Get APLawrence.com by RSS(OLDER) <- More Stuff -> (NEWER) (NEWEST)
Home > Security > Security consultants future
Printer Friendly Version
Security consultants future
My nephew's son has just started college. He doesn't really know what he wants to do with his life. but does seem to have some interest in the computer field. His maternal grandfather has suggested that he learn about security and while I don't think that's bad advice, I don't agree that it's necessarily a ticket to a great career.
Right now, security consultants do very well, but that's not going to last. Not so many years ago, someone conversant with integrating TCP/IP, Appletalk and Token Ring networks was in high demand, and a certification in that area was worth quite a bit. Today, very few people use anything but TCP/IP and if they do have any mixed network needs, off the shelf hardware can handle it with very little expertise needed. The same thing will happen with security: routers and switches and the computers themselves will have everything they need built in, which means small need for high priced experts.
The computer field changes very rapidly. I think studying security is a great idea, but I wouldn't necessarily plan on that being a life time job plan.
If this page was useful to you, please click to help others find it: Your +1's can help friends, contacts, and others on the web find the best stuff when they search.
Inexpensive and informative Apple related e-books:
Fonts in Mac OS X, Tiger Edition (Leopard version also available)
Upgrading to Snow Leopard
iWeb '09
Syncing Data in Snow Leopard
Now Up-to-Date &Contact
More Articles by Tony Lawrence - Find me on Google+
Have you tried Searching this site?
Unix/Linux/Mac OS X support by phone, email or on-site: Support Rates
This is a Unix/Linux resource website. It contains technical articles about Unix, Linux and general computing related subjects, opinion, news, help files, how-to's, tutorials and more. We appreciate comments and article submissions.
Many of the products and books I review are things I purchased for my own use. Some were given to me specifically for the purpose of reviewing them. I resell or can earn commissions from the sale of some of these items. Links within these pages may be affiliate links that pay me for referring you to them. That's mostly insignificant amounts of money; whenever it is not I have made my relationship plain. I also may own stock in companies mentioned here. If you have any question, please do feel free to contact me.
Specific links that take you to pages that allow you to purchase the item I reviewed are very likely to pay me a commission. Many of the books I review were given to me by the publishers specifically for the purpose of writing a review. These gifts and referral fees do not affect my opinions; I often give bad reviews anyway.
We use Google third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.
Buy Kerio from a dealer who knows tech: I sell and support
Kerio Connect Mail server, Control, Workspace and Operator licenses and subscription renewals
Click here to add your comments
Thu Sep 22 14:59:15 2005: BigDumbDinosaur
The computer field changes very rapidly. I think studying security is a great idea, but I wouldn't necessarily plan on that being a life time job plan.
Put another way, there was a time when guys who could rebuild a steam locomotive were highly employable. Not any more!
Thu Sep 22 16:11:31 2005: rbailin
Tony,
Could you please fix up http://aplawrence.com/Blog/fullstyle.html
to again allow & show comments? It's been broken for several days
now.
Also, could you provide a link for website feedback/problems such
as this, perhaps at the bottom of each page, or on the contacts page?
Bob
Thu Sep 22 16:21:03 2005: TonyLawrence
Sorry Bob - I know it's broken )because of a change elsewhere) and just haven't had time to fix. Will try to get to it over the weekend.
Home page is ok for comments like this..
Fri Sep 30 02:25:12 2005: AndrewStott
Sorry, I have to take exception with some of your statements. While IT Security won't always be as "hot" as it is right now, it will likely continue to be a crucial part of the industry. As systems, applications, networks, and technology itself becomes more complex there will be an even stronger need for highly skilled security experts. This is because the attacks themselves become more complex to both identify and to defend against. Of course, since I'm a security professional you might assume that I'm biased...
In reference to your router/switch/computer comment, I don't know quite what you meant by "everything they need" will be "built-in." First of all, technology can go a long way towards helping to address security issues -- AV, firewalls, encryption, etc all help to make systems more secure. But an improperly configured piece of technology, or one that has flaws, can be counterproductive. After all, Security is a process, not a point solution. Worse comes to worse, if you're right and technology (and not people) is the answer in the end, someone still has to design the technology, right?
In regards to your analogies, to equate specific network protocols with a subject as varied as Security just isn't correct. It'd be much more accurate to equate Networking and Security, or Programming and Security. If you mean to say a networking expert skilled in a few specific technologies 10 years ago who didn't learn anything new over that period wouldn't be as useful today, you're of course correct since technologies and their implementations change. But the same would be true for a programmer or sysadmin from 1995. If instead they were to rely on their foundations while adapting to their changing fields they would find much greater job security in the long run.
If you're nephew's son is considering focusing on a specific topic (such as Windows XP host security or PHP 5 secure coding best practices) and trying to build a career around it, he will unfortunately be out of a job in short order. If he studies Information Security and truly enjoys it, however, he will likely find a wealth of subjects he can pursue. Current examples that come to mind are Application Security, Compliance, Identity Management, and many others. While studying IT Security won't be a "ticket" to anything, if combined with other general Computer Science or technology curriculum, it will certainly provide a strong foundation that he can build upon later.
As with any technical field, it is crucial to grow and devlop throughout your career. This is especially true in the IT industry, and even more so in Security. Best of luck to your nephew's son.
(And BTW, looks like a great site.)
Thu Sep 29 19:28:57 2005: TonyLawrence
OK, if we're both still alive in 2o years, we'll see who was right?
Don't miss responses! Subscribe to Comments by RSS or by Email
Click here to add your comments
If you want a picture to show with your comment, go get a Gravatar