Asus Tech Support

  • Subscribe to our RSS feed.
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Digg

Friday, 13 July 2012

So You Want to Be a Security Expert

Posted on 07:12 by Unknown
So You Want to Be a Security Expert:
I regularly receive e-mail from people who want advice on how to learn more about computer security, either as a course of study in college or as an IT person considering it as a career choice.

First, know that there are many subspecialties in computer security. You can be an expert in keeping systems from being hacked, or in creating unhackable software. You can be an expert in finding security problems in software, or in networks. You can be an expert in viruses, or policies, or cryptography. There are many, many opportunities for many different skill sets. You don't have to be a coder to be a security expert.

In general, though, I have three pieces of advice to anyone who wants to learn computer security.


  • Study. Studying can take many forms. It can be classwork, either at universities or at training conferences like SANS and Offensive Security. (These are good self-starter resources.) It can be reading; there are a lot of excellent books out there -- and blogs -- that teach different aspects of computer security out there. Don't limit yourself to computer science, either. You can learn a lot by studying other areas of security, and soft sciences like economics, psychology, and sociology.

  • Do. Computer security is fundamentally a practitioner's art, and that requires practice. This means using what you've learned to configure security systems, design new security systems, and -- yes -- break existing security systems. This is why many courses have strong hands-on components; you won't learn much without it.

  • Show. It doesn't matter what you know or what you can do if you can't demonstrate it to someone who might want to hire you. This doesn't just mean sounding good in an interview. It means sounding good on mailing lists and in blog comments. You can show your expertise by making podcasts and writing your own blog. You can teach seminars at your local user group meetings. You can write papers for conferences, or books.

I am a fan of security certifications, which can often demonstrate all of these things to a potential employer quickly and easily.

I've really said nothing here that isn't also true for a gazillion other areas of study, but security also requires a particular mindset -- one I consider this essential for success in this field. I'm not sure it can be taught, but it certainly can be encouraged. "This kind of thinking is not natural for most people. It's not natural for engineers. Good engineering involves thinking about how things can be made to work; the security mindset involves thinking about how things can be made to fail. It involves thinking like an attacker, an adversary or a criminal. You don't have to exploit the vulnerabilities you find, but if you don't see the world that way, you'll never notice most security problems." This is especially true if you want to design security systems and not just implement them. Remember Schneier's Law: "Any person can invent a security system so clever that she or he can't think of how to break it." The only way your designs are going to be trusted is if you've made a name for yourself breaking other people's designs.

One final word about cryptography. Modern cryptography is particularly hard to learn. In addition to everything above, it requires graduate-level knowledge in mathematics. And, as in computer security in general, your prowess is demonstrated by what you can break. The field has progressed a lot since I wrote this guide and self-study cryptanalysis course a dozen years ago, but they're not bad places to start.

This essay originally appeared on "Krebs on Security," the second in a series of answers to the question. This is the first. There will be more.
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Posted in Certification | No comments
Newer Post Older Post Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Economy Hosting just Rs. 109/month for 12 months!

Popular Posts

  • Build the Mac Pro That You Wish Apple Released [Hackintosh]
    Build the Mac Pro That You Wish Apple Released [Hackintosh] : Last week Apple updated their Mac Pros to cutting-edge processors from 2010, e...
  • BD singer Porshi Scandal video download online
    BD singer Porshi BD singer Porshi video online BD singer Porshi  online Bangladeshi Chaneel I superstar singer Porshi recently released her ...
  • se l/e i ;ertoi' toi';t894t'4343
     EYAGA;P98 GTY;O' 98G/O; i; aiygt;a 90ghkhbkdhsl tie[ q[4890'8ihgxdhfs ;oa'9t hk4l ty'ae4t4 EYAGA;P98 GTY;O' 98G/O; i; a...
  • Curvy Girls of Miss Bumbum Brazil 2012
  • Sameeksha
  • Melyssa Grace: Hot Asian Import Model.
    Who Is Melyssa Grace? Quick Bio Name: Melyssa Grace Roberts Nickname: Mely Ethnicity: Filipina/German Profession: Model (Import) Birthdat...
  • Serangoon Road
    HBO's pioneer Asian series premiers this weekend By Nico Erle Ciriaco SINGAPORE CITY – Home Box Office (HBO) Asia announced in a press c...
  • Kay Valentine: Hot British Import Model.
    Kay Valentine Bio Quick Bio Name: Kay Valentine Nicknames: Princess Kay & Kay Veezy Ethnicity: Vietnamese/French Profession: Model (I...
  • Ankitha
  • Bollywood Actress Pictures - Hot Charmi part - 02

