That’s my take right now, at least.
I had always had an interest in computer stuff even during my career as a musician, so I always thought about what I would do in the tech world. Usually it was web design or maybe software development. Maybe even something more artistic like photography and/or graphic design. Anything but cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity seemed too overwhelming to tackle. All the code, finding vulnerabilities, patching vulnerabilities, stopping malware while it’s active… I don’t even know what I’m saying to be honest. I was actually talked into researching the field – partly because I have kids to feed so I need to find a job that can do that, but also because of my talents as a musician. Perhaps things I can observe with my ears will translate to things I can observe with my eyes. So while this is easy for me to say right now because I haven’t studied anything technical yet. I’ve come to a basic conclusion based on what I’ve read and followed so far.
Cyber crimes are just scams on a computer (and sometimes not)…
I’m reading Hacking the Hacker by Roger A. Grimes, based on a recommendation from the ScorpSec Instagram page. It was published a while ago, but I find it relevant. After all it profiles some of the greatest all stars in the short (kind of) history of computer security. What I’m finding out that while there’s a lot of talent (that’s what it is) that goes into the actions of cyber crimes – malware, SIM swaps, password theft, etc. – it really comes down to fooling someone into giving up their information. This is called social engineering now, but I’m… not young. It’s just old fashioned scamming. Get someone to spill the beans accidentally, and you could have an entire company, or at least all their money.
That’s why I’m eager to educate whoever I work with (and hopefully beyond) on general cyber awareness, as well as the technical side. I’m eager to get into it so I can share a little more than my green takes. But I need to lay down a foundation first and get to know computers better than I do, and how they operate and work together in a business environment.
So in the meantime, for now I’ll list what I’m studying, what I’m reading, and what I’m listening to for those that come upon this someday that are in my shoes. Things will change by the time you read this, but some don’t. So feel free to check these out even if you’re reading this years later.
Studying: System Administration and IT Infrastructure Services – part of the Google IT Support certification path.
Reading: Hacking the Hacker by Roger A. Grimes – Up next: The Code Book by Simon Singh -or- A Hacker’s Mind by Bruce Schneier
Listening to: Darknet Diaries, Your Cyber Path, Cybersecurity Simplified, Akimbo: A Podcast from Seth Godin
…and a lot of instrumental hip hop – my career change was almost as a music producer, might still do it on the side.