About Me
I build detection and response systems for a living, and ship privacy-first software for veterans on the side.
I’m Ian Marrero — a cybersecurity engineer working across detection engineering, incident response, and insider threat. My day-to-day sits between security operations and engineering: building, maintaining, and troubleshooting the systems that collect telemetry, generate alerts, and support investigations. My interests cluster around information security, security engineering and penetration testing, and the software development and automation that ties it all together. I hold an M.S. in Cybersecurity Technology.
Outside of that work, I built the VA Compensation Calculator — a free, offline, ad-free iOS app for veterans calculating their disability compensation. It’s the kind of tool I wanted to exist, so I made it.
What this site is
A working notebook. Lab setups, Hack The Box walkthroughs, notes from incidents and investigations, release notes for projects I’m building, and the occasional link I want to be able to find again. Some posts are detailed, some are rough — they exist mostly so future-me remembers why something mattered. If a note here helps someone else avoid a mistake or save a few hours, that’s a good enough reason for it to be public.
Certifications
Verify through Credly.com.
Outside of work
When I’m not in front of a terminal: lockpicking, bicycling and hiking, gaming, and reading.