Getting started in InfoSec (Part 5) – Aim for the stars

You’ve gotten this far, you’ve landed a job, maybe it’s just a foot in the door to what you really want to do…but it’s a start.

So, now what? Some might consider this a time to let off the gas a little and get comfortable.

I would disagree with that, however. Once you’ve landed a position, it’s now time to show WHY you were the right choice. Not only that, it’s time to show why you’re much more valuable than your company/manager realized. You are an asset. Your unique skills are irreplaceable. Your manager and your organization needs to know this. So, how do you keep your foot on the gas and grow your skills?

InfoSec is a field that changes, a lot. There are always new threats, vulnerabilities, and technologies to keep up with. If you’re not keeping up to date with industry knowledge, you’re getting left behind. Being left behind in this field is not good. The bad guys are always looking for new and unique ways to achieve their goals, be it money, mayhem, or for the lulz. Do not underestimate them. Having a grasp on emerging technologies, trends, attacks, and threats can help you with the edge to defend your business and your customers.

I don’t know about you, but I do not want to have a major breach of my company happen on my watch. That would be quite a blow to deal with. We in InfoSec have a duty to defend the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our networks and data. Not only for our companies, but for our customers. This is a constant battle between, at risk of sounding dramatic, good and evil.

Staying up to date

So, how can you stay on top of current events, news, technologies, and attacks. One of my favorite apps is Feedly (IOS & Google Play). There are a lot of great news sites on Feedly that you can use to get your daily rundown on all the happenings. Below are a list of some of those resources that you can set up your feed with.

• CISA Current Activity
• Dark Reading
• Krebs on Security
• Naked Security
• Packet Storm Security
• SANS Internet Storm Center
• Schneier on Security
• Threatpost
• The Hacker News

While this is not an exhaustive list, it will definitely give you a good variety of resources for news.

So, now that you have a good foundation for news, what next?

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

– Dr. Suess

Lifelong Learning

Lifelong learning is more of a mentality than anything else. Aside from growing your InfoSec skills and knowledge, you should also look to grow your personal self. Leadership, communication, teamwork, as well as your own mental health. These are all very important aspects of a well-rounded individual.

There are many sites, some of which I’ll list in Part 6, for growing both your InfoSec and personal knowledge and skills. Remember, this is a journey. It’s not about finishing it, it’s about enjoying the journey. Dig into new and exciting things. Broaden your horizons. Go out on a limb and learn something you may not have ever dared try to.

One last parting piece of wisdom that I’d love to share with you is to not burn yourself out. Pace yourself and don’t bypass other hobbies that you may have. Set time aside to get away from your computer and give yourself a break. I’ve taken up several hobbies outside that do not involve computers. Blacksmithing, gardening, and fishing are all things I enjoy doing in my spare time. It gets me away from the screen and helps me reset.

Thank you for taking the time to read this series of posts. I hope that you at least found some nuggets in all my postings that have helped you in some way. Good luck on your journey!