Teaching cybersecurity?
Table of Contents
1. Background
I have a good friend who works as a career counselor at a local community college. I had discussions with her while making my decision to retire last month, and last week around what to do in retiremnet…I have a lot of ideas once I get past lining up health care and finances for the rest of my life
Her input is usually good and very worth considering. Being a career counselor at a community college, she suggested I get my masters degree to enable me to teach and pass my ?wisdom?.
I started on a masters back-in-the-day while on staff at the computer science department of my alma mater, Ohio State and have thought on and off about finishing one. Teaching is something I've considered doing (know any homeschool groups in northern Virginia looking for a Latin teacher?)
2. Teaching cyberscurity?
The following are my cogitations on teaching cybersecurity, edited form an email exchange with my freind the counslor:
2.1. Do certificaitons and standard practices help?
George Jones <> (Yest. 10:59) (inbox replied) Subject: Western governors To: Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2024 10:59:38 -0500 I looked at the cyber security program. I could probably do it fairly easily. They tout being able to get various industry certifications free in the process. One is the CISSP. I held that circa 2002-2012, plus some related certs (SANS). I let it drop after realizing that leading a multi year effort, coordinating globally across the industry resulting in me being the author of a set of security recommendations published by Internet standards body (https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3871) counted as much toward recertification as sitting in a room listening to a one hour lecture on strong passowrds. Let's just say I don't think much of the value of the certification. I founded the LinkedIn group "Not-a-CISSP" The bigger picture, and this was grating on me for 15 or 20 years and was one of the reasons I finally retired is I have trouble believing that the "standard practices", such as those behind most of the degree work, make a real difference in security. Sure there are jobs, good paying jobs (I left one), but if you don't think it matters in the end, it's hard to stick to it. Or, probably, teach it. What I need to do is some writing engaging the fundamental question/value. Thanks for the idea. Still milling it over. -- The opinions expressed in this email are mine, and not those of my employer. In fact, they may not even be mine. I may have changed my mind. I may have grown beyond a particular opinion. I may be trolling you. I may be engaging in Socratic dialog to tear down your beliefs. I may be tearing down my own beliefs. γνῶθι σεαυτόν! ---George Jones
2.2. Is it all about checking off boxes? Is that actual improvment?
George Jones <> (Yest. 17:23) (inbox) Subject: Re: Western governors To: Cc: Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2024 17:23:23 -0500 I think you may have given me the angle I need to write: could I ever, in good conscience, teach "cyber security" as it's understood today? Thanks, ----george [ 2-line signature. Click/Enter to show. ] -- ---George Jones Subject: Re: Western governors From: To: George Jones <> Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2024 22:32:27 +0000 I am eager to eventually read what you write or hear what you decide. I think even if you decide not to go down this route, the thinking you do to figure that out will be valuable for helping you focus and define what you eventually decide to do with your time. And do note that the main focus of WGU is applied, not theoretical. Other colleges have research/philosophy based degrees that focus on what best practices SHOULD be, and those programs would likely be a far better fit for you intellectually as an instructor. WGU is kind of the "I just need to demonstrate that I meet the minimum standards for holding a masters degree so I can check off someone's rather arbitrary box" kind of program. George Jones <> (Yest. 17:59) (inbox) Subject: Re: Western governors To: Cc: Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2024 17:59:01 -0500 Yeah, checkbox security is a big part of the collective non-solutions. They do get you jobs. But I view much of the profession (defense side, offence a whole different discussion) on about the same level as digging and refilling dicthes (just start by looking here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_security_hacking_incidents#2023). Some people can ignore the futility and take the paycheck (while talking a good game to the c-suite to keep the gravy train going). I can't. And don't get me started on the [non]value of doing things to check boxes to get past HR. HR is often the tail wagging the dog in the hiring process. This https://www.amazon.com/Reinvention-Roadmap-Break-Career-Deserve/dp/1942952686 from a former HR VP is all about bypassing HR to get in the door.