Re: Education and Security

From: Cl Clay (cclay2_at_csc.com)
Date: 04/08/04

  • Next message: Michael Bellears: "Symantec Gateway Security 5420"
    To: Andy Blair <blai0015@umn.edu>
    Date: Thu, 8 Apr 2004 10:37:51 -0400
    
    

    Someone made a comment about getting a degree in mathematics. My hats off
    to you. If I had to do it all over again that is what I would have done.
    With a degree in mathematics yet set your own limits. Some people change
    careers every five years. You can get into programming, security ,
    cryptography (oh boy!) and even business. Remember the bottom line of any
    big business is profit. Also, much of what is taught in the classroom can
    be obtain through self- study, certifications, and good old hands-on.
    Generally, employers will automatically assume you are competent enough to
    handle any task is you have a background in mathematics. Everything you do
    involves some level of mathematics. You can't go wrong with a degree in
    mathematics. The only disclaimer I have is if you don't like math then
    focus on what you particularly enjoy and perform the necessary research to
    accomplish your goal.

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                          Andy Blair
                          <blai0015 To: "Gaydosh, Adam" <GaydoshA@ctcgsc.org>, security-basics@securityfocus.com
                          @umn.edu> cc: Daryl <dwalleck@satx.rr.com>
                                                   Subject: Re: Education and Security
                          04/07/2004 03:34
                          PM
                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                           

    My university does not offer the IA major, but I am emphasizing in computer
    security. I also got a management minor from the business department here
    (University of Minnesota) which allowed me to take courses that taught
    business concepts as well as technical concepts. The electives I took for
    the management minor were MIS courses which most business schools will
    offer. They had a course in security and another in e-commerce which helped
    tie the two fields together.

    My suggestion would be to focus on what you want to do with your security
    degree. If you want to work in a corporate or consulting environment with
    businesses, the Infrastructure Assurance might be a better focus. If you
    would rather do secure programming, academic or lab research on security,
    the CS degree would be the way to go. Because of the different core courses
    you'll need, double-majoring might be long and expensive. I would pick one
    as a focus and try to round out the other with electives or a minor.

    Good luck!

    Andy

    On 7 Apr 2004, Gaydosh, Adam wrote:
    > dual-major! You will ultimately want a balance of the skills offered by
    =
    > both degrees for your professional career..but if you find that's not =
    > feasible, then I suggest you go for the BA, and take a few CS electives =
    > to round out your technical background. It is increasingly important =
    > that the techies can use their skills to enable business, not just =
    > support it. Also, I find that most undergradutate CS programs teach you
    =
    > core concepts, but often not much of the actual technologies you will be
    =
    > working with out of school...so that you will have to continue your =
    > technical education [even if only self-study] beyond undergraduate =
    > courses regardless of which major you choose...HTH!
    >
    > -adam
    >
    >
    >
    > >-----Original Message-----
    > >From: Daryl [mailto:dwalleck@satx.rr.com]
    > >Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 10:38 AM
    > >To: security-basics@securityfocus.com
    > >Subject: Education and Security
    > >
    > >
    > > I believe questions similar to this have been asked before but my
    > >version is a bit different. I'm currently a computer science major (not
    > >too far along) who's always been interested in the security field. I
    > >chose CS for a major since it was the closest thing. Recently=20
    > >my college
    > >began to offer a full BA in Infrastructure Assurance, their=20
    > >version of a
    > >security degree. My only worry is that the degree plan is rooted in the
    > >school of Business and therefore requires a large core of business
    > >classes and not as much technical work (a copy of the requirements can
    > >be found here
    > >http://business.utsa.edu/undergraduate/degrees/is/BBA_IA.pdf). At this
    > >point I think I've thought the issue to death in my head and I could
    > >really use some outside input. Any thoughts?
    > >
    > > Daryl Walleck
    > >
    > >
    > >---------------------------------------------------------------
    > >------------
    > >Ethical Hacking at the InfoSec Institute. Mention this ad and=20
    > >get $545 off=20
    > >any course! All of our class sizes are guaranteed to be 10=20
    > >students or less=20
    > >to facilitate one-on-one interaction with one of our expert=20
    > >instructors.=20
    > >Attend a course taught by an expert instructor with years of=20
    > >in-the-field=20
    > >pen testing experience in our state of the art hacking lab.=20
    > >Master the skills=20
    > >of an Ethical Hacker to better assess the security of your=20
    > >organization.=20
    > >Visit us at:=20
    > >http://www.infosecinstitute.com/courses/ethical_hacking_training.html
    > >---------------------------------------------------------------
    > >-------------
    > >
    > >
    >
    >
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    > Ethical Hacking at the InfoSec Institute. Mention this ad and get $545
    off
    > any course! All of our class sizes are guaranteed to be 10 students or
    less
    > to facilitate one-on-one interaction with one of our expert instructors.
    > Attend a course taught by an expert instructor with years of in-the-field

    > pen testing experience in our state of the art hacking lab. Master the
    skills
    >
    > of an Ethical Hacker to better assess the security of your organization.
    > Visit us at:
    > http://www.infosecinstitute.com/courses/ethical_hacking_training.html
    >
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -
    >
    >

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ethical Hacking at the InfoSec Institute. Mention this ad and get $545 off
    any course! All of our class sizes are guaranteed to be 10 students or less

    to facilitate one-on-one interaction with one of our expert instructors.
    Attend a course taught by an expert instructor with years of in-the-field
    pen testing experience in our state of the art hacking lab. Master the
    skills
    of an Ethical Hacker to better assess the security of your organization.
    Visit us at:
    http://www.infosecinstitute.com/courses/ethical_hacking_training.html
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ethical Hacking at the InfoSec Institute. Mention this ad and get $545 off
    any course! All of our class sizes are guaranteed to be 10 students or less
    to facilitate one-on-one interaction with one of our expert instructors.
    Attend a course taught by an expert instructor with years of in-the-field
    pen testing experience in our state of the art hacking lab. Master the skills
    of an Ethical Hacker to better assess the security of your organization.
    Visit us at:
    http://www.infosecinstitute.com/courses/ethical_hacking_training.html
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------


  • Next message: Michael Bellears: "Symantec Gateway Security 5420"

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