[PLUG] FW: [ISN] Defcon 2006: Hackers can work for the Feds - no degreerequired

William A Morita wamorita at hevanet.com
Wed Aug 16 14:46:48 UTC 2006


 

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Subject: [ISN] Defcon 2006: Hackers can work for the Feds - no
degreerequired 

http://www.tomsnetworking.com/2006/08/07/defcon2006_meetthefed_nodegree/

By Humphrey Cheung
August 7, 2006

Las Vegas (NV) - The great need for qualified computer security personnel is
now forcing the government to rethink rigid hiring guidelines. At the Defcon
computer security convention in Las Vegas, more than a dozen federal agents
told attendees that traditional requirements like college degrees and
polygraph tests were no longer strictly required for government employment.
They also said security clearances are being approved quickly.

In a rather surprising change of strategy, the government is streamlining
its process of attracting hacking talent. Jerry Dixon, deputy director for
the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, told journalists that
his organization has hired several people without degrees. Jim Christy,
director of the Defense Cyber Crime Institute told attendees that most of
the people who come to work for him usually come in as contractors and have
no background with the government. "We're gonna teach you how to do the
job... without college degrees," Christy said.

Apparently, "very gifted" have the chance of being hired even without a
high-school degree. "I just spent five and a half hours last night talking
with someone who has never graduated high school. And he is one of the most
innovative people I know," said Dr. Linton Wells II, assistant secretary of
defense for the Department of Defense.

Wells expalined that the government desperately needs qualified people as
40% of the senior personnel will be retiring during the next few years. With
this upcoming shortage, the government is willing to accept people gaining
skills away from schools. "The last standing perception of government
service is that you need a college degree,"  
said Wells. He said this perception does not match reality. According to
Wells, many employees, contractors and even people in the senior executive
service do not have degrees.

Christy told us that becoming a contractor first is the "easiest and
quickest" way to eventually getting a government job and said 60% of his
organization is composed of contractors. Government hiring procedures often
can be "slow and antiquated" and working with contractors sometimes is the
only option to complete a critical job, he explained.

"If we need immediate help, we will hire someone as a contractor and then
try to create a government position to move him into," said Christy. He
added it can take "two to three years" for that position to be created.

Another misconception, according to the Defcon speakers, is that security
clearances take months or even years to complete. Christy told us that new
hires are getting cleared surprisingly quickly. In many cases, hires can
receive an interim secret clearance in about 3 to 4 weeks. According to
Christy, the interim check consists of a "quick little" background inquiry
and a check for warrants and convictions. "Even some people in government
are surprised at how quickly people are being cleared," Christy said.

Even though the government is willing to drop the four-year degree
requirement, other federal agents on the panel warned of requirements that
cannot be eliminated. Mike Jacobs, vice president and director of SRA and a
former deputy associate director of the NSA, warned about security
clearances.

"You gotta sit and take the polygraphy, folks," said Jacobs. However this
strict polygraph requirement only exists at some agencies - like the NSA.
Both Dr. Wells and Christy told us that polygraphs are usually not required
for other government agencies.

Many people and probably most Defcon attendees believe polygraphs are
required for most government jobs, but Wells said, "This is absolutely not
true... polygraphs are not required for most secret level jobs."  
Christy told us, "Everyone doesn't have to be polygraphed. In certain
programs, up to 90% are not polygraphed."

The applicants that must face a polygraph often just take a basic polygraph
instead of the much tougher "lifestyle" polygraph test.  
"Basically, we ask if you are a spy in the basic test," said Christy.

Other factors that could disqualify an applicant are financial problems and
drug use. Financial responsibility is the "number one"  
disqualifier, but Christy adds that drug use is also a major disqualifier.
"If you used drugs in the last year, you would probably be precluded.
	

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