The day the systems went dark
Ask Ibrahim Sharul how it all started and the Year 4 Information Security major in NUS Computing who is also enrolled in NUS College (NUSC) pinpoints the exact incident that led him to pursue the path of cybersecurity. “It all went back to the infamous 2014 Sony hack which made global headlines. Overnight, cybersecurity was recognised for its vital importance and as a result, all the polytechnics in Singapore began offering this programme from 2015. The opportunity to solve problems and discover crimes intrigued me. In addition, my dad was concurrently doing a specialist diploma in cybersecurity, and I found his lecture notes interesting,” Ibrahim recounts.
A richer, wider education
Before enrolling into NUS Computing, Ibrahim had earned a Diploma in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics with Nanyang Polytechnic. While this gave him a strong foundation of cybersecurity-related knowledge, he was keen to deepen his knowledge base at NUS, one of the top universities for computing that also offers a major specialisation in information security. He also wanted the chance to savour a rich university life that would include diverse experiences like staying on campus, going overseas and maximising the plethora of opportunities at NUS.
Looking back on his decision, he offers this piece of sage advice for fellow polytechnic graduates wondering whether they should further their education:
Mindful about paying it forward, Ibrahim is now an ambassador for NUS Computing. He actively lends a hand to polytechnic students, instilling confidence in those daunted by the prospect of taking mathematics classes as part of their Computing degree.
Trotting the globe for study and pleasure
NUS’ vast array of global opportunities also appealed to Ibrahim, whose wanderlust is inspired by his mum, who has visited more than 20 countries and counting! “She used to bring us to different places around the world, and I loved travelling with her. When I grew older, she ventured to more places on her own, and when I asked her to bring me with her, she told me to travel on my own with my own money,” Ibrahim laughs.
An adventurer who is ever on the lookout to try new things, Ibrahim shares: “One of my bucket-list goals is to travel to 50 countries by the age of 50.” The passionate traveller shared that by the end of 2023, more than half of the number of countries he has ever travelled to would be a direct result of overseas school trips! At NUS alone, he has already set foot in 12 countries, thanks to attending a Summer Programme in Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain in July 2023 and the Student Exchange Programme (SEP) in Utrecht University, Netherlands in September that same year.
Ibrahim (first from right) visiting the Arc De Triomphe in Barcelona, Spain, with his friends from the NUS Summer Programme.
These global opportunities have been one of the highlights of Ibrahim’s NUS education. Ever eager to dive into the new culture and cuisine around him, the Computing major has been busy getting used to cycling everywhere in Utrecht and learning to cook. Ibrahim proudly shared that he has cooked nasi goreng, roti prata and chicken curry to date, and recently found tofu and tempeh in the Asian mart near his college.
Ibrahim (first from left) cooked chicken curry, prata and Indian-style kuay teow for the friends he made in the Netherlands on the NUS Student Exchange Programme.
The binary code of friendship
Like many students, Ibrahim initially struggled when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit and lessons went online. It was difficult to feel isolated and on the academic front, he was daunted by the workload and faltering in some of his classes. Thankfully two of his close friends in NUS Computing, Hussain and Roy, helped him with his programming, coding and mathematics. “We took the same classes for four years and they are the reason why I made it through my first year. They would even give me their notes and explain the concepts to me.”
Ibrahim (second from right) and his friend Hussain (second from left) with their group mates from his favourite course, IS3103: Information Systems Leadership and Communication.
Paying it forward
The other pillar of mental and emotional support came from a self-discovery programme Find Your Ikigai that was run by two NUS alumni from the University Scholars Programme (USP), the predecessor of NUS College (NUSC). The programme rescued Ibrahim from a negative spiral of self-doubt during the pandemic. “It helped me understand my interests, strengths, core values and priorities, which really helped me in my NUS journey as I regained my confidence. This programme later became a regular course offered by USP.”
This life-changing event motivated Ibrahim to become a facilitator and trainer – both at Facilitators@NUS where he served as the Vice-President (External), as well as at external companies such as The Astronauts Collective.
Ibrahim (second from right) serving as a facilitator and mentor for a tourism project under the six-week Ngee Ann Apprenticeship programme for students in the Talent Development Programme.
Now realising the importance of protecting his mental health, Ibrahim makes time to unwind by playing floorball and football, as well as watching movies and reading self-help books.
Across the gamut
Of the Computing modules he has taken thus far, Ibrahim counts IS4231: Information Security Management and IS3103: Information Systems Leadership and Communication as the ones he enjoyed the most.
One of the most unique interdisciplinary courses as part of his curriculum was IFS4101: Legal Aspects of Information Security, which he thoroughly enjoyed and did well for. The course, which exposes students to the legal issues related to information security, was conducted by a practising lawyer who gave Ibrahim and his fellow Computing students the rare opportunity to take part in a moot court as part of the class, and experience what it could be like to be a lawyer.
At NUSC, NUS’ honours college, the broad-based interdisciplinary curriculum has also enriched Ibrahim’s worldview and honed his essay writing skills and confidence. He particularly enjoyed NHS2028: Effective Decision Making, which helped him link economic concepts to behavioural psychology and taught him to become more nuanced in his perspectives. Another highlight of NUSC’s curriculum was taking the NHS2053: Heterogeneous Indians of Contemporary Singapore course, prompted in part by his inability to answer questions about his Indian roots during a trip to Germany. “I consider myself a walking advocate for this course now!” he laughs and elaborates, “We were watching Indian movies, drawing links to Bollywood’s soft power and Singapore’s multiracialism. I used to be a movie buff, but now I watch movies with a new socio-cultural lens.”
The human touch of IT
Reflecting on the key qualities that help one excel in Computing, Ibrahim feels that curiosity and persistence are vital as debugging is a reiterative process. Being adventurous in solutioning is also important as the IT landscape is evolving so quickly. Of all the domains within cybersecurity, Ibrahim confessed that he is most interested in data privacy and cyber defence.
Of his aspirations after graduation, Ibrahim muses: “I hope to have a structured career programme doing cyber security, solving problems in a team where I get to incorporate my soft and hard skills.”
Ibrahim (first from right) with his SEP orientation group friends, Jakub from Poland (centre) and Stanley from the UK (left).