end of day 5 week 1

week 1/projects/readme.md

@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+# 🛠 Bonus Sysadmin Projects — Bash & PowerShell Fundamentals
+
+This README documents a set of **bonus sysadmin-oriented projects** designed to be completed **after Week 1 and before Week 2**.
+
+These projects are practical, security-focused, and closely aligned with **real Linux/Windows system administration, automation, and security analysis tasks**. They reinforce core programming concepts (loops, conditionals, validation, algorithms) in both **Bash (Linux)** and **PowerShell (Windows)** environments.
+
+---
+
+## 🎯 Purpose of These Projects
+
+These bonus projects exist to:
+
+* Bridge theory → real-world sysadmin work
+* Strengthen Bash and PowerShell scripting confidence
+* Apply algorithmic thinking to system tasks
+* Build habits required for **A+ → CCNA → Security+** paths
+* Prepare for Week 2 (Data Structures & Algorithms)
+
+They simulate tasks performed by:
+
+* Linux and Windows system administrators
+* Security analysts / SOC engineers
+* DevOps and cloud engineers
+* Blue team / hardening roles
+
+---
+
+## 🧰 Project 1 — User Audit Script
+
+### Goal
+
+Audit local users and identify potentially unsafe usernames.
+
+### Tasks
+
+* Read usernames from `/etc/passwd` (Linux) or `Get-LocalUser` (PowerShell)
+* Extract the username field
+* Validate usernames using rules:
+
+  * Letters only
+  * Length ≤ 20
+  * Starts with a letter
+* Print only invalid usernames
+
+### Skills Reinforced
+
+* File reading / system commands
+* Field parsing
+* Loops and validation logic
+* Defensive system auditing
+
+---
+
+## 🔐 Project 2 — Password Policy Checker (Simulation)
+
+> ⚠️ No real passwords — this is a simulation exercise
+
+### Goal
+
+Validate whether a password string meets a security policy.
+
+### Tasks
+
+* Prompt user for a password
+* Enforce rules such as:
+
+  * Minimum length (e.g., ≥ 12)
+  * At least one letter
+  * At least one digit
+  * At least one special character
+* Output `Strong` or `Weak`
+
+### Skills Reinforced
+
+* Multiple counters / flags
+* Regex checks
+* Early exit logic
+* Secure input validation
+
+---
+
+## 📄 Project 3 — Log File Scanner
+
+### Goal
+
+Scan a log file for suspicious activity indicators.
+
+### Tasks
+
+* Read a log file line by line
+* Detect keywords such as:
+
+  * `failed`
+  * `error`
+  * `unauthorized`
+* Count occurrences of each keyword
+* Print a summary report
+
+### Skills Reinforced
+
+* File iteration
+* Pattern matching
+* Counters
+* Incident response fundamentals
+
+---
+
+## 🖥 Project 4 — Service Status Monitor
+
+### Goal
+
+Verify whether critical system services are running.
+
+### Tasks
+
+* Define an array/list of services (e.g., `ssh`, `cron`, `ufw` in Linux; `WinRM`, `wuauserv` in Windows)
+* For each service:
+
+  * Check if it is running
+  * Print `OK` or `NOT RUNNING`
+
+### Skills Reinforced
+
+* Arrays / collections
+* Command execution and exit code checking
+* Automation patterns in Bash and PowerShell
+
+---
+
+## 📊 Project 5 — Algorithm Reflection (Written)
+
+### Goal
+
+Build the habit of analyzing performance in real scripts.
+
+### Tasks
+
+For **one of the projects above**, answer:
+
+* What is `n` in this script?
+* What is the time complexity?
+* What happens if the input doubles?
+
+### Example
+
+```
+T(n) = n
+T(2n) = 2n
+Big-O: O(n)
+```
+
+---
+
+## ✅ Completion Guidelines
+
+* These projects are **optional but strongly recommended**
+* Completing **2–3 projects** is sufficient before Week 2
+* Focus on:
+
+  * Correctness
+  * Readability
+  * Defensive coding
+  * Clear logic
+* Implement each project in **both Bash and PowerShell** if possible for dual practice
+
+---
+
+## 🔜 What Comes Next
+
+After completing the bonus projects:
+
+* Proceed to **Week 2 — Data Structures & Early Algorithms**
+* Arrays, maps, sets
+* Searching algorithms
+* Clear math explanations with real system examples
+
+---
+
+📌 *These bonus sysadmin projects are designed to turn programming fundamentals into practical Linux and Windows administration and security skills.*