5 ms·

Those of you who worked at Facebook/Google, wouldn't he make more money by simply being L5-L8 at one of those firms?

by barli 7y ago

owlninja 7y ago
Possibly, but it sounds like he was just not wired for a straight job.
edm0nd 7y ago
For us non-FANG ppl, what does L5-L8 mean? Are those cybersec job role classifications?
- tartoran 7y ago
  I think the OP refers to Level 5 to Level 8 but I don't know what they mean either.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- mmahemoff 7y ago
  Here is Google's career ladder for software engineers: https://codingrelic.geekhold.com/2018/08/google-software-engineering-levels-and.html https://codingrelic.geekhold.com/2018/08/google-software-eng... Your typical engineer with relevant education and 5 years of experience is probably about L4/5.
- maxvu 7y ago
  I think https://www.levels.fyi/ https://www.levels.fyi/ gives these classifications.
- danellis 7y ago
  Even if he did get in, it seems unlikely that he'd be able progress beyond L5, after which leadership becomes more important.
gautamdivgi 7y ago
And deal with all the organizational politics?
asdfe121f3 7y ago
But can he reverse a linked list?
- m00dy 7y ago
  I busted out loud at this one.
planetzero 7y ago
I always think about this too (with people that decide to resort to this sort of activity..and any criminal activity in general). The difference: you have full control over your destiny, power that you don't have to spend a decade earning..you just take it, and you don't have ask for permission. There's also a thrill to it. Something you really don't get from a boring desk job..even for the likes of google and Facebook. It's very similar to those amateur pedo-busting groups on Youtube. Why not just become a detective? Because you then have to go through all kinds of red tape and answer to an asshole boss when things go wrong. Instead, you can play super hero for views and subscription numbers.
- barli 7y ago
  Good point!
  - celticninja 7y ago
    I mean the thrill greatly outweighs the monetary reward of this type of activity.
paggle 7y ago
For certain people, making money illegally is more fun than making it legally, even in spite of the risk.
- celticninja 7y ago
  Because of the risk.
driverdan 7y ago
He was making $10k / month cash for one botnet client alone. Factoring in CA taxes that's $16k+ he'd have to be paid at a regular job. He was making a lot more money than that from renting it to others and other undisclosed hacks. Besides, it's not just the money.
- daveFNbuck 7y ago
  L5 at Google makes something like $29k/month according to https://www.levels.fyi/ https://www.levels.fyi/
- vlovich123 7y ago
  For context L5s make 33k/mo before taxes. L7s ~66k. L8s are easily in the ~80k+ territory. The bands also get MUCH wider in L6+ land with lots of overlap.
daveFNbuck 7y ago
> Daniel Kaye, also known as Spdrman, found regular jobs tough but corporate espionage easy.
Buge 7y ago
> simply being L5-L8 The article says he applied to many companies, and they all turned him down because he was too suspicious.

Those of you who worked at Facebook/Google, wouldn't he make more money by simply being L5-L8 at one of those firms?

by barli 7y ago

Those of you who worked at Facebook/Google, wouldn't he make more money by simply being L5-L8 at one of those firms?

owlninja 7y ago

Possibly, but it sounds like he was just not wired for a straight job.

edm0nd 7y ago

For us non-FANG ppl, what does L5-L8 mean? Are those cybersec job role classifications?

tartoran 7y ago
I think the OP refers to Level 5 to Level 8 but I don't know what they mean either.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
mmahemoff 7y ago
Here is Google's career ladder for software engineers: https://codingrelic.geekhold.com/2018/08/google-software-engineering-levels-and.html https://codingrelic.geekhold.com/2018/08/google-software-eng... Your typical engineer with relevant education and 5 years of experience is probably about L4/5.
maxvu 7y ago
I think https://www.levels.fyi/ https://www.levels.fyi/ gives these classifications.
danellis 7y ago
Even if he did get in, it seems unlikely that he'd be able progress beyond L5, after which leadership becomes more important.

gautamdivgi 7y ago

And deal with all the organizational politics?

asdfe121f3 7y ago

But can he reverse a linked list?

m00dy 7y ago
I busted out loud at this one.

planetzero 7y ago

I always think about this too (with people that decide to resort to this sort of activity..and any criminal activity in general). The difference: you have full control over your destiny, power that you don't have to spend a decade earning..you just take it, and you don't have ask for permission. There's also a thrill to it. Something you really don't get from a boring desk job..even for the likes of google and Facebook. It's very similar to those amateur pedo-busting groups on Youtube. Why not just become a detective? Because you then have to go through all kinds of red tape and answer to an asshole boss when things go wrong. Instead, you can play super hero for views and subscription numbers.

barli 7y ago
Good point!
- celticninja 7y ago
  I mean the thrill greatly outweighs the monetary reward of this type of activity.

paggle 7y ago

For certain people, making money illegally is more fun than making it legally, even in spite of the risk.

celticninja 7y ago
Because of the risk.

driverdan 7y ago

He was making $10k / month cash for one botnet client alone. Factoring in CA taxes that's $16k+ he'd have to be paid at a regular job. He was making a lot more money than that from renting it to others and other undisclosed hacks. Besides, it's not just the money.

daveFNbuck 7y ago
L5 at Google makes something like $29k/month according to https://www.levels.fyi/ https://www.levels.fyi/
vlovich123 7y ago
For context L5s make 33k/mo before taxes. L7s ~66k. L8s are easily in the ~80k+ territory. The bands also get MUCH wider in L6+ land with lots of overlap.

daveFNbuck 7y ago

> Daniel Kaye, also known as Spdrman, found regular jobs tough but corporate espionage easy.

Buge 7y ago

> simply being L5-L8 The article says he applied to many companies, and they all turned him down because he was too suspicious.