Categories

  • 1964
  • 3D frame resolution
  • 44th season
  • 4K technology
  • 60s theme
  • 84-inch LED
  • Abarat
  • Abbey Clancy
  • accessories
  • acqua
  • action
  • Aditi Gowarkar
  • Aditi Rao
  • adventure
  • agnes locsin
  • airlines
  • airplanes
  • Aisha
  • Aishwarya Rai
  • aklan
  • Alexandria Eissinger
  • Alia Bhatt
  • Alicia Machado
  • all-day
  • altro mondo
  • Amalia
  • american cuisine
  • Amisha Patel
  • Amrita Rao
  • Amy Jackson
  • Andrea Jeremiah
  • Aneh
  • anemia
  • Anika Kabir Shokh
  • Anjana Sukaani
  • Ankitha
  • Annelise Marie
  • anti-ageing
  • Anu Mehta
  • Anushka Sharma
  • apparel
  • Apple
  • appliances
  • Archana
  • Arpita Paul
  • art
  • art of dance
  • arte contemporanea
  • Asha Saini
  • asia pacific
  • asian
  • asians five nations tournament
  • aspen
  • Attahama Cheewanitchaphan
  • australian broadcasting corp
  • autumn
  • ayala center
  • Bag of Bones
  • ballet philippines
  • Bangladeshi Model
  • Bangladeshi Sexy Model
  • Bangladeshi Singer
  • bb pilipinas
  • bb. pilipinas
  • BD Model
  • beauty
  • beauty in giving
  • beddings
  • beds
  • Belarus
  • belt
  • beverly hills 6750
  • bgc
  • Bhavana
  • Bhuvaneshwari
  • biki
  • bikini
  • bio-oil
  • Bipasha Basu
  • Bisnis Lokal Go Online
  • bit.ly
  • blood disorder
  • book review
  • boracay
  • bp
  • bpci
  • breakfast
  • campaign
  • car seats
  • carriers
  • cause
  • ccp
  • cebu
  • Celina Jeitly
  • Certification
  • chef
  • childhope asia
  • children's joy foundation
  • Chitrangada Singh
  • christmas carol
  • cinema
  • cjfi
  • classical
  • Clive Barker
  • clothing
  • co-production
  • Cobie Smulders
  • collection
  • colors
  • comedy
  • competition
  • competitions
  • computer literacy
  • contact sports
  • contemporary
  • contest
  • contests
  • conveyances
  • coronation night
  • corporate social responsibility
  • corporate value
  • cqgq
  • CSR
  • cuisine
  • dance
  • Deeksha Seth
  • Deepika Padukone
  • deficiency
  • Dell
  • destination
  • destinations
  • detective noir
  • devices
  • Dhallywood Actress
  • Diana Monteiro
  • Diana Penty
  • digital products
  • dining
  • dive spots
  • Divya Bharathi
  • dockers
  • edna vida
  • elan awards
  • electronics
  • Elisha Cuthbert
  • Elle Evans
  • Emma Watson
  • Eragon
  • Erin Andrews
  • Evelyn Sharma
  • events
  • exhibit
  • f & b
  • fall
  • fashion
  • festivals
  • fila
  • filapinas
  • Filipina
  • film
  • foam
  • food
  • formulation
  • foundation
  • furnishings
  • gallery
  • garcia college of technology
  • gct
  • Geeta Basra
  • German brand
  • gianfranco pirrone
  • giselle
  • giselle sanchez
  • gkmbq
  • glorietta 5
  • gma 7
  • goo.gl
  • Google
  • grant
  • greenbelt 5
  • gusto kong maging beauty queen
  • H2O hotel
  • Hansika Motwani
  • hanupriya
  • Hazel Keech
  • hbo
  • hboasia
  • HD
  • Heera
  • high chroma texture
  • history
  • holiday
  • home
  • hot
  • iBT
  • IFBS
  • indigenous people
  • Indonesia
  • Indraja
  • initiative
  • installation art
  • international pageants
  • IPK
  • iron
  • Isha Chawla
  • italian
  • Japanese brand
  • jeff bridges
  • Jinri Park
  • john robert powers
  • Kajal Agarwal
  • Kajo
  • kalibo
  • kallery.net
  • Kamalini Mukharjee
  • Kamna Jatmalini
  • Kareena Kapoor
  • Katrina Kaif
  • Katy Perry
  • Kausha
  • Ken Follett
  • khaki
  • Kitami Masao
