Submission + - What does it take to become a security specialist? 2
jasonmanley writes: "I would really like to specialise in IT security. As a c++ programmer I thought that I had a good base for progressing this passion. But as I delve more and more into the subject it seems like there is a lot more to IT security than "programming". My question is basically this: How far does one take it? It would seem to me that there are many disciplines that one needs to master. Can the community tell me if they agree or disagree with this list and to what extent should each discipline be mastered?
1] Low level electronics: chips, wires, circuits etc
2] Assembly language
3] C (not c++)
4] Network stack programming (across platforms)
5] Protocols: TCP/IP, UDP, NetBIOS, NETBeui etc
6] SSL, L2TP etc
7] Application Specific Knowledge eg: SQL Server, IIS, Exchange, VBA Macros
8] OS specific API / function calls etc
9] Encryption SHA, Kerebos, 3DES
10] Stack Specific: Java, .NET, AD vs LDAP
11] Third party firewall products .... and so forth.
Does one really need to master all this (including the stuff I have left out) to sell oneself as a security specialist? And then there is the question of certification ..."
1] Low level electronics: chips, wires, circuits etc
2] Assembly language
3] C (not c++)
4] Network stack programming (across platforms)
5] Protocols: TCP/IP, UDP, NetBIOS, NETBeui etc
6] SSL, L2TP etc
7] Application Specific Knowledge eg: SQL Server, IIS, Exchange, VBA Macros
8] OS specific API / function calls etc
9] Encryption SHA, Kerebos, 3DES
10] Stack Specific: Java,
11] Third party firewall products
Does one really need to master all this (including the stuff I have left out) to sell oneself as a security specialist? And then there is the question of certification
