Makes me rethink choosing security as a career

[lucid]

Just as the title states. I've often pondered the idea that getting a career as a security professional would make me eventually hate hacking. What about you?

http://phrack.org/issues/68/7.html#article

[Matriplex]

That's deep.

Never really thought about it in that way. Recently I've kind of disliked the word hacking simply because of the ridiculous things Hollywood has created out of it. Now, to everyone (who's uneducated on the subject) hacking means to h4x0r into a server and wreak havoc, done by an ub3r l33t good looking actor.
The article makes me think that I'd rather go into programming software/games (Yeah. Whoah there. Gaming industry sucks.) with hacking and security as a hobby instead.

[lucid]

I've always believed that anything that you love, if you then end up doing as a career you run the risk of hating it. That's how it is for me at least. I have hopes of hopefully becoming a security analyst, and for some reason I thought it would be different. Specially the higher level sexy senior security consultant/pentesting jobs because, "How could breaking into a corporate network for money be boring?"

Not that this will definitely happen, but I'd be interested to know how many people here and on IRC don't really "hack" as a hobby anymore because they are forced to deal with networks and security all day every day. I don't think that this article is strictly referring to the world of infosec, even though that's what it was directed at. For example, say you get a job as a developer, I could easily see that making you hate programming once you realize that bureaucratic fucktards are constantly pushing deadlines on you, and you are only ever coding things that don't actually interest you.

I've been hearing a lot recently that "hacking irl is dead." This makes me sad but I wonder how true it is. I mean sure, you can't just drop a shell on any website in a few minutes using error-based sqli anymore, but hacking is still alive and well. I believe that anyway. If anything it's more alive then ever because it's harder. We are constantly pushing the boundaries and that certainly doesn't evaluate to "hacking is dead." /tangent

Anyway, I 'm starting to think maybe I shouldn't be pursuing a career as a "hacker", the trouble is that no careers have ever really interested me. I landed on this one because security is my greatest hobby and it makes sense to get paid for it.

[Traitor4000]

Honestly I think if your doing something you like for a job thats great. It means your qualified so you will probably be paid well and I don't think it would really affect you love of it. There are plenty of people who like creative writing but when are asked to doit for school do not like it as much. This does not make them hate creative writing but i guess you might not like your job so much. Besides penetration testing is very different from hacking as (i believe) you do now. Much of it has been automated to tools and scanning from what I have scene flipping through books. So you would not be doing the same thing at your job as you would be doing as a hobby.

[s3my0n]

I've always believed that anything that you love, if you then end up doing as a career you run the risk of hating it. That's how it is for me at least. I have hopes of hopefully becoming a security analyst, and for some reason I thought it would be different. Specially the higher level sexy senior security consultant/pentesting jobs because, "How could breaking into a corporate network for money be boring?"

Not that this will definitely happen, but I'd be interested to know how many people here and on IRC don't really "hack" as a hobby anymore because they are forced to deal with networks and security all day every day. I don't think that this article is strictly referring to the world of infosec, even though that's what it was directed at. For example, say you get a job as a developer, I could easily see that making you hate programming once you realize that bureaucratic fucktards are constantly pushing deadlines on you, and you are only ever coding things that don't actually interest you.

I've been hearing a lot recently that "hacking irl is dead." This makes me sad but I wonder how true it is. I mean sure, you can't just drop a shell on any website in a few minutes using error-based sqli anymore, but hacking is still alive and well. I believe that anyway. If anything it's more alive then ever because it's harder. We are constantly pushing the boundaries and that certainly doesn't evaluate to "hacking is dead." /tangent

Anyway, I 'm starting to think maybe I shouldn't be pursuing a career as a "hacker", the trouble is that no careers have ever really interested me. I landed on this one because security is my greatest hobby and it makes sense to get paid for it.

I suggest you do network administration/engineering for a job. Doesn't involve hacking but still deals with same topics such as network security. Keep hacking a hobby as it was initially for every starting hacker.

