Will Obama's "hacking" directive have an impact on hacking careers?

[Coldblackice]

Will Obama's "hacking" directive have an impact on the future of (the market for) hacking-related careers? In other words, could this set off a new precedent and/or trend for the need/development/growth for a beefier network security industry (in the United States)? Or perhaps not "set off a new precedent", but rather, be a sign or signal of such going forward?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/07/obama-china-targets-cyber-overseas

The vibe I got from another thread on hacking-related careers was that, currently, there doesn't seem to be much of an arena of opportunity for one to pursue a career in the network security -- "hacking" -- industry (I'm loathe to use the media-sensationalized word, hence why I quote it).

I'm curious if, given this directive, and in lieu of recently public cyber-attacks (China->US, although surely nothing new or out of the ordinary), if this could/would evolve to the snowball rolling of a growing network security/hacking industry, and pave way to an explosion in need for professionals in this sector.

I've gotten the feel that a (legitimately) profitable hacking-type career doesn't seem to be very plausible at the moment, or at least, that demand seems to be well met by supply. I'm wondering if this might be shifting in a big way in the future, and not just in response to the directive and public country-to-country/gov-to-gov attacks, but also in terms of developments like Stuxnet.

 

[jadams]

You raise so many points I don't even know where to start. Why couldn't I have read your post while sober and at home instead of.... the opposite.

 

[Liger88]

It wasn't long ago the U.S. tried to fear monger through ignorance and absolute incompetence regarding hackers being able to cripple life as we know it and launch us back into the stone ages. They've carried that misleading lie for decades and continue to do so. Ironically, the U.S. pumping up all this fictitious crap spawned the now very real idea of Cyber Terrorism. Just like how the U.S. government spawned Al Queda, yet lets not talk about that and we shouldn't because I digress.

Doesn't matter what Mr. Obama, Congress, or the other rejects running this failed government have planned. They're playing with fire and they're going to get burned. Compared to the rest of the world, we absolutely suck when it comes to "hacking". I imagine it has something to do with the witch hunt in the U.S. against them. Now the U.S. government and corporations realized, "well maybe it isn't a bad thing to have ethical hackers on our side." For various reasons they saw reason to change ways, although not entirely as many vicious laws still exist and are being strengthened to prevent future generations from following the same steps they did to succeed as a "hacker". I don't know whether I find it an exciting change in times, or an absolute atrocity that hacking is now taught in a classroom rather than through ones own independence of trial-and-error.

I am not a hacker, cracker, or even a programmer, but I follow all 3 with childlike curiosity for almost 2 decades now. The field for Security will grow exponentially, do NOT doubt that. In turn there will be a need for ethical hacking and that whole field. The problem is that it's such a niche field of security that you need to know your shit to really get in that field. It'll always be a case of supply and demand. The problem is if the demand is too high you're going to end up with a less fluent pool of individuals that'll flood the market and be sub-standard. Right now the supply is very small and thus in high demand. In 10 years don't be surprised if they start hiring people after just finishing their Intro to C++ college course because that's how stupid the industry can be when the demand is high.

Again, this whole Cyber Army the U.S. is talking about publicly, mind you, is very dangerous. Typical American attitude of throwing up the middle finger and saying, "Fuck it bitches. We're coming for ya!" Not to mention it just starts an unnecessary shadow war that most people will not see. Whatever this DOD Cyber Unit becomes, it will branch out to be the digital version of the CIA. That's the last thing the world needs, another one of those.

 

[Tee]

I think we should just send people over with squirt guns and spry down the servers, switches, and firewalls! That will teach everyone.

I've been hacking for about 10 years now, I have worked on NIST projects and just presented my proposal for a DARPA project a few months back. I wouldn't consider myself a "hacker", I just understand that a computer is a tool and the internet was never meant to be used for things like Facebook.

Our society shuns "hackers" but people who can jailbreak your phone and mod your xbox are cool. Besides I am one of those people who thinks are society is getting dumber as a whole with the new generation growing up. They are lazy and have no work ethic. So to say we can even build a cyber army is a joke.

