Let me explain a little bit about myself first. I have been involved in computers, learning how they work, programming, from a very young age. I first started out in windows... I know... I got very familiar with it and soon found the ability to solve problems within it. I'm one of the people friends come too when they need they're computer fixing. I first started programming with VB at the age of 13, and progressed to PHP rapidly as I did not like VB, and heard PHP was similar to C, but easier. Over the next few years I learned PHP, C, and C++ - self taught. I then started taking part time courses in C and C++ at college during my first year of 6'th form. I then left 6'th form, after a rather unpleasant discussion with my head of year, who told me my best interests were within the school, I should leave my part time courses and focus on 6'th form - this made me realise 6'th form was not the place for me, and would not push me to where I wanted to be in my carrer, so I took a full time course at my college: "ND IT Practitioners" with hopes to advance to uni to get to the 'good stuff'. I have completed my first year of college with 9/9 Distinctions in my units, and am aiming for the same 9/9 Distinctions for my second year. In the first year we learned vb.net, and supposedly 'web server scripting' - however our tutor was S**T, I knew more than her. I had to hand my assignment in PHP due to the poor quality of her teaching, where the assignment was supposed to be .ASP (the rest of the year are resitting the unit this year, I'm the only one exempt.) This year we are studying .ASP in more advanced detail with a very good tutor, along with C#, and various games development/computer animation units. I am a good programmer, and am able to think through problems logically, and am fast at learning any new languages, after all, logic differs very little with programming. I would like to be a penetration tester, this sort of thing really appeals to me as opposed to the high amount of documentation that comes with application/games developing. Although I understand documentation will be involved with penetration testing, I highly doubt it could be on such a vast scale that a application would be. I have been looking for university courses which would best get me to where I would like to go. (I am a UK resident, I do not mind what uni it is so long as its within the UK.) The first that popped out at me is Ethical Hacking & Countermeasures - however after reading online I have found a lot of bad reviews on this course. So I'm asking, which university course would be best for me, my programming skills, as well as career opportunities in penetration testing? Penetration testing is primary, programming is secondary, unless programming will best serve my opportunities in penetration testing. I really hope someone can help me with this, even better if a Penetration Tester could give me some first hand advice, that would be just perfect. I have also heard that employment can be gained by having legal blemishes on your record relative to penetration of systems, or is this more hassle than gain? Could some companies suspect you of abusing their vulnerabile position of letting you have control of their system?
Can't give you any advice really, but would like to commend you on your determination. Sadly lacking in so many these days who get to Uni Well done.
Learn TCP IP inside out. Linux, NMAP. Cisco CCNA, Look at CCIE security Path. Take and define your CV with CLEAR CUT security related pilars of activty such as certs and projects. Learn a second language away from IT for personal growth and a feeling of achivement, french sucks, german sucks, arabic is heavy & sounds disguesting but is a part of another world so is Mandarin or russian, an ipod and podcastsand 2 years later your speaking like a native, some thing to think about and adds some thing wounderfull to your CV, self taught x outside of formal education. Sign up for industry news letters. Send off letters for work experience at local IT security companys well in advance, include a smart picture and your CV, follow it up with a polite call to arrange a short meeting. What you do differently from others equates to profit, this is a poker theory but is also true here with your career. Security professionals by nature should be nitty about processes, paradiod, pencil pushers with a big dolop of high inteligence a thurst for knowledge and a bottomless, unending quest for information and the solution to the task they are working at. Dont ever stop when your trying to resolve or figure some thing out. Security is a multi faceted area, the human eliment to systems will always be the weakest part. Read a sht load about any thing that could be related to what your plaining to do, send emails and sign up to groups were people you aspire to be like congregate. Having a few CCNP /IE security experts in your address book to email with questions would be lol FREE GARY MCKINNON
