Ziad Hares

Cybersecurity student · offensive security & secure engineering

BSc Cybersecurity (UOWD) · graduating Dec 2026 · Dubai, UAE. Open to graduate and junior security roles.

Get in touch Download CV

01About

Cybersecurity student with hands-on practice in penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and network security through home labs and coursework. Comfortable with Nmap, Metasploit, Wireshark, and Burp Suite, and with building segmented lab environments that mirror real attack paths. I care about secure coding, proportionate risk treatment, and policies that teams can actually follow.

02Education

University of Wollongong in Dubai

Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

Sep 2023 – Dec 2026

Pioneers International School, Alexandria, Egypt

American High School Diploma · ACT 23 · GPA 3.8

Sep 2018 – Jun 2022

03Experience

Backend Development & Security Intern

Tamam · Sharjah, UAE

Jun 2025 – Aug 2025

Built data collection pipelines in Python and SQL with API integration, validation, and sanitization.
Hardened access control and query paths, including SQL injection prevention and performance-aware tuning.
Automated workflows to improve data quality and operational reliability.

IT Security Intern

NewBridge Pharmaceuticals · Dubai, UAE

Jun 2025 – Jul 2025

Contributed to security policy documentation aligned with ISO 27001 and common good-practice frameworks.
Supported risk assessments and identification of weaknesses across IT infrastructure.
Helped roll out awareness and compliance initiatives; collaborated on incident response preparation with IT.

Web Security & Development Intern

Axon Technologies · Dubai, UAE

Oct 2024 – Jan 2025

Improved web performance while applying secure coding and OWASP-oriented controls (validation, XSS reduction).
Collaborated on a responsive site redesign with clear information architecture for a cybersecurity firm.
Delivered production-ready front-end work on schedule.

E-Commerce Development Intern

Armada Holdings · Dubai, UAE

Dec 2022 – Apr 2023

Contributed to an e-commerce platform (Yalla Bazzar): inventory, customer data, and front-end UX.
Emphasized data integrity, access control, and practical security within delivery timelines.

Cybersecurity Club · Member

University of Wollongong in Dubai

2024 – Present

Active member: CTF-style practice, talks, and peer learning alongside degree coursework.

04Skills

🎯

Security tools

Nmap, Metasploit, Wireshark, Burp Suite, Nikto, Nessus, OpenVAS, Hydra

🌐

Networking

TCP/IP, OSI, DNS, DHCP, HTTP/S, subnetting, firewalls, NAT, LAN/WAN

🛡️

Security fundamentals

CIA triad, risk assessment, vulnerability management, RBAC, authn/z models

🔓

Web & app security

OWASP Top 10, SQLi and XSS testing mindset, secure SDLC habits

🐧

Linux & systems

Kali & Ubuntu, Bash, SSH, permissions, packages, basic Windows & AD concepts

⚙️

Programming & scripting

Python, C++, C, JavaScript, PHP, Bash

🗄️

Data & backends

SQL, ER modeling, normalization, database security, API-backed pipelines

🧰

Web & collaboration

HTML5, CSS3, responsive layouts, WordPress, Git, Figma, Microsoft 365

05Projects

Lab

Home penetration testing lab

Proxmox-based environment for offensive practice: Nmap-driven discovery, Metasploit exploitation, Wireshark traffic analysis, Burp Suite against OWASP-style flaws, segmented networks and firewall rules for defense-in-depth demos, plus a WireGuard VPN segment on OpenWrt.

Proxmox WireGuard Defense in depth

Axon Technologies website

Security-conscious redesign and front-end delivery for a UAE cybersecurity company, balancing clarity, performance, and OWASP-aligned controls.

Web security OWASP

Amal Al Khaleej

Premier interior design and engineering firm website, blending aesthetic elegance with structural precision.

Interior Design Engineering

Yalla Bazzar

E-commerce build for Armada Holdings: inventory and customer data workflows, UI improvements, and pragmatic access control.

E-commerce UI/UX

This portfolio

Static site with strong defaults for readability, CSP headers, and a layout tuned for recruiters skimming on mobile.

Portfolio Security headers

CTF & competitions

Regular CTF-style practice through university club and self-directed challenges to sharpen enumeration, crypto basics, and web exploitation fundamentals.

Cybersecurity CTF