7-Modern-Languages-in-7-Weeks---Systems--Security---Algorithms-Track/week 1/projects/readme.md

🛠 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.

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🎯 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

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🧰 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

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🔐 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

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📄 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

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🖥 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

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📊 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)

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✅ 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

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🔜 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

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📌 These bonus sysadmin projects are designed to turn programming fundamentals into practical Linux and Windows administration and security skills.