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Portrait of Taki Sadik

I'm Taki Sadik, a cybersecurity and IT professional who likes to own his stack end-to-end. My day job involves triaging security alerts and analyzing threats at a SOC. Outside of work, I run a homelab with Proxmox, self-host services ranging from a private AI model to a public Wikipedia mirror, and document everything I learn through hands-on labs.

I got into IT through surveillance operations and discovered I cared more about the network underneath the cameras than the footage they captured. That curiosity led me to networking, then Linux administration, then cloud, then security. Holding CompTIA A+ and CCNA Fundamentals, currently pursuing CompTIA Security+.

Work Experience

Information Technology & Security

Sep 2025 to Present
Data Center Engineer
Microsoft · Contract · Markham, ON · On-site
  • Apply Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) guidelines to daily data center operations, ensuring physical infrastructure is resilient against emerging hardware and network-level threats
  • Audit server racks, cabling, and localized network equipment to detect anomalies, rogue devices, or unauthorized Layer 1 connections
  • Execute urgent firmware updates and hardware remediations on bare-metal servers based on active Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) and threat feeds
  • Partner with engineering and SOC teams to translate high-level threat intelligence into practical security procedures for on-site hardware deployments
Nov 2025 to Present
Incident Analyst
Felixous Technology
  • Monitor security systems and databases, triaging alerts and escalating events per defined SOPs
  • Perform ongoing threat assessments and vulnerability analysis using industry tools and databases
  • Coordinate with stakeholders to document and resolve security incidents, maintaining detailed logs
  • Apply SEO and digital analytics skills to support threat intelligence reporting and data aggregation
  • Mapped end-to-end SOC alert triage workflow across Splunk and AlienVault; identified 3 bottleneck points and shipped automated enrichment pipelines reducing MTTR by 25%
  • Built Python scripts and Splunk SPL queries to correlate threat intelligence feeds, eliminate false positives at scale, and process 30+ daily alerts with minimal human intervention
  • Designed human-in-the-loop validation checkpoints for high-severity alerts with safety guardrails; created runbooks enabling junior analysts to operate independently
May 2025 to Sep 2025
Cloud Support Engineer
Microsoft · Internship · On-site
  • Provided cloud support engineering at Dominion Centre, 222 Bay St., Toronto
Jan 2025 to Sep 2025
Network Analyst Intern
CardiOCare · Hybrid
  • Monitored and maintained network infrastructure, identifying and resolving connectivity and performance issues
  • Assisted with network documentation, topology diagrams, and capacity planning
  • Performed packet analysis and traffic monitoring using IDS to detect anomalies and support incident investigations
  • Supported deployment and configuration of network hardware and cloud-connected devices
  • Architected VLAN-segmented network maintaining 99%+ uptime for healthcare systems; documented data flows for compliance and operational continuity
  • Deployed firewalls, VPNs, and least-privilege access policies; performed Wireshark packet analysis to diagnose complex failures
Oct 2024 to Jan 2025
IT Help Desk Analyst
TD · Contract Part-time
  • IT Service Delivery, Technical Assistance, and customer support at Vaughan, ON location
  • Managed the end-to-end lifecycle of IT support tickets using ITSM platforms (e.g., ServiceNow), maintaining strict adherence to enterprise Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
  • Troubleshot and resolved Tier 1/Tier 2 software, hardware, and network connectivity issues within a highly secure and regulated corporate environment
Jun 2024 to Jul 2025
Server Operator (Junior)
Fiera Foods · Contract Part-time
  • Managed server alerts and system issues on Linux and Windows Server with priority-based response
  • Performed daily maintenance including backup verification, system updates, patch application, and performance monitoring
  • Leveraged SQL and cloud computing skills to support data workflows and reporting systems
  • Documented recurring issues and contributed to runbook development for the operations team
  • Architected Terraform modules with GitHub Actions for self-service Azure infrastructure provisioning, collapsing multi-day provisioning into minutes
  • Administered Entra ID IAM, RBAC, and Conditional Access; implemented OAuth 2.0 and certificate-based authentication across business systems
  • Connected cloud storage, compute, and identity platforms via APIs and automation scripts, reducing manual errors and improving deployment reliability
Sep 2022 to Nov 2023
Surveillance Operator Rogers Center Help Desk
Elite Force · Contract Part-time
  • Monitored multi-camera CCTV and IP surveillance systems across commercial facilities, ensuring 24/7 security coverage
  • Detected and reported suspicious activity, coordinating with on-ground security teams for rapid response
  • Maintained surveillance logs and generated shift incident reports for management review
  • Conducted continuous CCTV Monitoring for high-security premises, actively identifying anomalies, unauthorized access, and physical security threats
  • Executed rapid incident response protocols, escalating verified threats to on-the-ground security teams and management in real-time
  • Monitored hybrid physical and digital access points, cross-referencing visual data with access logs to ensure comprehensive site security
Jan 2022 to Apr 2023
Surveillance Operator
Elite Security
  • Monitored CCTV systems and performed regular property inspections
Feb 2021 to Dec 2023
Executive Editor
IKU Digital · Full-time
  • Databases, Administration, and digital content management
  • Directed digital publication operations, overseeing backend Databases to ensure the integrity, organization, and efficient retrieval of digital assets
  • Provided comprehensive Administration for digital platforms and Content Management Systems (CMS), configuring user access controls, permissions, and operational workflows
  • Bridged the gap between technical and creative teams, troubleshooting platform issues and optimizing database structures to improve site performance

