Is there a lot of demand for computer security specialists?

Stochastic13 · May 2011

Pre-med classes include one year of English, one year of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, one year of Bio, and one year of Physics, I just need one more semester of Physics and I'm done with my premed classes; however, I do plan to take a semester of Biochem. Anatomy needed for MCAT is very basic and so is physiology and both are covered in one year of prereq Bio. As for the med school, their curriculum is so vast that no one major offers you a "good preparation". They teach you all the stuff you need to know about being a doctor in medical school. Adcoms just want to see that you can learn a lot of material very fast that's why your major doesn't matter. Another thing I don't understand is how one can be a good security professional without having a deep understanding of programming and hardware both of which are covered in CS major.

ibcritn · May 2011

Stochastic13 wrote: »

Since I'm going to be in school for another four years does in make sense for me to take CompTia certs to help me get internships or should I just concentrate on school since the certs expire in three years?

CompTIA Security+ would really be the only one I would go after since its DoDD 8570 compliant for IAT level II and IAM level I

afcyung · May 2011

Stochastic13 wrote: »

Another thing I don't understand is how one can be a good security professional without having a deep understanding of programming and hardware both of which are covered in CS major.

Access Control
Application Development Security
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning
Cryptography
Information Security Governance and Risk Management
Legal, Regulations, Investigations and Compliance
Operations Security
Physical (Environmental) Security
Security Architecture and Design
Telecommunications and Network Security

Those are the ten Common bodies of Knowledge for the CISSP (the gold standard for security certs). While programing has a part in it, its not all inclusive. Its easier to trick the bosses secretary to give up his PW to you in a phishing email then it is to try and find an exploit in a web servers code. If you look at Kevin Mitnick he says his greatest tool was social engineering.

Again I think you need to figure out what you want to do with security. Its a huge area of IT and touches every part of the IT world. A CS degree focuses on programming so thats what your skill set will be in once you finish. If you want to get into Pentesting then networking is the key there.

If what you say is true about getting into med school then getting an IT degree with a focus on networking should give the same chance of getting into med school as a CS degree.

Stochastic13 · May 2011

That makes a lot of sense; however, Univeristies around here UCSD, SDSU do not offer BS in Networking or IT. UCSD has a BS in CS with focus on networking and security. SDSU has plain vanilla CS BS. Online school is out of the question since adcoms in med schools don't consider those degrees to be tangible. Universities such as Phoenix and the like are plain scams and I can't leave the city, so my only option is to get a CS major with focus on network security at UCSD.

afcyung · May 2011

Yeah if thats all thats available to you then you really dont have an option.

Is there a lot of demand for computer security specialists?

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