Introduction：
1、FBI Seeks New Crop of Good-Guy Hackers
2、FBI Seeks Ethical Hackers to be ?ber Special Agents'
FBI Seeks New Crop of Good-Guy Hackers ♂
Cyber recruits go through the same suspect-arrest training as all FBI agents.
The FBI is seeking to expand its roster of special agents with cybersecurity expertise. But the federal law enforcement agency confronts a number of challenges that recruiters in the private sector don't face. Those include offering relatively low salaries as well as potentially dangerous assignments.
See Also: Buyers Guide: What to Look for in a Detection and Response Solution?
Though compensation for some entry-level positions is competitive with many businesses, the FBI can't match the compensation the private sector offers for more experienced cybersecurity specialists.
In addition, the responsibilities of special agents go far beyond core technology duties to include various law enforcement tasks, such as participating in arrests, search warrants, raids and other dangerous assignments that "pose the risk of personal bodily harm," according to a current job posting for special agent/cyber.
"Nobody should think that it's all about making forensic images of computers and sitting behind a desk; that's not an FBI agent's job," say Tim Ryan, a former FBI special agent and supervisor who oversaw the bureau's largest cybersquad.
"We want them to have all these computer skills, but you got to want them to understand coming in: you're an FBI agent," says Ryan, who's now managing director and cyber-practice leader at risk management adviser Kroll. "You'll carry a gun, be trained to defend yourself, defend others. And, when other people are running away from planes going into buildings, your job is to run toward that. You're not going to learn that in a SANS class or a computer science class."
The push to increase the FBI's roster of special agents with cybersecurity expertise comes at a time when a growing number of investigations involve cyber in some capacity. The FBI considers protecting America against cyber-based attacks as its No. 3 priority - after terrorist attacks and foreign espionage - and is actively engaged in the investigation of the nation's most notorious IT security breaches, including Sony Pictures Entertainment, Target and Home Depot.
"Cyber permeates every aspect of what we do, whether it's counterterrorism, criminal investigations or traditional cyber-attacks, as we've seen in the recent past," says Robert Anderson Jr., executive director for the FBI's Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch. "That's why these type of people are so important to get into the pipeline and come into our organization."
In an FBI video, Robert Anderson Jr. discusses the special agent/cyber recruiting program.
The current job posting for special agents/cyber - the FBI expects to recruit fewer than 100 in this round of hirings - emphasizes situations and skills not normally found in private-sector IT security jobs. First, the hiring process is lengthy, taking up to a year. Once hired, rookie agents spend 19 weeks in training in Quantico, Va., away from their families. When training is done, the new agents will be assigned to one of 56 field offices located throughout the United States, including Puerto Rico. And, throughout their careers, special agents must be available for temporary duty assignments anywhere in the world. The minimum work week is 50 hours, and agents must be on call 24x7, including holidays and weekends.
"FBI employees work hard," says former FBI Deputy Assistant Director for Cyber Steve Chabinsky, general counsel and chief risk officer at CrowdStrike, a provider of endpoint security wares. "Still, applications to join the FBI always far outnumber the actual job vacancies. The FBI is a cool place to work because FBI employees have the satisfaction of working on the most important investigations, with access to the most sensitive information, and the ability to stop massive attacks."
The FBI's Anderson says the bureau's mission is unlike anything a cybersecurity expert would face in the private sector, focusing on national security cyber-investigations or major, complex criminal probes with a cyber nexus. "The biggest thing you can offer to anyone that comes to work at the FBI is the mission and the scale of investigations that you work inside the FBI," Anderson says. "It doesn't matter where you go, it doesn't matter who you work for, you can't get that anywhere else but the FBI."
Kroll's Ryan says the FBI can offer its cyber special agents something that the private sector can't: experience combining in-person and electronic investigations. "It's not just conducting computer forensics, but how to do [live] investigations as well, which can be different. You're just not going to get that kind of investigative experience outside the FBI."
Tim Ryan explains how his FBI training helps him solve cases at Kroll.
To become an agent, recruits must be physical fit and pass a medical exam and endure a rigorous background investigation, credit checks and a polygraph in order to obtain a top-secret security clearance.
No one will get rich being an FBI special agent with a cybersecurity specialty. The job posting for special agent/cyber lists a pay range of $59,340 to $76,568. According to a survey conducted earlier this year by the SANS Institute, which offers IT security training, the average annual income of a forensic investigator is $67,273 for someone with zero to three years of experience and $83,624 for those with four to six years of experience (see Why InfoSec Pay Shows Lackluster Gains). The same survey reveals a security engineer earns an average of $70,238 a year with zero to three years and $97,128 with four to six years of experience.
