On Friday 01 January 1999 10:09, Marc towers stuffed this into my mailbox:
The problem is your age probably. I'm 22 now and working in a hardware store (i don't know the english word... just call us dealer for now, we sell to other stores not end-users). I started out here when I was 18 building systems and testing defective components. Most of our customers where very sceptical about me, because I was young (was? still am :-)) and in their eyes unexperienced. However some of the customers who threated me sarcastically have all come back of it, because I had a chance to prove myself. Some of those customers will call me instantly now if they have problems. Because I could prove myself I'm also frequently hired out to customers that see potential in me and they send me to their customers, even there I notice people looking sceptical at me (and those people aren't even knowledgeable about computers), however, after getting the job well done they're usually very pleased and they're much kinder next time I get around because they got some confidence in me by then. Anyways, I think, due to your age, you should try something similar. Don't try going into security at once. Whiz kids like us, if you don't mind me calling us that, appearantly are rare, or atleast rarely seen in the computer business at these ages. Most people are due to that really sceptical. Believe me, I've been there :-). Go looking for something simple first, like network administrator or technical service in a computer company. Slowly start making your boss there that you know a lot more and are aware of more things than he thinks you're aware of. Have discussions about security with the customers and point them things out. Soon enough you'll have some people to back you up. Once you have those references you should be able to flow into the security branch quite easily. Hope you can do something with my uhm 'life-story' albeit a bit small hehe :-) Best of luck to you. Regards > 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
