Alex Iris Finney

Due to personal reasons, back in August 2023 I stepped back from full-time salaried employment, and instead have been working on a contract / freelance basis where possible.

Some interesting things I've worked on in this time:

• Building fake linux terminal in TypeScript / JavaScript, including:
  • Ethereal simple file system;
  • Users, groups & permissions;
  • Common executables or built-ins such as cd, ls, cat;
  • STDIN, OUT & ERR redirection for pipes, arrows;
  • Variable and subcommand replacement;
  • And more!
• Developing a web app for Japanese Language revision.
• Providing authentication for multiple client websites using Nginx proxy manager and Authelia.
• Overhaul of underlying server architecture for personal websites to use CapRover with minimal Docker images for each website.

Cyberstart (formerly Helical Levity) was a high-end security research firm developing education tools to identify and teach the future generation of cyber security professionals; while also continuing to push the boundaries of computer security research.

While I initially joined as a web developer, I later shifted to a security content developer role - building fun and engaging web-based content to help teach cyber security concepts as part of Helical Levity's educational products.

Some awesome and/or interesting things I've been involved with:

• Working primarily on Cyber Discovery / Cyberstart - a cyber security education tool providing gamified challenges to teach cyber security principles.
• Creating 'securely insecure' challenges or applications for user's to attack, hack and break; to help demonstrate and teach security vulnerabilities and exploits.
• Producing and presenting web app security talks at conferences such as the Cyber Discovery Elite event (presentation available at https://youtu.be/R8BX4m2cIVU) and PHP York.
• Building bespoke cyber security challenges with focused vulnerabilities for CTF events and conferences.
• Building and maintaining the website for CyberThreat, a cyber security conference hosted by the National Cyber Security Centre and SANS Institute.
• Consistently working towards a comprehensive suite of tests for all web applications using PHPUnit, Codeception, Selenium, Behat, Jest, pytest and more.
• Load testing of applications using JMeter and Taurus to test scaling and identify areas needing improvement.

thefirstclub is a worldwide reward points and loyalty program platform for digital content. It allows clients to provide a platform where customers can spend reward and/or loyalty points to redeem against music, games, software, ebooks, audio books, emagazines, mobile apps, movies and more.

My work at thefirstclub includes both server-side and front end development, as well as occasional design projects. Clients I have worked with include Wells Fargo, IHG, Marriott Hotels, Missouri Lottery (via Scientific Games) and many more.

My day-to-day tasks and responsibilities generally involved:

• Developing new features and improvements for the platform.
• Carrying out regular testing and debugging.
• Managing servers within AWS.
• Communicating requirements, issues, updates and/or timelines to clients.

More specifically, I have been responsible for (or assisted with) the following:

• Handling redesigns for thefirstclub and client websites using custom templating solutions.
• Keeping client websites in line with all applicable accessibility standards.
• Communicating with provider APIs to facilitate point redemption and content supply.
• Rolling out and updating client sites, which involves:
  • Setting up new sites within appropriate frameworks and server configurations.
  • Developing SSO processes enabling clients to deliver users to their rewards.
  • Communicating with client APIs to report point spending and track redemptions.
• Using device detection (mobile and desktop) to allow for different user experiences and pre-filtered mobile app content listing, and to avoid issues with trying to purchase and download content on incompatible devices.
• Implementing a custom session handler to prevent session file locking/blocking and page request queues.
• Maintaining and updating a legacy framework to ensure compatibility with new versions of PHP and to keep it competitive as new technologies emerge.
• Incrementally moving the product to a new codebase built on the Slim PHP micro framework.

McCann Bristol is part of McCann Worldgroup, the world's largest advertising and communications network.

My work at McCann consisted of a mixture of server-side and front end development for a range of clients including AXA, HiQ, Gnodal, Brut and G Plan Upholstery among others.

My day-to-day tasks and responsibilities for them generally involved:

• Developing sections of back-end code for various websites and functions.
• Improving existing code to reduce size, raise performance, and resolve issues.
• Implementing designs for new content, features, and site elements.
• Handling small one-man website development projects.

Noteworthy tasks I carried out for them include:

• Implementing responsive design for both existing and new company and client websites.
• Caching data retrieved from API calls to improve performance and avoid issues with 'rate limits' for various sites including Facebook, Twitter, and Google.
• Developing Facebook apps, including the authorisation process and user integration (requesting data, posting to timelines).
• Implementing an easy process for posting photos to the McCann Bristol website (originally planned for just Instagram, then expanded for general functionality).
• Writing myriad interesting and challenging pieces of JavaScript/jQuery code for website features and enhancements.

Problem Free primarily provides online survey, poll and quiz services with free online surveys.

My work at Problem Free included:

• Designing and building a tool for creating reports based on data collected via quizzes. It allows users to add charts displaying different data aggregates and contextualise them with headings, text blocks and data grids, all of which can be resized and repositioned on the fly.
• Updating areas of booroo.com to better display information and improve user interaction through the addition of neater design structure and the use of jQuery and AJAX.

Brightpearl is an innovative and unique company providing a web-based system for accounting, CRM, stock control, invoicing and online shop for small businesses.

My work at Brightpearl included:

• Designing and catering the Brightpearl corporate website for US audiences (unfortunately no longer available to view) in support of the company’s move into the US market, heavily focusing on SEO for maximum visibility. The initial build used Wordpress for easy updating and automatic SEO functionality, though the design was subsequently updated.
• Designing bespoke client websites using Brightpearl's template/theming system
• Designing and building themes for the Brightpearl website system.
• Adapting existing designs to themes for the Brightpearl website system, whether supplied by clients or sourced from alternative systems.

S-cool is a market-leader in providing numerous educational products and services, the most notable being the S-cool revision website which is the UK's leading commercial revision website.

My work at S-cool included:

• Taking sole responsibility for the design, development and maintenance of S-cool's revision, corporate and "S-zone" websites using HTML, PHP, and jQuery.
• For the "S-zone" site, assisting with the creation of the CakePHP-based content management system and writing front-end PHP code.
• For the revision site, creating AJAX-driven pages (including competition pages and CMS components) as well as various microsites.
• Conducting basic Linux server management and configuration.
• Modifying and controlling host files, user management and FTP access for all S-cool sites.
• Carrying out general site maintenance including debugging and creating MySQL backups.
• Assisting with systems administration work, including server management (IIS, active directory, exchange), helpdesk support, and .NET project releases.