 

[Innocence]

Besides I am one of those people who thinks are society is getting dumber as a whole with the new generation growing up. They are lazy and have no work ethic. So to say we can even build a cyber army is a joke.

Woah, going right to the "Get off my lawn" defense.
Guess what - The "Silent Generation" thought Baby Boomers were lazy and had no work ethic, Babyboomers thought Gen-X'ers were lazy and had no work ethic. Gen-X'ers think that Gen Y'ers are lazy and have no work ethic...and in a few years Gen Y'ers will get to think that Gen Z's are lazy and have no work ethic.

Your predictable, lazy, arrogant bullshit is exactly what the world doesn't need.


On Topic:
I don't think any government action, other than actual real-world oversight laws like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, will have much impact on the private sector. Security will likely remain a "as much as I feel like paying for" industry with huge disparity between how well businesses are protected. Just like physical security - nobody says that the bank needs security on-site, so many don't, even if it means they might be an easier target.

As for "offensive" hacking on behalf of the US Military - that's not something I can see going in a "Live Free or Die Hard" direction. I don't see a call out to Black-Hats to work a 6-figure military job with top-secret clearance just because they know how to tear down code. It's a trainable job - they'll throw a few Billion dollars at hundreds of under-30 year old recruits and within 5 years they'll be the "Elite Hacking Unit".

 

[Tee]

Woah, going right to the "Get off my lawn" defense.
Guess what - The "Silent Generation" thought Baby Boomers were lazy and had no work ethic, Babyboomers thought Gen-X'ers were lazy and had no work ethic. Gen-X'ers think that Gen Y'ers are lazy and have no work ethic...and in a few years Gen Y'ers will get to think that Gen Z's are lazy and have no work ethic.

Your predictable, lazy, arrogant bullshit is exactly what the world doesn't need.


On Topic:
I don't think any government action, other than actual real-world oversight laws like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, will have much impact on the private sector. Security will likely remain a "as much as I feel like paying for" industry with huge disparity between how well businesses are protected. Just like physical security - nobody says that the bank needs security on-site, so many don't, even if it means they might be an easier target.

As for "offensive" hacking on behalf of the US Military - that's not something I can see going in a "Live Free or Die Hard" direction. I don't see a call out to Black-Hats to work a 6-figure military job with top-secret clearance just because they know how to tear down code. It's a trainable job - they'll throw a few Billion dollars at hundreds of under-30 year old recruits and within 5 years they'll be the "Elite Hacking Unit".

Wait.. I am one of those people I am refereeing to. As in my generation is exceptionally lazy compared to the ones before us. My generation has a fine line to how much work they should do in a day or what they want you to consider paying them to do for what they consider work.

Pretty sure my generation also started "LuLz" and "Anonymous" in defense of peoples rights... Wait.. Yeah... This is my generation putting there minds to good use. They harm there own generation to prove a point to others. Good thinking! Let us not forget "Occupy Wall Street".. Yup..

I do not disagree my outlook is negative but I speak at group events, schools, and companies for IT security. I come in contact with my generation everyday, in the field being discussed. No, not everyone is lazy but the masses are. And what little is left either have the right skills or they do not. Hacking is not just programming and reading a book about how a computer functions or how your data gets from point A to point B, I am sorry it's not that simple.

The world needs a kick in the ass, that's what the world needs. And at least tell me "how" or "why" you think my opinion is wrong. I am okay with comments, I realize that my views on this subject differ from a lot of peoples, I understand the negative setting I am creating by stating my comments on the matter.

I like to hear what others have to say, I do have open ears.

 

[mavrocket]

Well if it's anything like the Green Industry or Manufacturing, two other industries he set out to bolster, let's hope not...

But in all seriousness, I think Innocence is correct in saying that it will continue to be a "as much as I feel like paying for" industry. Most companies/governments/corporations rarely seek to solve potential issues (possible hacking) before they become problems (actual hacking), and instead plan for the best and assume the best. It's not until something bad happens that you will see money and manpower directed towards fixing or possibly preventing it.

Nothing Obama or any government figure says will help spur any growth in the Network Security industry, only actual disasters like a possibly hacked power grid or other shutdown of essential services will.