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Thread: AntiViews - Sec_ware

  1. #1
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    AntiViews - Sec_ware

    Here’s number 6 in the row of AntiViews. Sec_ware may be an ‘Antionline newbie”, but has been “in it” for 20 years… Enjoy!

    Sec_ware’s profile on AntiOnline



    AO: How did you get into computers?

    Sec_ware: It always amazes me how fast time passes. I just realized that I had my first PC 20 years ago - a Victor VPC II, running Dos 2.0. That's how I got into computers in a serious manner. I started to program Basic, and a while later Pascal and Assembler. Year after year, the number of PC's at my place increased, and I discovered networking. I realized that this world is fascinating - it offers a wide spectrum of intellectual and physical challenges (ever moved 10 PCs with monitors from one flat to another - I guess, some of you did ). This hold up to this date.


    AO: What is your area of specialty?

    Sec_ware: Although I am professionally experienced in a couple of IT areas, I would say my main specialties are

    - system/low-level programming (mainly Linux and Windows)
    - network protocols

    My biggest IT related weakness is: "physical" hardware. I just have my own personal experiences, but that's about it.


    AO: What do you do for a living?

    Sec_ware: I am about to finish a 3-year-project about large-scale numerical simulations of all different kind of stuff. To give you a feeling: Large-scale projects are defined by >1000 CPU years (in Opteron 1.8Ghz scale). After that, I plan to go back fully to a previous path in my life - refreshing the certificates necessary - and as you can guess: it has to do with IT security.

    AO: How did you get into your career?

    Sec_ware: So far, it was straightforward. I decided not to study IT, but physics, and in particular theoretical/mathematical physics. A combination of the two branches was at hand - so I ended up, where I am now. In parallel, I was working for medium size, but multi-national companies, as well as the government and the military - in IT related questions and more.

    AO: Describe your education and/or training?

    Sec_ware: Well, in particular I did network administration, staff training, security assessments and analysis, and a lot of database management for several years. There are other things I dived into, especially in the past, which might count as training as well!

    As said, I have some degrees in physics. But now I am getting tired of it. AO is one of my means to refresh and learn new stuff (hence "sec_ware": it is a project name). I had to make a decision, where to contribute due to time limitations - AO was the choice among all the forums out there.

    AO: Do you plan on staying where you are (career-wise) or are you
    still in school / working on certs to get into another area?


    Sec_ware: After finishing the current project, I plan to dedicate my working time to IT projects. It simply is my real passion.

    AO: What one piece of advice would you offer to others who may be
    interested in following a career path or educational path similar
    to yours?


    Sec_ware: Do not focus too much on details (...wait, wait, this is how I mean it...): Try to get a broad view, but do not miss opportunities to deepen your knowledge - participate actively in forums (or in one), analyze unexpected or unwanted occurrences either of what you see or feel in this very world - or even of what you read in your log-files. But avoid not to see the wood for the trees. Realize that there always is a guy who can type faster than you, who does the better assembler than you, who has the larger antenna on his huger truck than you ( ) - but if you have insight into a lot of pieces, and in addition the overall view - then you are well prepared for everything.

    And - never ever trust your brain. It tricks you, it cheats you all the time. Try to support your statements with trustworthy sources. Check and recheck what you think to be the truth. And
    even if you still are convinced: errare humanum est.

    AO: What skill do you think is invaluable in your area of specialty?

    Sec_ware: Analytical skills and a systematic method. This might be simplified, but is, in my opinion, the essence. If you train or manage human resources, soft skills are crucial. In particular, I always tried to communicate that the task is the problem, not the human being.

    AO: Describe one of your best / most effective security practices.

    Sec_ware: Joining the AO community Besides that, I don't have/know such a thing.

    AO: How did you find Antionline?

    Sec_ware: While categorizing the forums out there, I added AO to my "many members, high activity" category - a priority one category. I realized that the quality of the discussions can be very high - especially compared to other forums, and I got the impression that this place takes the notion serious - again, especially compared to other forums.


    AO: Anything else you'd like to share?

    Sec_ware: I would like to say thank you for that honor - I hope, I can contribute to the AO community in a constructive way - since I already have learned/refreshed quite a lot and hence, have profited from AO.

  2. #2
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    Another very good interveiw !

  3. #3
    Senior Member RoadClosed's Avatar
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    physics, and in particular theoretical/mathematical physics

    ... and that explains a lot...
    West of House
    You are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door.
    There is a small mailbox here.

  4. #4
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    Hi

    Originally posted here by RoadClosed
    ... and that explains a lot...


    I never will regret to have spent so much time in physics and numerics,
    because it does shape the way one approaches a problem. However,
    one learns how to deal with problems, which can be solved starting with
    a few definitions and assumptions ie when it comes to "hard" argumentation
    (the answer can be found using pure Aristotle's Logic).

    Nevertheless, real life is not always like this and, let me call it "soft" argumentation,
    plays an important role. A CEO wants to use all resources from the office, from the
    hotel and from inside a convention centre ( )... Anyway, that's one of the reasons
    why I can participate in threads which are clearly defined, but learn from the experts,
    when it comes to management or fundamental questions with no definite
    answer. Discussions here on AO can be very inspiring!

    Cheers
    If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.
    (Abraham Maslow, Psychologist, 1908-70)

  5. #5
    Socialist Utopia Donkey Punch's Avatar
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    sec_ware: interesting you went away from physics. I studied the stuff on my own, and only got as far as some tensor fields on mainfolds but never got into lie algebras, trees and other things. The classical equations were fun to learn...
    In loving memory of my step daughter 1987-2006

    Liberty In North Korea

  6. #6
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    Donkey Punch,

    if one wants to get into a career in physics (research), there are quite some
    prices to pay. Often, one changes the working place (country) all 2-3 years,
    for several times, ending up in some country at some place, one never wanted
    to end up. And what about the girlfriend/wife/children? They have to follow
    (maybe they want, but maybe they are comfortable with the current place) ?
    Once might be fine, but 3-4 times? Although children can gain experience in the
    youth like that, it is not the way of living I want to offer. What about friends?
    You change them like gloves. The work itself really has to give much if one chooses
    to follow such a path. But - it is not like that in all areas and one might be lucky.
    I do not judge about people having made such a decision, it just does not fit my idea
    of a good life.

    Cheers.
    If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.
    (Abraham Maslow, Psychologist, 1908-70)

  7. #7
    Socialist Utopia Donkey Punch's Avatar
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    Never had the oppurtunity to get a job in physics because I do not have a degree, so there are no worries there on my end anyway. Hey, I respect your decision whatever it may be.
    In loving memory of my step daughter 1987-2006

    Liberty In North Korea

  8. #8
    It's content like this that proves AO is NOT dying and still has plenty of A+ content. Very insightful.

  9. #9
    AFLAAACKKK!!
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    I hope, I can contribute to the AO community in a constructive way
    I must say you have done that, continue to do that, and more!

    And I agree with AK, it's members like sec_ware that prove AO is NOT dying!

    BTW, sec_ware, if you have any questions regarding hardware, just let me know, hardware happens to be my area of specialty .
    I am the uber duck!!1
    Proxy Tools

  10. #10
    PHP/PostgreSQL guy
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    It's reading interviews (or rather, AntiViews) like this that make me so glad I never have left AO. Too many great things like this...theoretical physics/math?! WOW! That's a whole lot smarter than me!

    Very good interview, Negative! Keep them coming!
    We the willing, led by the unknowing, have been doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much with so little for so long that we are now qualified to do just about anything with almost nothing.

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