A question pertaining to all of you.

Alright well I have a love for computers, especially for computer security. I try to spend as much time learning about computer security as much as possible. But their is so much information, it seems near impossible to learn everything. I stumble upon a topic, to be only sidetracked to another topic I must understand first. I read so much and remember very little. I read books like Counter-Hack and Hacking Exposed. Which is way out of my league mostly because I don't want to do anything I dont' understand. (and these books are mostly references) So ive been directed to learning TCP/IP. In which right now i'm trying to know perfectly.

And then I come to the Antionline Forums. Where everyone here is GOD in computers. To me, this is very depressing. Compared to my friends I know a lot, then I come here, and it seems to me that I know next to nothing.

So what i'm trying to get at is how long has everyone been in computer security and how old is everyone? (if you don't want to say..thats fine with me).

I'm 17 and been into computer security since about 15.

(and i'm sorry for the Lame post)

im 19 and ive been interested for about 2.5 years. I am by no means a god tho. for a year and a half of that tho i had no access to a computer what so ever. so i am not great at all. now that i have one again im getting back into it . hence i just joined here etc .. good luck tho for the future

I've bene playing with computers for about 10 years.
I've only been really interested in security for about 3 years. I'm am 22 years old.

Security has to be by far the most interesting part of computing. At least to me.
I am by no means an expert, nor do I try to be. I help other people, and other people help me.
I read and play all the time. Its great.
It works out nice that way.

Sounds like you are on the right track. ;)

Well I'm 15, and been into computers since about 12. Knowing TCP/IP perfectly is a big task. But you can learn the basics quite easily, like understanding what goes on in a SYN/ACK (Syndicate/Acknowledge) handshake and learning about IP addresses. For example, knowing that an IP address is a 32-bit numerical address that is assigned to a system and activates itself once the system establishes a connection with the internet is basic. Knowing how to route and trace that address as well as get more information about the system using the address is more indepth. Good luck on your quest to gain knowledge.


Regards,
Silentstalker

yeah hopefully. I'm aiming to learn TCP/IP as best as I can along with Red Hat Linux.

Red Hat is a good Linux Distro. When you're done learning, use it a bit, and then see if you want to try Slackware. It's a little more complecated, but it's a good OS.


Regards,
Silentstalker

lol im 25 ive been into computers like 5 years and so much to know what u learn today is almost always obsolete tomorrow as far as tcp its important to know the fields and stacks
and it has flow control and sequencing and all that jazz lol good luck here is the place to be because here you will evolve more quickly than not also you will be in sync with the problems of the experts and intermidiates thus you will catch up and stay with the times at the same time

Im 24, and have been working in the security field for 2 years now.

I remember being fresh out of Uni, and knowing pretty much nothing about security. But on-the-job training and learning I think is the best form of education.

Although, I do spend a lot of time researching, reading etc, which also works wonders.

I think that the best way to independantly learn about security is to gain expert knowledge about different fields, bit-by-bit. ie. Try and learn as much about TCPIP etc, and focus on that until you are confident that you know a lot about it. Then you can move onto OS Security.

This is how I learnt what I know today, and I think that you will find that it gets easier to learn new fields as you go, because they are all related to some extent. Some may disagree though. But I suppose we all learn differently..

I remember the days when you could use the HOTMAIL servers to send bulk mail....

I remember the days when One.Net (Aussies Only...) were just starting out...

I remember the days when usenet was still "owned by the masses" and ISP's wouldn't censor the groups...(Some ISP's have banned alt.2600.hackerz...that's just pathetic......)

I remember when Napster was just starting out.....

I remember a time when having Win 95 meant u were a sell out....

I remember when BSB was an art form....:)

I remember a time when anything above 56k was a dream......




**** I'm old..... :)

I started using computers (for basic things) about 12 years ago. I started programming and working in the network security field 6 years ago. At the time, I was also working as an independent consultant to two small divisions within HP (I had met the CEO and a few employees on a field trip there and I impressed them with what I could do). I started my own tech business 4 years ago (taking an existing client base that I had built up just doing odd computer-related jobs here and there). I have a Bachelor's in High Tech Management and am pursing a Masters in Computer Science. As I pursue my degree, I am concentrating on my business and teaching CS classes at a Cal State University. :-) Also I have a number of certs, including MCSE (NT), A+ and I'm studying to get my MCSD (what can I say, I'm bored... lol)

AJ

PS: And all this before my 22 birthday...

br_fusion i have the exact same prob you do, i read so much and i get sidetracked with somethin that ill remember it just not as well as i want to ,sometimes i think i read to much:) my brain starts to hurt, i got my A+ about 2 years ago and then fell out of the computer scene, partyin to much, but now im back into it and have a real facination with it, i want to learn every thing but sometimes feel overwhelmed at how much there is to know, so in short your not alone man, if ya like feel free to pm me and maybe we can trade knowledge and learn together......that sounds kinda weird doesnt it?lol, i assure you though that im not but it is nice to know that someone else here is in the exact same boat i am.take it easy.

