detection
Project 03 · Ongoing
Linux & Bash Automation Labs — Hack The Box
Hands-on labs focused on system privilege management, automated backup and monitoring scripts, and secure shell configurations. Building practical Linux administration and scripting skills in a gamified security environment.
LinuxBash ScriptingAutomationHack The BoxSystem Hardening
Field notes & write-ups

From the lab to the page

M Read all on Medium ↗
Writing about: Phishing analysis · PCAP investigations · C2 traffic hunting · Azure Sentinel · Zero Trust · Bash for analysts · 100 Days of Cybersecurity
Follow on Medium ↗
Always learning

Learning Platforms

🛡
ISC2
CC Domains 1–5 · Network security · Security ops & data handling
📊
Splunk
Intro to Splunk · Log management · Threat detection & incident response
🌐
Cisco NetAcad
Ethical Hacking · Pen testing methodologies · MITRE ATT&CK · OWASP · NIST
🎯
Hack The Box
Linux labs · Bash automation · System hardening · CTF challenges
🇰🇪
Cyber Shujaa
Cloud & Network Security · Azure VNets · Firewalls · Sentinel deployment
💡
IBM SkillsBuild
Cybersecurity Fundamentals · Threat analysis
🔒
Fortinet Training
NSE 1 certified · NSE 3 in progress · Network security
☁
AWS Skill Builder
AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials · AWS Technical Essentials · In progress
⚡
Microsoft Learn
Azure · Sentinel · Defender for Cloud · M365
📅
100 Days of Cybersecurity
Started Sep 16, 2025 · SOC · SIEM · Cloud · Threat modelling
Credentials

Certifications & Training

ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
● Active · 2026
IBM Cybersecurity Fundamentals
● Active · 2026
Fortinet NSE 1 — Network Security
● Active · 2026
Cyber Shujaa Cloud & Network Security
● Active · 2025
Fortinet NSE 3 — Network Security
◌ In Progress
AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials
◌ In Progress
AWS Technical Essentials
◌ In Progress
Let's connect

Get in touch

Open to cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and NOC/SOC roles. Also happy to connect with other security professionals, share resources, or talk shop about Azure, SIEM tools, or Hack The Box challenges.

𝕏 @Denise_Sophy_ M Medium — @Denise-Sophy ⌨ denise-sophy.github.io in LinkedIn Profile