Ex- student (CEH, ECSA), Internetworkz (Intercop)
Academic/Career Background
Q. Your educational background?
A Chemical Engineer and an MBA, who fell in love with computers
Q. Something about your earlier work domain in Thomson Reuters?
I was supporting Thomson Reuters proprietary applications. Was into application support, server-client architecture.
THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE……
Q. Why did you decide to switch to Information Security?
Ever since I saw an internal email that had a virus attack, while working in my previous company (one of the biggest technological companies), it kindled my interest in the field of security.I wondered how someone could compromise the security of such a big company. Later that interest turned into passion towards network security.
Q. As a newbie to Security, how did you find the CEH and ECSA programs?
The CEH & ECSA courseware and modules go in-depth, at the same time is very lucid and easy to understand. EC-Council has done a fantastic job in terms of providing the best materials and awesome tools. If one masters the modules, I feel he/she can get a very strong foundation in the field of Network Security. They have also incorporated the latest technology which keeps the programs up to date with current industry standards.
Q. How did your CEH/ECSA exams go?
The exams were very standard, and make you think twice before you click on the answer. I went through the entire kit provided by EC Council, which not only helped me clear the exams, but also get through the interview.
Q. What suggestions could you provide for other CEH/ECSA candidates on ‘tackling’ it the right way?
I suggest them to make good use of the materials that EC-Council provides, and also practice all the labs and improvise on it.
DONNING THE NEW ROLE
Q. Post certification, how did the shift to your current job happened?
Just couple of days after my certification I saw an internal job requirement in my company for the position of IT Security Analyst. I had two rounds of interview, where the questions were related to the current security trends.
Q. As IT Security Analyst, what responsibilities do you handle?
I perform Vulnerability Assessment on the Internet Facing Servers in my company, and give them solutions on patching up the security weakness. Also I handle the testing of various vendor patches and deploying them in the servers. In addition to that I analyze logs from IDS and IPS to ensure that there are no security compromises in my network.
Q. Does your learning experience at Internetworkz/Intercop support your real-time job profile?
It does to a great extent. The knowledge and the skill that my trainer, Mr. Arun, helped me gain is helping me in my current role. My managers are also happy that they need not have to spend a lot of time in training me to carry out my current role as they feel that I already know the concepts well.
ON IT SECURITY…
Q. In your experience how do you find the scope of Information Security in the current IT realm?
IT security has a very good scope in the industry especially now that Cloud Computing is gaining popularity. Also the recent cyber attacks on companies like Sony, PayPal, Visa, have served as a wakeup call for many companies, and have made them relook their current security infrastructure and improve them. Internet is the future, and IT security would for sure play a major part in it.
Q. Do IT Security guys stand the chance of a big fat paycheck compared to their Software Counterparts?
IT Security is definitely a domain that is very promising. With good knowledge and experience, it’s not difficult to get a 7 digit income. Pay in software, tends to become a little stagnant at some point, and the increase would be gradual, but is exponential in IT security. There is a big demand for knowledgeable Security Analysts, and the companies don’t really mind giving them fat paychecks
YOUR SAY………
Q. “THE BIG” Question: – Does certifications really help?
It surely does. Certification is a proof of one’s knowledge. When we apply for a job, our Resume goes to the interviewer before us. So it’s good to have an interesting Resume. Also certification helps one gain knowledge and expertise on the subject.
Q. How do you see your career path ahead? Does planning help or stagnation push you?
Right now I am concentrating on learning and gaining knowledge through my current role. Planning certainly helps, as one cannot afford to sit back and watch the parade pass by. IT security is a very interesting and promising domain, but one has to constantly keep updating in terms of technology and skills.
Q. What advice could you give freshers/graduates on certifications and career decisions?
Be sure of what you want to pursue. Always follow your passion. It’s very satisfying when your passion becomes your work. Don’t look at certifications just from the point of clearing exams, look at them from the point of gaining knowledge.
About Internetworkz /Intercop
Three years back I joined Inter-Networkz and completed my CCNA. Though I did not know about security then, the very atmosphere, the faculty & staff and the infrastructure made me come back and enquire when I wanted to pursue Security, and was fortunate enough to have made the right decision.
None of this would have been possible without the help of my trainer, Mr. Arun Thomas. I am not from computer science background, but am a guy who just loves computers. Mr. Arun Thomas is an expert in this field, his lucid training method, and attention to detail, made the entire training very informative and helpful. I could not have done this without his help and his expertise.
During training he constantly gave his guidance on how to apply for jobs and how to prepare for interviews, also the kind of jobs that we need to apply for.
My sincere gratitude to him and to Inter-Networks