I am 18 years old, and have been into computer for about 6 years now, not security but generally, designing and programming. Security recently has intrigued me also, since the last few years.
Just some advice : Instead of getting depressed, you should be inspired, and take this as a challenge for yourself to know as much as everybody does here, im sure you can do it.

Good luck with TCP/IP, certainly not something short to start with.

Hello

I am 27 years old. I work with computers in general since i can remember. I started out with the Sinclair Spectrum on Basic V.1.0, switching to the commodore the moment it came out. Ive always had computers around me. Im into computer security since 3 years now. I am also by no meens a god or anything like that. There are things security related that i am good at and other things that i have no clue about. I doubt that i will ever know everything about computer security since the topic is to big, so i just pick out the subjects i really need or am interested in. I prefer network security, firewalls, security policies and diff kinds of hardening topics. Here at AO so far i have learned alot of things since there are many people here, and everyone is specialized on different subjects. I would alos like to add that computer security is by far the most interesting subject on computers that i have ever come across. It never gets boring since its being updated daily. There will always be new things to discover and learn, and that will never end.

i,m 21 years old and i'm dealing with computers since i was 13.
i'm dealiing with security since i was 17.
i read a lot.and i know one think:I KNOW NOTHING!

ps:that's far from being an expert or a god,isn't it?

im 19 soon to be 20 and i have benn in comp security as a freshman in high school about 7 years now. true i know a lot but as most people i am still learning and growing. i honestly do not believe that any one person will ever know everything there is about our field. i think that being able to rely on a group mind of sorts will help you learn.
i would ask hogfly if u have any redhat questions.

thanks for all of the helpful advice fellas, I do appreciate it.

Quote:

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Originally posted here by Conf1rm3d_K1ll
I remember the days when you could use the HOTMAIL servers to send bulk mail....

I remember the days when One.Net (Aussies Only...) were just starting out...

I remember the days when usenet was still "owned by the masses" and ISP's wouldn't censor the groups...(Some ISP's have banned alt.2600.hackerz...that's just pathetic......)

I remember when Napster was just starting out.....

I remember a time when having Win 95 meant u were a sell out....

I remember when BSB was an art form....:)

I remember a time when anything above 56k was a dream......




**** I'm old..... :)

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I'm with you. . . Although, I remember when AOL didn't exist, and it took all night to upgrade "Prodigy" through the 14.4 modem we had, laptops would NEVER go pentium, and internet security meant you locked your modems to the desks! :)

well, let's see...I'm 28. I started on computers right about, I guess the Commodore 64. I've been on the internet...since Commdore 64 had a internet service called Q-Link (and if anyone remembers that, I think I'll **** myself). In any event, all those years taught me alot.
I somehow graduated college and got a degee in Comp Sci, got some technical degrees etc. Job wise, I've been a mainframe programmer, CADD drafter for an engineering firm, and some small amounts of Lan Admin (yeah, I can't seem to sit still with one career track).

All this sounds nice right? it don't mean crapola when it comes to security. I'll make it simple. I didn't even know what the hell a port was until I registered here. In the span of, I guess a little over a month...the people here have increased my knowledge and understanding of computer security three-fold. It's simply amazing what I've learned from related links people have posted. I guess in a way this is a big thanks to members at AO.
anyways, good luck.

i am 20, i have used computers for 12 years, and the internet for 10, the past 7 i have spent studying internet security, local network security, o/s security, and many other subjects related. tcp/ip is definately great to learn, but i would also recommend u learn some basic programming, to better your knowledge/references. i guess i could go off about how i remember using my 9,600kbps modem on compuserve, or how when i had slackware 4.* noone even know wut unix was, let alone linux, but who cares.. just cuz some of us started earlier than others, i believe we all have the same general goals, and ideas, and that we just need to find out how to learn what we need to know to get where we are going.... which is why i spend every waking moment stressing the importance of freedom of infomation... luckily we still have such things as local message boards, free shell accounts, file sharing, kick asses webpages like ANTIONLINE, and, of course, the dreaded chat rooms. but, i fear that there is much being done by 'authorities' to get rid of these 'luxuries of the net' and that if we dont make a stand for what we know is right, and for what we know is out there, that all might be lost.... anywayz, aside from my babbling about the politics of the net, i think u are on the right track to getting where u need to be, and i wanna wish u the best of luck on ur trip there!

my '2 cents' on tha subject,

the original,

h4x0r3d

as Conf1rm3d_K1ll sayd..