  • KLM
  • kristen stewart
  • kuh ledesma
  • Lambert Academic Publishing
  • LAP
  • Laura Baca
  • leather
  • Lee-Ann Roberts
  • lena gercke
  • life wear
  • linear atrophy
  • Lisa Haydon
  • mactan shangri-la
  • Mahima Chowdary
  • makati
  • malampaya
  • malaria
  • MAM
  • Mandakini
  • manila ocean park
  • Manjari
  • margie moran
  • Marian Rivera
  • Marika Baldini
  • marvel comics
  • Mary Elizabeth Winstead
  • mattresses
  • Maxim
  • mcjim
  • men
  • men's fashion
  • merck serono
  • Mette Munkø
  • Mila
  • minerals
  • Minisha Lambha
  • Minka Kelly
  • Minsk
  • Miss Supranational
  • miss world philippines
  • model
  • modern
  • modern art
  • moisturizer
  • Mounica Bedi
  • movie
  • movie review
  • mr jones
  • mutya johanna datul
  • mutya ng pilipinas
  • mvp bossing awards
  • mwp
  • My life
  • Nargis Fakhri
  • Natalie Pack
  • Navneet Kaur
  • Nayanatara
  • nbc tent
  • Neelam
  • Neha Jhulka
  • niccolo jose
  • Nikisha Patel
  • Nikitha
  • Nisha Kotari
  • nonoy froilan
  • nude
  • online voting
  • original
  • outreach
  • P2SMTP-LIPI
  • pageant
  • pageantry
  • pageants
  • painting
  • palawan
  • pants
  • Paris Hilton
  • paul morales
  • philippine volcanoes
  • pilipinas shell
  • Pillars of the Earth
  • planes
  • platinum award
  • poll
  • Pooja Bhatt
  • Pooja Gupta
  • Poonam Bajwa
  • popularity contest
  • Porshi
  • Porshi Scandal
  • Poses
  • powering the possible
  • Prachi Desai
  • precious lara quigaman
  • Preeti Jhingania
  • pret-a-porter
  • Priyanka Kotari
  • program
  • project
  • psfi
  • puerto princesa
  • PurCellin
  • quests
  • Raasi
  • Rachana Mourya
  • raffles hotel
  • raintree
  • Rambha
  • Ramya Krishna
  • Ramya Krishnan
  • range
  • readers digest
  • reality TV
  • Refaeli Bar
  • referrer spam
  • regza
  • rest in peace department
  • restaurant
  • restaurants
  • ripd
  • robert schwentke
  • Robin Scherbatsky
  • rock supremo
  • RTW
  • rugby
  • ryan renolds
  • SAKA
  • salagubang
  • salaminkera
  • Salli Villefrance
  • Saloni
  • Sam Kellet
  • Sameeksha
  • Sana Khan
  • sandra bullock
  • sangobion
  • Sara Carbonero
  • scarlett johansson
  • sculpture
  • sea air
  • search
  • Security
  • serangoon road
  • series
  • Sheela
  • shell
  • sheridan group
  • sheridan spa resort
  • Shireen
  • Shokh
  • Shradda Das
  • Shreya Saran
  • Shruthi Hassan
  • Shwetha Tiwari
  • sicily
  • Silk Smitha
  • Simran
  • SINAG
  • Sindu Tulani
  • singapore
  • skin damage
  • Sneha Ullal
  • social responsibility
  • solar entertainment
  • Sonam
  • Sonia Agarwal
  • sports palace
  • Stephen King
  • Stine Fabech
  • streetchildren
  • stretch marks
  • Sunny Leone
  • supplements
  • Susan
  • Swordless Samurai
  • technology
  • television
  • Thailand
  • the wicked
  • theater
  • Thomas Agatz
  • tiger air
  • tiger airways
  • Tim Clark
  • TOEFL
  • topical
  • toshiba
  • tourism
  • Tracy Chevalier
  • Translation
  • travel
  • treatment
  • tubbataha reef
  • Tulip Joshi
  • TV
  • Uditha Goswami
  • uip
  • Under The Dome
  • Uniqlo
  • Unknown
  • uratex
  • Urvashi Sharma
  • UT
  • Valentina Zambrotta
  • Varvara
  • Veda
  • Vedika
  • very hot
  • vijaya
  • Virgin Blue
  • visual arts
  • vitamins
  • well being
  • western philippines university
  • western visayas
  • wolverine
  • wood
  • world cup sevens
  • World Without End
  • x-men

