Ever since the movie Sneakers, I have been fascinated by computer hacking. I love the idea of being able to break into a system, steel file information, and cover up my tracks flawlessly. I suppose that it is a pretty classic fantasy, but with a new twist. Everyone dreams of being a ninja of some sort. The difference is that a computer hacker unlike, say, a spy, ninja, terrorist, or some other romantic figure, gets to rely totally on his mental skills. Computer hacking doesn't require you to fire guns, out run your adversaries, or purchased complex espionage equipment. A computer hacker can rely totally on his wits and his computer system.
Of course, my aspiration to have a career as a computer hacker met up with reality sometime in my late teens. I realized that computer hacking didn't have a lot of realistic possibilities unless I wanted to spend my entire life on the run or move to Russia. I needed to think of some more constructive way to indulge my penchant for breaking into high-tech systems.
I decided to take a cue from Sneakers and become a computer security expert. The main characters who go around hacking computers to test out company security in the movie are actually part of a real profession. Many former computer hacking experts go into security as a way to get legitimate. By becoming anti-hackers, they can stay out of trouble while still doing what they love – investigating security loopholes and systems. Granted, it is not as glamorous, but it is every bit as intellectually rewarding and challenging. Computer network security is a constantly expanding field, filled with new challenges on a daily basis. Good computer hackers never run out of work, and they make a mint doing their job.
Once I got into computer hacking, I found out that things were even better than I expected. I got to spend a lot of my time actually trying to hack computers for corporations. Sometimes, an assignment would just require me to spend hours trying to investigate and exploit potential security vulnerabilities. I would actually be paid to be a hacker! The only stipulation, of course, was that I would have to clean up the security hole afterwards. That was something I was happy to do.
Years later, I'm glad I got into network security instead of computer hacking. Many of my friends are facing criminal charges from hack jobs they pulled off for fun, while I'm doing well. I still get to try to detect vulnerable passwords, break into locked systems, and do all that other stuff, but now I do it for a living instead of as a dangerous hobby. I think this is a much better choice.
Of course, my aspiration to have a career as a computer hacker met up with reality sometime in my late teens. I realized that computer hacking didn't have a lot of realistic possibilities unless I wanted to spend my entire life on the run or move to Russia. I needed to think of some more constructive way to indulge my penchant for breaking into high-tech systems.
I decided to take a cue from Sneakers and become a computer security expert. The main characters who go around hacking computers to test out company security in the movie are actually part of a real profession. Many former computer hacking experts go into security as a way to get legitimate. By becoming anti-hackers, they can stay out of trouble while still doing what they love – investigating security loopholes and systems. Granted, it is not as glamorous, but it is every bit as intellectually rewarding and challenging. Computer network security is a constantly expanding field, filled with new challenges on a daily basis. Good computer hackers never run out of work, and they make a mint doing their job.
Once I got into computer hacking, I found out that things were even better than I expected. I got to spend a lot of my time actually trying to hack computers for corporations. Sometimes, an assignment would just require me to spend hours trying to investigate and exploit potential security vulnerabilities. I would actually be paid to be a hacker! The only stipulation, of course, was that I would have to clean up the security hole afterwards. That was something I was happy to do.
Years later, I'm glad I got into network security instead of computer hacking. Many of my friends are facing criminal charges from hack jobs they pulled off for fun, while I'm doing well. I still get to try to detect vulnerable passwords, break into locked systems, and do all that other stuff, but now I do it for a living instead of as a dangerous hobby. I think this is a much better choice.
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