4 ms·

Apart from the fact that it's pretty much impossible to find a job in cybersecurity unless you have some wanky certifications. When I was younger I tried to br

by mpeg 13y ago

Apart from the fact that it's pretty much impossible to find a job in cybersecurity unless you have some wanky certifications. When I was younger I tried to break into that world and it was pretty much impossible. Companies I contacted to notify them about their security flaws seldom replied (and when they did, it was never to thank me) On the other hand, I could always find buyers for exploits in alternative markets, or credit card numbers, or rooted servers. My moral compass prevented me from going too deep into that stuff, but I know people who ended up setting DDoS -for-cash services, etc. (and they/we were just kids !) I get it that you're trying to sell courses here, but come on...

wglb 13y ago
This is really not the case. Certifications are often frowned upon by some of the better pen testers. Programming skill will get you most of the way there. It is by no means impossible.
- mpeg 13y ago
  I worked in this company where we had a dedicated security team, the pentesters were either outsourced or underpaid goons with an excel cheatsheet of things to try. The managers were MBAs with CompTIA certs. Now, this is only my experience, but I've never really seen all-rounded security people being valued in companies, apart from maybe small consultancies where getting a job is probably mostly governed by luck and being in the right place, at the right time :)
  - FreakLegion 13y ago
    It depends both on the company and on the role. Certs can be important for contract/services work, so if you're looking at a company that bills people out to clients, and that would be your role, you'll probably needs certs, as some clients (e.g. government) require them. If you're looking at joining an internal security team at a company -- even a big one like Visa or Intel -- the certs tend to be less important. Plenty of people, as you move up the management chain, have certs, but usually because the employer footed the bill. My evidence is anecdotal, obviously, but everyone I know who's joined an internal security team got the gig based on skills and experience. None of them had certs. (And the offers I've received myself weren't based on certs, since I don't have any!)
  - wglb 13y ago
    From everything that I can see, there is pretty much negative unemployment for seriously good, uncertified, high-talent penetration testers. I directly know of a few places that are very seriously trying to staff up with non-goons. I expect some to show up on HN tomorrow, in fact.

by mpeg 13y ago

wglb 13y ago

This is really not the case. Certifications are often frowned upon by some of the better pen testers. Programming skill will get you most of the way there. It is by no means impossible.

mpeg 13y ago
I worked in this company where we had a dedicated security team, the pentesters were either outsourced or underpaid goons with an excel cheatsheet of things to try. The managers were MBAs with CompTIA certs. Now, this is only my experience, but I've never really seen all-rounded security people being valued in companies, apart from maybe small consultancies where getting a job is probably mostly governed by luck and being in the right place, at the right time :)
- FreakLegion 13y ago
  It depends both on the company and on the role. Certs can be important for contract/services work, so if you're looking at a company that bills people out to clients, and that would be your role, you'll probably needs certs, as some clients (e.g. government) require them. If you're looking at joining an internal security team at a company -- even a big one like Visa or Intel -- the certs tend to be less important. Plenty of people, as you move up the management chain, have certs, but usually because the employer footed the bill. My evidence is anecdotal, obviously, but everyone I know who's joined an internal security team got the gig based on skills and experience. None of them had certs. (And the offers I've received myself weren't based on certs, since I don't have any!)
- wglb 13y ago
  From everything that I can see, there is pretty much negative unemployment for seriously good, uncertified, high-talent penetration testers. I directly know of a few places that are very seriously trying to staff up with non-goons. I expect some to show up on HN tomorrow, in fact.