Blog Archive

  • ►  2013 (137)
    • ►  September (15)
    • ►  August (21)
    • ►  July (8)
    • ►  June (12)
    • ►  May (8)
    • ►  April (6)
    • ►  March (13)
    • ►  February (33)
    • ►  January (21)
  • ▼  2012 (321)
    • ►  December (1)
    • ►  November (7)
    • ►  October (49)
    • ►  September (32)
    • ►  August (44)
    • ▼  July (69)
      • Emma Watson
      • Paris Hilton
      • Nayanatara
      • Andrea Jeremiah
      • Aditi Gowarkar
      • Bhavana
      • Amisha Patel
      • Sameeksha
      • Saloni
      • Sana Khan
      • Preeti Jhingania
      • Vedika
      • Mahima Chowdary
      • Anjana Sukaani
      • Ramya Krishnan
      • Sheela
      • Sonia Agarwal
      • Navneet Kaur
      • Anu Mehta
      • Bhuvaneshwari
      • Nargis Fakhri
      • Silk Smitha
      • Sunny Leone
      • Chitrangada Singh
      • scarlett johansson
      • lena gercke
      • Minka Kelly
      • Katy Perry
      • Bhanupriya
      • Isha Chawla
      • Indraja
      • Heera
      • Divya Bharathi
      • Sara Carbonero
      • Abbey Clancy
      • Hazel Keech
      • Erin Andrews
      • Valentina Zambrotta
      • Refaeli Bar
      • Cobie Smulders / Robin Scherbatsky
      • Use the Magic SysRq Key on Linux to Fix Frozen X S...
      • Understanding OAuth: What Happens When You Log Int...
      • Creating a secure 802.1x wireless infrastructure u...
      • Android File Transfer Takes the Pain Out of the Ma...
      • Safecopy Recovers Data from Hard Drives and Other ...
      • UpdateFreezer ices apps in place
      • Anti-Twin hunts down duplicate files
      • A New, Automated Approach to Achieving Application...
      • Get Email when New Aerial Images are available for...
      • Roll your own battery backup system
      • Make Your Own DIY Battery Backup System from Recyc...
      • Use Grounding Adapters to Make Extra Room on Power...
      • 67 Books Every Geek Should Read to Their Kids: A P...
      • FTC To Revisit Robocall Menace
      • The Death of Unlimited Data: What It Means, and Ho...
      • Confessions: The Phone Number
      • Where is the Cisco CCNA 2012 Update?
      • How to Find the Right SharePoint Training: A Resou...
      • Want to compare screen sizes or know if it will fi...
      • Your Uncle Wants Tech Support? Give Him This USB S...
      • Use Regular Expressions to Find Anything in your G...
      • A Piece of Paper That Boosts Your iPhone's Beats
      • Increase Your Odds of Actually Winning at Carnival...
      • Ultima IV Being Remade as Free-to-Play Ultima Forever
      • BioWare Revives Ultima as Free-to-Play RPG
      • Windows Server 2012: First Five Fixes
      • So You Want to Be a Security Expert
      • Yahoo! Voices Website Breached 400,000+ Compromised
      • How to stop unwanted robocalls
    • ►  June (113)
    • ►  April (3)
    • ►  February (1)
    • ►  January (2)
  • ►  2011 (42)
    • ►  December (2)
    • ►  November (4)
    • ►  September (1)
    • ►  August (21)
    • ►  July (2)
    • ►  June (1)
    • ►  May (5)
    • ►  April (6)
Powered by Blogger.

About Me

Unknown
View my complete profile