Johnny Meintel

Actively seeking entry-level cybersecurity opportunities.

Welcome to my homelab portfolio. In order to gain real-world cybersecurity experience, I built a simulated enterprise network to practice attack/defense scenarios. Below you will find details of each lab component and development phase. My GitHub contains all the scripts and code used, and my Medium profile has technical writeups and walkthroughs for the lab environment.

View Homelab View GitHub View Medium
homelab-status.sh
johnny@cybersec:~# ./homelab-status.sh
🛡️ SIEM01 (Splunk Enterprise) - MONITORING
✓ DC01 (Domain Controller) - ONLINE
✓ APP01 (Web Server + DB) - ONLINE
⚔ KALI (Attack Platform) - ARMED
⚠ MGR1 (Executive Target) - VULNERABLE

Skills in Development

Splunk Dashboard Overview
Splunk SIEM for security monitoring
Attack Surface Analysis
KALI Linux for penetration testing
PowerShell Experience
PowerShell command line and scripting for diagnostics
Detection Rules
Professional documentation for Incident Response
❮ ❯
🔗
🏢
DC01
Domain Controller

The heart of the environment. Domain Controller and DNS authority.

Status: Online
Risk: High
 🌐
🌐
APP01
Web/Database Server

IIS web application server + MySQL backend database.

Status: Online
Risk: High
 💼
💼
MGR1
Executive Workstation

Every attacker's dream - the overprivileged executive workstation.

Status: Domain Admin
Risk: Critical
 📊
📊
SIEM01
Splunk Enterprise

Centralized security monitoring and event logging via Splunk.

Status: Active
SIEM: Splunk
 🐉
🐉
KALI
Attack Platform

Adversary emulation - attack operations.

Status: Ready
OS: Kali Linux
 💻
💻
Workstations
DEV1 + USER1

Developer and standard user workstations for lateral movement scenarios, privilege escalation, and realistic attack path simulation.

Count: 2 Systems
Status: Configuring

Lab Development Timeline

Phase 1
🔗
Vulnerable FoundationComplete
Installed all lab components, created the Active Directory domain, and manually introduced security vulnerabilities to plan for the Phase 3 attack.
Windows Server 2022 Windows 11 IIS MySQL
Phase 2
💻
SIEM ImplementationComplete
Deployed Splunk Enterprise, develop SIEM fundamentals and detection engineering basics. Understand what to look for and where.
Splunk Enterprise Windows Event Forwarding Security Dashboards
Phase 3
🔄
Penetration TestingIn Development
Practice exploitation scenarios on the vulnerable infrastructure by emulating an advanced adversary simulating MITRE ATT&CK paths. Don't just think like an attacker, act like one.
Windows 11 Kali Linux Reconnaissance Exfiltration
Phase 4
⚔️
Incident ResponseIn Development
Document the Phase 3 attack as an Incident Response report. Remediate the introduced vulnerabilities, and build detection rules to prevent future occurrences.
Vulnerabilities Patched Advanced Monitoring Custom Scripts Automation
Phase 5
🎯
Purple TeamIn Development
Adding developer and standard user workstations for more complex lateral movement scenarios. Developing attack strategies against the now-secured environment and building advanced detection rules in response.
Additional Workstations Advanced Logging Threat Hunting

Technical Expertise

Technical Skills

  • Technical Troubleshooting Skilled
  • Communication & Soft Skills Skilled
  • Windows Administration Skilled
  • Network Security Skilled
  • PowerShell Automation Competent
  • Linux Command Line Competent
  • Cloud Computing Competent
  • Python Scripting Competent
  • Active Directory Administration Competent
  • SIEM Intermediate
  • Kali Linux / Tools Intermediate
  • Penetration Testing Beginner
  • Detection Engineering Beginner
  • BASH Scripting Beginner

Certifications & Learning

  • M.S. – Cybersecurity Completed 2025
  • B.S. – Cloud Computing Completed 2025
  • CompTIA Security+ Certified
  • CompTIA CySA+ Certified
  • CompTIA PenTest+ Certified
  • CompTIA A+ Certified
  • CompTIA Network+ Certified
  • CompTIA Cloud+ Certified
  • CompTIA Project+ Certified
  • Google IT Support Professional Certified
  • Google Cybersecurity Professional Certified
  • LPI Linux Essentials Certified
  • Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certified
  • AWS Cloud Practitioner Certified
  • ITIL v4 Foundation Certified

Let's Connect

Currently pursuing a SOC Analyst or Junior Cybersecurity Analyst role

📧

Email
💼

LinkedIn
💻

GitHub
📝

Medium

⬆️⬆️⬇️⬇️⬅️➡️⬅️➡️🅱️🅰️ // classic cheat codes still work...