I remember a time when a C64 was a cool computer still is

I rememver a time when Microsoft made DOS and i never seen a GUI in resolutions higher then 320x240

I remember a time when 256 colors was a lot !!

I remember a time when programming in QuickBasic was kewl..


damn I'm getting old..

I'm 19. I've been into computers for almost 10 years now. Nothing special really, just playing games mostly :) I didnt want to learn. I know very little about security, and I'm probally the only member that really isnt interested in it eather. Web Development started to get my intrest about 2 years ago. About a few months back I started my own company in webdesign, graphic design, hosting services and domain registration.

So, after playing games, I got into webdev. Now I'm here, and I still know **** about security.

Respect.

I've been into Networking and Information Security for somewhere around 5-7 years and then around 4 years ago I got into Web Development. Then, I decided to learn a few programming languages (a few turned into like 7) and now I'm here, continuing to learn about anything tech related and learn as much as I can.

Oh, and I remember when my friends and I loved Lotus and all that crap on my computer. Used to be so much fun, but those day's are gone. :)

[B]I remember when computers had vacume tubes...

I remember pong... ( I was the first on my block to have it ;) )

I remember when I could fill the tank on my motorcycle, hand the attendant .50 cents and get back change!!!

I remember when drugs were bought at a drug store, and smoking pot was when Mom burned dinner...

I remember when you could buy a 1 ton pickup, loaded with all the extras for under $6000.00...

And you guys are old??

I have been into computers since 1984, and interested in security for about 2 years now. I am 42 years young. :D

Oh Dear..... You are all so young...... :o

I started my foray into computers in 1981 with a Sinclair, (read Timex if you are American), ZX81. I remember I was the coolest chap around when I upgraded from 1k to 16k of RAM, (no that is not a typo.....<s>). I guess I started out learning by being a cracker..... I was the one who cracked all the copy protection schemes so we could share games without paying.... Shhh.. Don't tell..... <s> In order to do that I taught myself assembly language, (which I have now forgotten).

I remember I was even cooler when I upgraded to the Sinclair Spectrum...... Wow...was I _the boy_.....

Since I was in the military I was forced to take something of a sabbatical from computing from about 1986 until 1988 when I left and moved to the US where I soon became a Systems Specialist for a company in NJ working on PC's, Novell LANS, IBM 3070 Mainframes amongst other things, (DOS 2.0 was _the_ best...<s>).

Moving from NJ to MI I became the Manager of IS for a non-profit where I have built a 650 workstation WAN across 18 locations in 3 counties from the ground up. We act as ISP for 4 sister organizations and provide all internet connected functions and security for the entire network. My interest in security was peeked about 4 years ago when a little web site I had at home was hacked. Nothing special - just a little note at the bottom of the homepage saying "for more info - [email protected]", (I still remember the address but I never contacted it). It was a real wake-up call and I became determined to prevent the systems I am responsible for to ever be hacked in the future.

At almost 45 years old..... :( I have learned that it isn't a matter of if you will be hacked..... it's when!!!! The secret to security IMO is being able to recognize the fact that you have been hacked - be capable of reconstructing the events, effectively mitigating the damage done and preventing a repeat performance of the same exploit.

PS: For those of you who hate school learning - I have never taken a computer class in my life - I am completely self taught.

Quote:

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PS: For those of you who hate school learning - I have never taken a computer class in my life - I am completely self taught.

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I am also self taught, this has also hindered my persuit of work in this field. I cannot seem to even find an employer that will accept an application without a college degree under my belt.

You, Tiger Shark, are a very lucky man :thumbsup:

I don't think it's luck - I think it's my incredible good looks and charm...... :D

Seriously - yes there has been a certain amount of luck - I agree. OTOH - I have hired for several positions in the last 10 years and have been so utterly inimpressed with candidates with Masters in Computer Science that it has driven me mad. I don't know what they have been teaching but these people don't seem to know some of the basics of how a computer works, (the relationship between IRQ, Port Address and the CPU for example). I have been so frustrated by this that, in consultation with HR, I have changed job descriptions to read "X years of experience, BS in computer science preferred" rather than having the BS mandatory.

IME there are people who are very bright but do not take to computers well. OTOH there are others who, while not being exactly Albert Einstein, take to computing like a duck takes to water. I like the latter.....

im not old. just a geek.

i remember...

logo : basic : adventure games in only text : 8 baud modem : clevenet (clevelane freenet) : bbs
win 95 was only for rich people and businesses : hard drive? whats that? : tape drive, now thats storage : load "*" ,8,1 : trash-80 : no mouse, didnt need one : played games with my old atari controller

I'm 20 now, I've been into computers since I was 12. Security has been something I just came across as I went through school to school. I started out as a hacker trying to get into the computers just for fun. Then I learned how much damage someone can do, so I would have to say since about 15 or 16 I've been a big security person who is trying to fight against all the hackers who are out to destroy the world we call the Internet.

