This article marks the first publication on CyberLandji.
I want to begin this blog not with a showcase of achievements, but with a learning experience — one that challenged my assumptions, tested my mindset, and clarified where I stand on my cybersecurity journey.
Recently, I participated in my first-ever Capture The Flag (CTF) on TryHackMe, titled First Shift CTF.
I joined without fully knowing what awaited me — and that, in hindsight, was part of the lesson.
Going in without a map
Before starting this CTF:
- I had no prior CTF experience
- No personal benchmark
- No clear strategy for time management under pressure
I approached it with a mindset shaped by labs and documentation: understand first, move later.
That approach has strengths — but a CTF environment quickly exposes its limits.
When time becomes the adversary
I spent nearly an hour and a half on the very first task task/Scenario.
Not because I was blocked, but because I was stubborn.
I wanted certainty. I wanted to fully validate my reasoning before moving on.
This revealed something important about how I think:
I naturally prioritise accuracy, coherence, and understanding over speed.
In real-world Blue Team or SOC contexts, this instinct can be valuable.
In a timed challenge, it can also become a constraint.
Partial success, real insight
During the challenge:
- I fully solved the third task
- The second task was only partially completed
- Due to early time investment, I did not reach the later tasks
Despite this, I finished ranked 430 out of 1,753 participants, placing me in the top ~25%.
The ranking itself, however, was not the most important outcome.
What this first CTF taught me
CTFs test mindset as much as skill
They amplify habits:
- tunnel vision
- perfectionism
- hesitation to move on
Recognising these tendencies is already progress.
Time management is a technical skill
Knowing when to stop, when to move on, and when to return is just as important as technical knowledge.
My thinking is naturally Blue Team–oriented
I tend to:
- investigate deeply
- cross-check assumptions
- seek consistency rather than shortcuts
This aligns more with SOC analysis and incident response than with fast-paced CTF optimisation — and that is a direction I consciously embrace.
Why this belongs on CyberLandji
CyberLandji is not meant to be a highlight reel.
It is a learning space, a lab notebook, and a record of progression.
This first CTF was not about winning.
It was about exposure:
- exposure to pressure
- exposure to uncertainty
- exposure to imperfect information
- exposure to my own analytical habits
For a first encounter, that alone makes it valuable.
Looking forward
This experience gives me a baseline.
Now I know:
- what a CTF environment feels like
- where I lose time
- what I need to improve next
The next challenge will not be my first — and that already changes everything.
CyberLandji begins here:
with honesty, reflection, and the intent to build solid foundations.
No solutions are shared in this article. The focus is on mindset, learning, and professional growth.
