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Skills for Computer Security

neonardo

Hi all

what skills are needed for computer security??
Secondary only?
Primary?
Math?
Programming?
Networking?
Engineering?
or just motivation and desire??

Help me please
Thanks

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Comments

wastedtime

This may have been better in "Off-Topic" but your base skills for what ever area of security you go into are going to be understanding the details of how stuff works down to a low level of operation. Math, programming, and networking are all helpful but being able to describe how stuff interacts and being able to apply this information is what is necessary. Some examples: (Describe in as much detail as possible)
-You click on a executable program on your computer what does the computer do?
-You open your browser and type in "www.google.com" and go to that address. What happens on the network? Can you tell me all packets you will see and in what order they will be in?

Know what you are securing stuff against. Be able to put yourself in the attacker's shoes. What would the attacker do and what information would he go after.

Education never stops. You need to constantly develop it.

That is my take.

badrottie

Right at the top: logic, analysis and communication skills.

Personality traits that are desirable: curiosity, persistence, professional skepticism, etc.

Domain specific skills (programming, networking, system administration, etc.) are useful, but depending upon the area of information security you are operating in, their degree of importance will vary.

There are so many areas of information security. Select an area that you are interested in and specialize. You wouldn't go to a General Practitioner when you require Neurosurgery, after all.

sb97

Critical thinking rates high on my list. You need to have the technical ability to get the information you need but you also need to have the capacity to understand what that information means and how to act on it.

Paul Boz

neonardo wrote: »

or just motivation and desire??

This is all you need. I haven't finished my degree and I'm doing very well. I know guys with degrees and no certs that are doing equally well. I also know guys with no degree or certs doing equally well. The common binder here is hard work and determination (like Buckethead Would say).

MrRyte

Paul Boz wrote: »

.....The common binder here is hard work and determination (like Buckethead Would say).

Bingo. Drive and desire come first; all else is secondary.

The willingness to learn something is a start. But there will times of frustration that will test your commitment. When I started my CCNA1 class there were 25+ students; the last day of CCNA4 there were only 6 students. The only question is how bad do YOU want to master it.

neonardo

thanks for the advice everyone

I intend to study by myself, but I have 29 years old and that demotivated me a little

I sometimes think I'm too old , but Computer Security is something that I like

Please give me tips on motivation, study materials and forms that can help me

Thanks!!!

MrRyte

29 is too old? Says who?

I'll be 40 this year and I'm just getting started with my IT journey. Wish I was A LOT MORE DISCIPLINED at 29 years old......

kiki162

MrRyte wrote: »

Bingo. Drive and desire come first; all else is secondary.

The willingness to learn something is a start. But there will times of frustration that will test your commitment. When I started my CCNA1 class there were 25+ students; the last day of CCNA4 there were only 6 students. The only question is how bad do YOU want to master it.

Yeah I second that. I'm in school for Network Security learning a lot of stuff I would have never done on my own. As far as kicking yourself to get motivated to do something and stuff is the hard part. Granted there are people /w and w/o degrees that are doing well, but the ones /w degrees forced themselves to learn the things they wouldn't completely do on there own. Basically because they were paying for it. I had to do the same thing, but I just don't have enough motivation to do certain things. Yet when I have those things right in front of me to play with at my job, like play with R2 Server, or Hyper-V, then it certainly helps out.

Think about getting yourself into a college class, or training class to help push you to get it done.