"While it will be harder to sway senior cyber engineers and technicians from their jobs, the bureau's call will appeal to those who are trying to get real, boots on the ground skills and those looking to deepen the type of working they are doing," says Christopher Pierson, chief security officer at the secure invoicing and payments network Viewpost and former president of the Phoenix chapter of InfraGard, an FBI-private sector partnership that shares threat information.
FBI Seeks Ethical Hackers to be ?ber Special Agents' ♂
(TNS) -- To battle hackers, you have to think like one.
The FBI said Monday it's seeking technology experts — including those with experience in "ethical hacking" — to become "cyber special agents."
"Cyber permeates every aspect of what we do, whether it's counterterrorism, criminal investigations or traditional cyberattacks, as we've seen in the recent past," the FBI said.
North Korea, for example, is at the center of a confrontation with the United States over the hacking of Sony Pictures. The hacking is believed tied to Sony's movie "The Interview" about the assassination of North Korea's leader.
"The FBI seeks highly talented, technically trained individuals who are motivated by the FBI's mission to protect our nation and the American people from the rapidly evolving cyber threat," Robert Anderson Jr., executive assistant director for the bureau's criminal, cyber, response and services branch, said in a statement Monday
In its job post, which is open until Jan. 20, the agency said it has "many vacancies" for cyber special agents.
Such agents, the FBI said, should have the skills to "conduct multi-faceted investigations of high-tech crimes, including cyber-based terrorism, computer intrusions, online exploitation and major cyber fraud schemes."
Preferred backgrounds and work experiences include computer forensics, computer programming and "ethical hacking," according to the job posting. One way to get a resume to stand out at the FBI: Get certified in ethical hacking.
The EC-Council, which provides certification in information security and e-business fields, offers, for example, a "Certified Ethical Hacker" course as a way to get professionals to think like a hacker.
"To master the hacking technologies, you will need to become one," EC-Council says on its website. Students in the council's training will "scan, test, hack and secure their own systems."
Some companies hire ethical hackers to try and bypass their own computer security systems. They aim to locate weak points that could be exploited by malicious hackers.
The annual salary range in the FBI's job posting is $59,340 to $76,568.
Prospective cyber special agents are expected to meet the same threshold as special agents. Key requirements to be a special agent include passing a background check and fitness test. Agents must be at least 23 and no older than 37.
Applicants for the cyber special agents job must also have at least a four-year degree from an accredited college or university. Preferred degrees include applied and computational mathematics; digital and computer forensics; and computer information systems.
?2014 the Chicago Tribune
Related questions
Google does hire individuals with hacking skills, but it's important to clarify the context. The company actively recruits ethical hackers (often called "white hat" hackers) and cybersecurity experts to enhance the security of its products, protect user data, and identify vulnerabilities. Here's how this works:
1. Roles at Google for Security Experts
- Security Engineers, Penetration Testers, and Red Team Members: These professionals simulate attacks on Google's systems to uncover weaknesses before malicious actors ("black hat" hackers) can exploit them.
- Threat Intelligence Analysts: They monitor and defend against cyber threats targeting Google or its users.
- Project Zero: Google's elite team of security researchers focuses on discovering zero-day vulnerabilities in software (including third-party systems) to improve global cybersecurity.
2. Ethical Hacking and Bug Bounty Programs
- Google runs vulnerability reward programs (e.g., for Android, Chrome, and Google Cloud) that pay external researchers (including ethical hackers) for responsibly reporting security flaws. This incentivizes collaboration with the hacking community without direct employment.
- Programs like "Google Bug Hunters" highlight their engagement with ethical hackers globally.
3. Background Checks and Ethics
- Google conducts rigorous background checks. Candidates with a history of illegal hacking (e.g., black hat activities, cybercrime) are unlikely to be hired.
- Individuals with a track record of ethical security research (e.g., publishing vulnerabilities responsibly, contributing to open-source security tools) are valued.
4. Education and Skills
- Google looks for strong technical skills (e.g., reverse engineering, cryptography, network security) and certifications like OSCP, CISSP, or CEH.
- Participation in hacking competitions (e.g., Capture the Flag events) or platforms like Hack The Box can bolster a candidate's profile.
5. Public Examples
- Google has hired notable security researchers, including former "grey hat" hackers who shifted to ethical work. For example, Parisa Tabriz, a leader in Google's security efforts, is often referred to as the "Security Princess" and oversees teams defending Chrome and other products.
Key Takeaway
Google does not hire malicious hackers, but it actively seeks ethical cybersecurity professionals to safeguard its infrastructure, innovate in security, and protect users. If you have hacking skills and want to work at Google, focus on building a legal, ethical track record in cybersecurity.
评论已关闭