Retail, Hospitality & Other

Dec 2025 to Present
Visual Manager
H&M · Contract Full-time
  • Promoted from Customer Service Specialist; managing visual merchandising and in-store presentation
  • Administration, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and retail systems management
Jan 2026 to Present
Department Supervisor
H&M · Permanent Part-time
  • Supervised daily operations; trained non-technical staff on new systems, improving team efficiency and cross-functional communication
Jul 2025 to Dec 2025
Customer Service Specialist
H&M
  • Troubleshot and resolved customer issues related to orders, payments, and accounts; escalated complex cases using CRM tools
  • Leveraged AWS-backed retail systems and internal network services to process resolutions efficiently
  • Coordinated with cross-functional teams to ensure timely problem resolution and positive customer outcomes
  • Promoted H&M’s corporate image and brand through helpful and knowledgeable customer service
Apr 2025 to Present
Sales Representative
H&M · Permanent Part-time · North York, ON
  • Customer-facing retail sales and support, on-site at North York, ON
Apr 2024 to Jul 2024
Commissary Updater
St. James’s Gate Irish Alehouse · Contract Part-time
  • Tracked all kitchen supplies and ingredients along with beverages to guarantee continuous availability for the team
  • Etobicoke, ON · On-site
Jan 2024 to Apr 2024
Dishwasher
Restaurant Lucie · Contract Part-time
  • Supported kitchen operations at 100 Yonge St, Toronto

Skills

Security & SOC
SIEM (Splunk, AlienVault) · Threat Intelligence · Incident Triage · Digital Forensics (live/dead box) · CCTV/IP Surveillance · Vulnerability Management · OPSWAT ICIP · MasterCard Cybersecurity Framework · EDR · IDS
Networking
TCP/IP · VLANs · Firewalls · Routing & Switching (CCNA Fundamentals) · WLAN/Wi-Fi 802.11 · SDN · Cisco IOS · APNIC Routing · LAN/WAN Design · DNS (Pi-hole + Unbound)
Systems & Servers
Linux (Ubuntu, RHEL) · Windows Server (AD, DHCP, DNS) · Proxmox · VMware · Hyper-V · VirtualBox · Docker · Server Monitoring · Backups · Patch Management · Operating Systems · IT Fundamentals
Cloud & Virtualization
Azure (AZ-900 certified) · AWS (Cloud Practitioner + Security) · Nextcloud · Self-hosted Infrastructure · Hybrid Cloud Environments
Databases
SQL · MySQL · PostgreSQL · MS SQL Server · Cloud Database Deployment (Azure)
Programming & Scripting
Python · Bash · PHP · JavaScript · Rust · Splunk SPL, automation of OS deployment, network config, and security workflows
Tools & Platforms
Git · GDB · Make · Visual Studio · Eclipse · AJAX · Docker · SMTP · Web Hosting · AI Model Training & Deployment

Certifications & Licences

Active

✓Cybersecurity Defense Analyst, Cisco, May 2026
✓IBM IX Computer Networks and Network Security, Apr 2026
✓Microsoft Certified: Azure Cloud Architecture (AZ-900)
✓IBM IX Operating Systems: Administration & Security, Apr 2026
✓Diploma in Ethical Hacking, Alison, Mar 2026
✓Foundations of Cybersecurity, Google, Feb 2026
✓IBM Cybersecurity Tools & Cyberattacks, Feb 2026
✓Accelerate Your Job Search with AI, Google, Feb 2026
✓AWS Cloud Practitioner
✓AWS Academy Graduate, Cloud Security, Nov 2025
✓OPSWAT Certified Information Professional (CIP), exp. Feb 2027
✓OPSWAT Introduction to Critical Infrastructure Protection (ICIP), exp. Mar 2027
✓MasterCard Cybersecurity Virtual Experience, Forage
✓EASY Framework for Threat Intelligence, AttackIQ
✓Introduction to Model Context Protocol, Anthropic
✓Cisco Routing Course, APNIC Academy, exp. Mar 2029
✓MSSQL Certification, Microsoft
○ISC2 Candidate (CC), expired Aug 2026
✓Business Case for Workplace Wellness, CCOHS, Jun 2025
✓Integrity in Action, Seneca, Jun 2025
✓Plagiarism and Citation, Seneca Polytechnic, Jun 2025
✓Ontario Security Guard Licence, #50059604
✓Smart Serve Ontario, #240328413205, exp. Mar 2029
✓First Aid & CPR Certified
✓CompTIA A+
✓CCNA Fundamentals

In Progress

○CompTIA Security+

Education

Jan 2023 to Dec 2026
Bachelor of Engineering, Information Technology
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

Grade: 3.56

Jan 2024 to Apr 2026
Postgraduate Degree, Cyber/Electronic Operations and Warfare
Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology, Toronto, ON

Grade: 3.92

2024
Diploma, Ethical Hacking
Alison Academy, Galway, Ireland
2024
A+ Certified Professional Course
Scarborough Training Centre, Toronto, ON

Volunteering

Mar 2016 to Present
Cadet
Bangladesh National Cadet Corps

Civil Rights and Social Action, Once a Cadet, always a Cadet

Jan 2012 to Present
President Scout
Association of Top Achiever Scouts Bangladesh

Arts and Culture, “সেবার জন্য সদা প্রস্তুত থাকতে যথাসাধ্য চেষ্টা করা”, “Be Prepared”

Languages

◆English, Fluent
◆Bengali/Bangla, Fluent
◆Urdu/Pakistani, Conversational
◆French, Basic