Hello Dougles, I started off looking for security jobs at the age of 17 (20 now) and started out doing the same things, reading hundreds of documents from web sites and playing with linux & freebsd. I am still without a security job but started buying old computers and other hardware to start a testlab for trying different network configurations. You havn't said if you have started programming..... this is a must if going into the security field...I started with Python (www.python.org) and am just now getting used to C++... they are loads of tutorials on the net to help you get started. You could start looking into qualifications like the MCSE, GIAC or CCNA which will give you an edge when it comes to a job. Hopefully you will have a better chance being in the USA as its still not quite caught on enough in the uk... but even after my 80th negative email from companies (some rather sarcastic replies) i will still remain persistant in looking.
Good luck and keep learning Regards, Marc Towers "My wage packet has more deductions then a sherlock holmes novel" ----- Original Message ----- From: "Douglas Pichardo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 04, 2002 3:29 PM Subject: Please help a young aspiring security professional > Revered security professionals: > Hi, my name is Douglas Pichardo and I am 16 years old. I live in Virginia > Beach, Virginia (USA), and I am in the 10th grade. I have been a member of > this discussion list for several months, trying to learn all I can about the > world of security, which I have a strong interest in. This last summer, when > my interest popped up, I spent several hours almost every day reading > webpages about every security topic that I could read about and understand, > but at that time I was using Windows 98 and was unable to really get into and > play around with any of the information I learned, and decided to get an OS > that would allow me to - either Linux or Windows 2000, and Windows 2000 is > too expensive. For Christmas, I got SuSE Linux 7.3 Professional, <u>Hacking > Linux Exposed</u>, and <u>Linux System Administration</u>, as these all had > good reviews in various places and I did not like Mandrake 8.1 which I had > burned on CD and previously installed. > Well, to the point: I would like to try out security things like firewalls > and such and be exposed to the internet (I'm behind a Linksys Cable/DSL > router with NAT), but I don't feel anywhere near knowledgeable enough. What > I'm looking for is a internship of sorts, and I was wondering if either: (a) > by some chance some of you know companies in Virginia Beach, VA, that would > take me "under their wing", or (b) any of you know of any websites or > companies that might have information about local internship programs in the > security/administration field. I am looking for a learning opportunity - a > free one - where I could gain experience (the SANS and other conferences are > too much money and travel for me at age 16). I would greatly appreciate any > help that you would give me as an aspiring security professional. Thank you > in advance, and also thank you for reading all of this - I can get wordy :-) . > > Sincerely, > Douglas Pichardo > > P.S. I'm not some teenage wanna-be hacker; I truly only want to get into the > security field, not the "counter"-security field. And just in case the fact > that I'm writing this at 10:30 AM might contribute to the stereotype, I have > no school today; we have about 3 inches of snow and the whole area has shut > down as if it were 3 feet. > > P.P.S. Are there any other books on Linux administration or local/network > security that you recommend? _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
