Vítor Costa
Location Argoncilhe, Aveiro, Portugal
Date of Birth February 9th, 2002
About Me
I'm a Cybersecurity Engineer with hands-on experience in secure development, automation, and incident response. Currently completing my Master’s in Computer Engineering, I’ve applied DevSecOps practices, strengthened infrastructure security, and implemented security controls across systems and networks. I'm autonomous, persistent, and driven by solving complex technical challenges.
Academic Experience
Master's Degree in Computer Engineering
Cybersecurity and System Administration
EQF Level - 7
ISEP - Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Porto, Portugal
September 2024 - Now
- Studied secure software development practices and implemented applications following those principles.
- Gained hands-on experience with DevOps and DevSecOps through automation projects using tools like Docker, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Ansible, Vagrant, and LXD.
- Applied offensive and defensive cybersecurity concepts by implementing a SIEM with Wazuh and an IDS with Suricata, as well as conducting penetration tests using Kali Linux tools.
- Designed and documented an Information Security Management System (ISMS) to define policies, procedures, and controls for an organization seeking ISO 27001 certification.
- Applied secure networking protocols and principles across infrastructure setups.
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering
EQF Level - 6
ISEP - Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Porto, Portugal
September 2020 - January 2024
- Studied a wide range of programming paradigms, design patterns, and algorithms.
- Worked with various technologies including Java, C#, C, and Bash scripting.
- Received foundational training in computer networks and system administration.
- Gained experience in both Linux and Windows Server environments.
- Participated in semester-long integrative projects, working in teams to solve real-world problems by applying the technical skills acquired in class.
High School - Technological Scientific Track
Management Informatics
EQF Level - 4
Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos, Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, Portugal
September 2017 - August 2020
- Developed web applications using PHP.
- Worked with ERP systems such as PHC.
- Created automated solutions using Microsoft Excel.
- Worked with various databases including SQL Server, MySQL, and MS Access.
- Gained introductory knowledge in economics, accounting, and finance.
- Studied fundamental marketing concepts.
- Completed a final project that involved building an article-based website using PHP.
Work Experience
Cybersecurity Engineer – Incident Response
Sonae MC, Maia, Portugal
June 2025 - Now
- Investigating and resolving reported cybersecurity incidents and cases.
- Supporting SIEM rule tuning and optimization efforts.
- Proposing improvements to the platform, including identifying potential new log sources.
- Contributing to the definition and refinement of incident response processes.
- Creating post-incident analysis reports (post-mortems) to document lessons learned and recommend actions.
Platform Engineer – Data Store Platforms
Sonae MC, Maia, Portugal
September 2024 - May 2025
- Assisted in automating virtual machine management using Ansible, GitHub Actions, and AWX.
- Designed and implemented an API for centralized user management across multiple database systems, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and Oracle.
- Conducted research and developed proofs of concept for IT infrastructure automation.
- Provided support to the DBA team with database-related issues.
Software Engineer Intern
Engenho & Obra, Porto, Portugal
October 2023 - December 2023
- Developed a web application for human resource management using a distributed system architecture.
- Implemented the frontend using Angular and the backend with Java Spring.
- Applied an onion architecture design pattern to structure the backend for better separation of concerns.
- Created detailed deployment documentation for future use.
- Delivered a fully functional solution including authentication, user and permission management, file sharing, event and absence management, and more—meeting all client requirements.
IT Intern
COTESI, Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, Portugal
October 2019 - April 2020
- Manually updated outdated records in the SAP ERP system database.
- Designed and helped implement a functionality to prevent future data inconsistencies in the ERP system.
- Developed a simple application to automate document generation, streamlining internal workflows.
- Assisted in network infrastructure maintenance.
- Supported the implementation of GDPR-compliant data protection policies and helped mitigate risks of data exfiltration.