Digital Fire Report #004 · May 8, 2026
Canvas Went Dark During Finals
A DMACC student email made the Instructure breach feel local. Here's what students and small teams should do now.
Read on Substack (opens in a new tab)About
I came to IT from the fire service.
Eddie Perry
IT and cybersecurity · Ankeny, Iowa
- role
- Computer Operator, batch operations
- goal
- A career in cybersecurity
- also
- Co-Founder, Smart Solutions
- previously
- Tier 2 Help Desk
- before IT
- Firefighter and EMT
- education
- Des Moines Area Community College
Eddie Perry
IT and cybersecurity, 2026
- Role
- Computer Operator, batch operations
- Goal
- A career in cybersecurity
- Also
- Co-Founder, Smart Solutions
- Previously
- Tier 2 Help Desk
- Location
- Ankeny, Iowa
- Before IT
- Firefighter and EMT
- Education
- Des Moines Area Community College
On a call, you size up the scene, act on what you can confirm, and hand the next crew a clear record. Security work runs on the same habits, and that’s where I’m headed.
Today I work as a computer operator handling batch operations. I monitor scheduled jobs, follow the runbook when one fails, and escalate with the details the next team needs. Before that I did Tier 2 help desk support for an internet provider.
Outside work I co-run Smart Solutions, a small technology business, build security practice tools like Shift Zero, and write The Digital Firefighter, a plain-English security newsletter.
Work
Take it for a spin.
Every app on this laptop is something I built at work or on my own time. Open one from the dock, drag the windows around, and try the demos.Every app here is something I built at work or on my own time. Tap one to open it and try the demos.
D3Duplicate records. The same unit ID appears in two sources, so someone has to pick the right one.
| Property | Units | Source | Check | Next owner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 24 | Leasing export | Ready | Support | |
| 3 | 48 | Property report | Duplicate records | Network | |
| 4 | 16 | Leasing export | Ready | Support | |
| 5 | 32 | Manual entry | Missing unit data | Operations | |
| 6 | 40 | Property report | Blocked | Network | |
| 7 | 12 | Leasing export | Ready | Support |
Tap an app to open it.
Shift Zero
Personal project · Public
A practice range for security investigations. Twelve cases built from fictional logs, email headers, and scripts, plus eight lessons on how networks work.
- Why I built it
- Reading about an attack is different from deciding what happened. I wanted somewhere to practice that judgment without touching anyone's real systems.
- How it works
- Pick a case, read the evidence with your own tools, and submit a finding. Answers are checked on the server, so the answer key never reaches the browser. Version 1.4 shipped with 112 unit tests.
- Limits
- All cases are fictional. Nothing runs commands or contacts a live system. Version 1.5 is still in development.
Experience
Where I've worked.
IT and security now, the fire service before that. Open any role for the details.
Computer Operator, Batch OperationsSammons Financial GroupCurrentSep 2026 to now
Contract through Paragon IT Professionals
- Monitor scheduled batch jobs and workflows in Control-M, and follow the documented procedure when a job fails.
- Open incidents and escalate to development and support teams with the details they need to act.
- Keep time-sensitive jobs on schedule, including policy documents, statements, and service letters.
- Troubleshoot printers, print queues, and connectivity problems during daily system checks.
Co-FounderSmart SolutionsCurrent2024 to now
Side business · Websites, software, AI tools, and IT services
- Co-founded a small technology business that builds websites, custom software, and AI tools, and helps clients with IT setup and support.
- Design and build websites and web apps, from the first draft to launch, including this site.
- Building Smart Solutions Studio, an in-house editor for producing client websites.
Tier 2 Help Desk TechnicianICS Advanced TechnologiesJun to Sep 2026
Contract through Robert Half · Ames, Iowa
- Handled escalated internet, device, and account issues for residents across multifamily properties.
- Researched network and service problems in Calix, MikroTik WinBox, and SolarWinds, and wrote down what was tried before escalating.
- Built a shared Excel onboarding tracker and work queue for more than 1,500 tenant records. You can try a version of it in the Work section.
FounderThe Digital FirefighterMar 2026 to now
Independent security research and writing
- Research phishing, ransomware, credential theft, and supply-chain attacks, and write short reports anyone can follow.
- Build and document local labs for log review and private, on-device AI.
Firefighter and EMTGranger Fire and EMS and Delaware TownshipJan 2025 to Apr 2026
Des Moines area
- Responded to 911 calls, medical emergencies, search and rescue, and hazmat incidents.
- Wrote a timestamped report for every call and handed off clearly to police, paramedics, and other departments.
Business Development ManagerWorldwide LogisticsFeb 2024 to Jan 2025
Urbandale, Iowa
- Caught billing and CRM problems, like mispriced loads and duplicate entries, and worked them out with operations and finance before they reached customers.
Customer-facing rolesWireless retail, storm restoration sales, college enrollmentBefore 2024
Including a Verizon authorized retailer
- Troubleshot phones, connectivity, and account access, and trained customers and staff on account security.
7 roles
Download the resume (PDF)Full history on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Credentials
Certifications and tools.
Tap a pass to bring it to the front.
Tools at work
- Control-M
- Windows and Microsoft 365
- Excel
- SolarWinds
- Calix and MikroTik WinBox
- Reactor
My own projects
- TypeScript and React
- Node.js
- Git
- Cloudflare
- Ollama
Security practice
- Wazuh
- Wireshark
- Nmap
Writing
The Digital Firefighter.
Real incidents explained for people who don't work in security: what was confirmed, what is still a claim, and what to do next.
- Canvas Went Dark During FinalsMay 8, 2026 · Digital Fire Report #004A DMACC student email made the Instructure breach feel local. Here's what students and small teams should do now. (opens in a new tab)
- Why your brain cannot hold a hundred passwordsMay 4, 2026 · Digital First Aid #002One app, one strong password, and the next ten logins you make. That is the whole start. (opens in a new tab)
- The week ambulances drove past Brockton HospitalMay 4, 2026 · Digital Fire Report #003A community hospital outside Boston went to paper, diverted ambulances, and showed what downtime really costs. (opens in a new tab)
- When the Trucks StopMar 31, 2026 · Digital Fire Report #002Ransomware locked KNP Logistics out of the systems that kept its trucks moving. (opens in a new tab)
Contact
Say hello.
Eddie PerryUsually replies within a day
Email is the fastest way to reach me.
eddieperry92@gmail.com