Security Basics mailing list archives
Security Universitites and Certifications
From: "Chris Saulnier" <chris.saulnier () ns sympatico ca>
Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2003 21:01:26 -0300
First a little bit about myself, I'm a grade 10 student at a public school in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. I've had an interest in computers for a long time, and after delving into the darker side of things I joined this list and have been reading it for a bit. I want to start planning for my future, and I've been doing allot of thinking on the subject. I would like to have a degree in some form of computer science, and right now I think that security is the area which I would like to focus on. What I would really like to be is a pen tester for a computer security consulting firm, and hope to start on a path that will allow me to do that. I don't really want to be a drone at a big software company, I've come up with two general ideas of what I would like to do for my education. I could go to a prestigious ( read as expensive ) school, something like MIT, for some form of computer science (security related), and then if I can afford it, get a masters, then enter the workforce. Or, plan B which I would also like to do, would be to go to a less expensive school for computer science and then attend a school for a law degree, and deal with computer law, which I believe will be a very big 'industry' by the time I get of out school, and something I would be interested in doing. Also, it would be a good degree to have if I decided to follow my 'dream' of being a pen tester, with the legalities of it all. Right now, I'd like to start looking into universities a little so I can get an idea what's out there, and I would like to start working towards some security certifications. I am somewhat working towards an A+ certification with an outdated book, so I will have to purchase a newer book before I can take the new exams. While Hardware isn't my main (or even second last *wink*) interest, reading this book is really giving me a better insight into how computers work on the lowest level, which helps to also understand how some exploits work. I hope to do more security related certs, and am looking for some help in deciding which ones would be the best for me right now. I've been trying to lead a rounded life, playing sports, volunteering (of course computer related *grin*), and doing well in school, in Grade 9, which doesn't matter, I got 100% on both my science and math exam, and 90%+ on all of my other exams, and plan to continue this through school. I also plan to have a academically heavy course load through all three years of school, taking all the honors courses I can, so I can hopefully choose what university I want to go to. I plan on traveling to attend university. While the United States or Canada is the plan, European Universities are not out of the question. First off, one question I have is does having a second language count for allot in a computer science school? This year I'm taking French, but it won't really fit into my schedule for the next 2 years. So If you guy's could send me some names of good universities that have a strong reputation in computer security and a little bit about them that would be great. While I realize that this is a very generalized question, I still have two years to figure out what I want to do, so I have a long time to look through all of your answers. Before I go to university, I would also like to get some certs. I hope to get A+ soonish, so but instead I may just start on other certifications more related to security, my field of interest. I just heard about the CEH cert today on the list, and I was wondering if it was any good? (http://www.eccouncil.org/CEH.htm) It covers topics that I would be interested in, but like I've read, it should be called certified script kiddie as it's mostly using prewritten tools and exploits. Although getting a base semi-professional 'how to hack' cert would be nice I think. Also what do you guys/girls think about Security+. Any other certifications you think would be good for me, please point me towards them. If anyone would be interested in a more in-depth discussion with a security n00b, or if anyone who lives around me works in the computer industry, please contact me, as I have to do a job shadowing project soon and would love to shadow someone in the industry -grin- Chris Saulnier chrisDOTsaulnierATnsDOTsympaticoDOTca --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current thread:
- Security Universitites and Certifications Chris Saulnier (Oct 09)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- RE: Security Universitites and Certifications Stephens, Francis L. (Oct 09)
- RE: Security Universitites and Certifications Hagen, Eric (Oct 09)