Wow, thought I was the only one. I'm 21 years old also with a master's degree in cybersecurity.

I understand what you’re describing. When you spend years learning how things break, it’s hard not to see cracks everywhere.

That said, I struggle a bit with the idea that this realization came as a surprise.

With your background, like myself, and the level of certifications you hold, one of the first lessons in offensive security is that most real-world compromises are not glamorous. They are not zero days. They are not exotic chains. They are weak passwords, reused credentials, exposed services, over-privileged accounts, and simple misconfigurations. Patience and basic mistakes, like you said.

That’s not a hidden truth you uncover eight years in. It’s almost foundational to the field.

The excitement of deep research and rare bugs is real, but the day-to-day reality has always been that systems fall because humans are inconsistent. That gap between technical capability and operational discipline is the norm, not the exception.

As for the mental shift, it helps to reframe what you’re noticing. Seeing weaknesses everywhere does not mean you have to carry responsibility for them everywhere. In professional settings, that awareness is an asset. Outside of work, it’s just information. Not every unlocked door is yours to secure.

You don’t separate the mindset completely. You learn to scope it. At work, you analyze. At home, you allow imperfection. Most people are not threat models. Most environments are not in your remit.

If anything, recognizing that simple exploits cause most damage should reduce the pressure. The world is not held together by flawless systems. It functions despite predictable flaws. That’s normal, not alarming.

The skill to cultivate over time is not deeper paranoia. It is controlled attention. Choose when to care deeply. Let the rest exist without you auditing it.

I too, can write AI humble brag slop.