October 2019 CTG Membership Update

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By Hylan Joseph

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I just finished reading Tribe of Hackers by Marcus Carey and Jennifer Jin. The book interviews 70 security specialists and former hackers. The authors asked questions like: What is the biggest myth in cybersecurity? What qualities do successful security pros have? The questions that really interested me were the questions about life-hacks and the best books and movies on hacking and security. What’s great is the interviewees are not rockstar security people or popular hackers, but people who do these jobs day-in, day-out like us.

The book was compelling. What was most compelling about the book was how many similarities there were between our two industries.

Networking

Almost every specialist answered that what made a successful information security professional was their ability to work within their community and network. Our industry is really the same, we all communicate with each other even if we’re competitors, and those who don’t usually fail. 

Education

To be a great cyber warrior you don’t really need a specific education. More than half of the people interviewed earned their chops back in the olden days when we all tried to hack via phone line. Like our industry, there is a need for certification – but if you’re passionate about that you do, it will drive you in this business.

Passion for Problem-Solving

Perhaps the greatest similarity between the two groups was the passion for problem-solving. Security issues are one big puzzle that requires attention to detail, tenacity, and the drive to fix the issue. Service technicians are the same. If you are on Slack, you can see this in action every day. Techs are constantly reaching out to each other to work on technical issues

There was quite a bit more, but these were the ideas that grabbed me. Ultimately, what I found most inspiring was the assiduous attention to troubleshooting and finding solutions.

A couple of other interesting takeaways:

  • 65 people said that the best way to protect yourself was get a password manager.

  • The favorite movie was either “Sneakers” or “Hackers.”

  • The most recommended book was Cliff Stoll‘s The Cuckoo’s Egg, which is an incredibly interesting read and a strong lesson in the importance of troubleshooting and exhausting all options when you’re trying to solve a problem.

One last thing:

CTG Summit Houston is quickly approaching, and I‘m excited to see everyone, participate in the classes, and connect. Safe travels to everyone, and I hope to see you in Houston!