[lucid]

I suggest you do network administration/engineering for a job

Fuck no. I just finished school for Network Security and I think I've gotten a pretty good feel for what a job as a net admin is like, and to be honest, it sounds horrendously boring. I really don't think I would enjoy that at all. Dealing with idiot user problems, creating and abiding by policies, maintenance, more maintenance, policies policies policies. I think I'd rather break my other leg

Honestly there's not a career in the world that interests me. The idea of working for money just sucks and is silly. I was born in the wrong place, and in the wrong time.

[proxx]

Fuck no. I just finished school for Network Security and I think I've gotten a pretty good feel for what a job as a net admin is like, and to be honest, it sounds horrendously boring. I really don't think I would enjoy that at all. Dealing with idiot user problems, creating and abiding by policies, maintenance, more maintenance, policies policies policies. I think I'd rather break my other leg

Honestly there's not a career in the world that interests me. The idea of working for money just sucks and is silly. I was born in the wrong place, and in the wrong time.

You are really wrong about network engineering bit being cool coz it kinda is cool.
How close you want to be to end-users is up to you.
It pays well , cracks your fucking skull when it comes to problem solving.
Its a razor sharp job.

Besides doing this for a couple years teaches you a fucking lot.
I dont think I learned as much as in the last year.

Owyeah and linux ftw when it comes to networking
My toolkit often saves the day where them windows faggots fail.
ARP , what ? !#@$@#$

[Z3R0]

I can verify that network engineering is pretty fucking legit; however...you have to be very careful, because if a company labels a job opening as "network engineer" it could be anything like...cable maintenance guy (not terrible, but not particularly interesting either), switching/routing (fucking awesoooome!), long haul communications guy (pretty cool for the most part), and then there is the bulk of "network engineering" jobs...fucking shitty-ass help desk.

Just becareful, and make sure you completely understand what you are applying for. Alternatively, you could always go on a h4x0ring rampage for teh lulz and escape to a different country before the authorities get you, but...meh.

To be honest, you might find that you love masonry, or maybe playing guitar, or being a helicopter pilot/whatever just as enjoyable as you do hacking; however, when you find a career you love, don't make the mistake I did and change for a shittier job with higher pay. Because although I love where I'm living, and I get payed more, the hours & bureaucratic/uninteresting bullshit I deal with now undermines everything else that I love, and I'm fucking miserable. Sometimes I don't even bother coming online these days.

[lucid]

and then there is the bulk of "network engineering" jobs...fucking shitty-ass help desk.

That's what I mean, the risk of having that happen just seems too high. My school experience was drudging and terrible and gave me a really bleak outlook on the networking and security job world.

I told myself from a very young age that I'd never get a job working in an office setting. I guess I figured a security researcher/consultant job would be more fun, I'm not so sure anymore.

the hours & bureaucratic/uninteresting bullshit I deal with now undermines everything else that I love, and I'm fucking miserable.

I sense that this is rather hard to avoid if you want to rise up in a company. I have a low tolerance for this sort of thing. Maybe I should just go live in the woods

Btw no offense to anyone who has a network engineering job, just doesn't sound like it's for me, despite that I enjoy learning about computer networks and security.

[proxx]

That's what I mean, the risk of having that happen just seems too high. My school experience was drudging and terrible and gave me a really bleak outlook on the networking and security job world.

I told myself from a very young age that I'd never get a job working in an office setting. I guess I figured a security researcher/consultant job would be more fun, I'm not so sure anymore. I sense that this is rather hard to avoid if you want to rise up in a company. I have a low tolerance for this sort of thing. Maybe I should just go live in the woods

Btw no offense to anyone who has a network engineering job, just doesn't sound like it's for me, despite that I enjoy learning about computer networks and security.

Non taken , you know life has its way, I for one that I never expected to see myself in this chair.
I would suggest starting out in a small company where one looks at potential instead of purely papers, a lot of big talk little money, fancy suits and a bunch of faggots.

And for your information; I spent about half the hours a week in an office.
I travel cross  country, meet a lot of people (women ), have fancy drinks , dinners.
Spent hours totally fucking stressed out and feel like a hero when I just saved the day.

And sometimes it sucks like any other job.

Im grateful that Im hired for my limited skillset and a lack of certification.

[lucid]

Seems a lot of people travel. That part does sound pretty cool.