I recently just found antionline.com, as a joke just typing in random URL's. Though if you are trying to learn TCP/IP (which I too agree is very tricky if you don't have a background), this is a good place to find people to help you out with problems or questions.

And to qwerty_smith for what you said, it's all too true!

Well, I'm 18, although I've been into computers for about 6 years. I joined not too long after my 18th birthday(go Halloween!)

heh, well as of today I'm 32 (urgh I feel old). I've been professionally involved in the IT field now for 12 years with a focus on computer security for about the last 6.

Now for fun I've been playing around with computers and "hacking" them since I was 10. The first hack I did was on a friends computer where we hacked his dad's bank account information just to see if we could. We never did anything with it, but I think I was 11 at the time... LOL that was such a long time ago. I've been "white hat" ever since :D



El Diablo

I'm almost 25. I have been interested in computers for about 7 years, but have only really been dicking with them for about the last year and a half. I'm not saying I know much, but I will say this: Find a couple of cheap computers, reformat the hard drives, and experiment! Every one may laugh, but I got a starting point from the For Dummies series of books. No ****, a bunch of them give you a copy of the program the book is about. They run you through the simple stuff, have some extra information the average user doesn't need, and then you can get into the stuff that will really bake your noodle!:D

I been interested in computers for 9 years, mainly coding i just recently got interested into security issues. Slackware was a little hard to configure whenever I tried it out.

I am 30 & I work in military industry,

You'll think that this business is very familiar with IP security (maybe because US MoD started the internet 20 years ago) but civilian business is now far in advanced.

This forum is a real opportunity to learn a share the knowledge, I'd like to thank AO founders and moderator for what they achieved her :bigsmile:

Hmm...this whole thread seems to be "A Walk Down Memory...Bus: A IT History", so I'll add my $.02.

I'm 27 now, and got started in computers with the family's Apple IIe bought in 1983, so...20 years ago? I remember LOAD for the Apple (do you believe that ProDOS was written in Basic?!), Montezuma's Revenge, 8086's, my killer 3.5 inch gaming disk with BOTH StarControl and Prince of Persia, GW-Basic, WordStar, Fortran, BBS's, the school's VAX, my first email address, using UNIX TALK with my sister at college, my first 386, Doom, 256 colors, 2400 baud modems, Kings Quest V, Perl, CGI's, telnet IRC, web pages, "luggables", Quake, Win95, WinNT, more web pages, more CGI's (for money now), Linux, OpenBSD, shell scripting, system administration, more Perl, then my resume picks up.

Man, computers have been in my blood for YEARS. Unlike all my other passions, it's the one thing that has kept me consistantly fascinated. My drive to learn has kept me into computers ever since that monochrome 12" screen flickered it's green pixels at me.

However, my focus has shifted significantly over the years. At first, I just loved the games. I still love the games, but now I also love web pages, programming, operating systems, networking and security. I cycle between each focus off and on, but I'm always on the computer.

erm been online since 12 with 56k now im 14 with cable 128k and all i do it surf the net for online 3d games shooter. er and i found none online

<------------- You think you got it bad all this and im still a newbie!!:)

speaking of games ..Leisure Suit Larry 1 : when ya had to answer those five history questions to prove you were old enough to play....*sigh*

5 1/2" floppy disks were REALLY floppy.....

and the release of mIRC on Windows 3.1 ... pkunzip n all....

alternatively you could 'ytalk' someone and see them come to life in a nice bright green/orange text upon a dramatic black background

and if ya wanted you could finger just about the whole world!!!!:)

good luck!

im 15 and ive only been interested in networking and security for a little while now, maybe a year, but i still know a fair bit about it. I been playing with computers my whole life though, ever since i can remember

I've been using comps alot since I was about 10. I'm 15 now, and only really got interested in anything other than games when I was 12. I then was a SK, bent on causing chaos. But after a year or so I got interested in programming and that's when I started learning. I've been interested in security and networking more these days than programming, but I still learn when/where I can. I sympathze with you for feeling inferior at this site. I'm a comp. god at my school but humbled when I come here. But, with considering how much longer they've been at it...it's not too bad. Things take time, especially when your in a feild that is already so expansive and never ceases to evolve.

i am at present facing the same problem as described above....but the hitch is i am studying to be a doctor.....and am really interested in computer security.....dont know what the heck i am doin'....glad to know there are others out there like me