Cyber Security Graduate - Ask me (almost) anything

Reply 20

Great444

14

Hello there ,

I have a few questions on cryptography

Reply 21

username5204820

OP

14

Original post by meme12

Hello there ,

I have a few questions on cryptography

Fire away, although I can't promise to be of help

Reply 22

Great444

14

good day, If you can help great, if not no worries

I did my undergraduate project on cryptography, I am doing my postgraduate project now it suppose to be a quantitative project, but I don't have any idea where to start from, what to compare, ... etc ... Thanks

Reply 23

username5204820

OP

14

Original post by meme12

good day, If you can help great, if not no worries

I did my undergraduate project on cryptography, I am doing my postgraduate project now it suppose to be a quantitative project, but I don't have any idea where to start from, what to compare, ... etc ... Thanks

That's a pretty broad question.

You say that you did an undergrad project on crypto, what exactly did you do though? Are you looking to do something similar for your postgrad, or something totally different? Cryptography can be fairly Maths heavy, are you leaning more towards the Maths element or the Cyber element?

In terms of where to start, look at the general theme of what you want to work on. Crypto is pretty broad, is there something more specific you'd like to do a project on?

Above all else, your best bet is to talk with your lecturers. I'm guessing you have a personal tutor or a supervisor, if you're struggling it's important to let them know. They're going to have a lot more experience and can offer way better advice than someone like me.

Reply 24

Great444

14

What each cypher do, compare between them, advantage disadvantage, I did excel version, RSA .. etc
I am not struggling with the topic it self, I am struggling to choose the topic.
for example, if I did Cryptography, what the hypothesis will be.
I am focusing on the maths element.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 25

username5204820

OP

14

Original post by meme12

What each cypher do, compare between them, advantage disadvantage, I did excel version, RSA .. etc
I am not struggling with the topic it self, I am struggling to choose the topic.
for example, if I did Cryptography, what the hypothesis will be.
I am focusing on the maths element.

Is there room to do anything similar to your undergrad work but in more depth? Did you identify points for further research for example? What about looking in more detail at the features that make crypto good or bad? You could look at things like how computationally intensive an algorithm is, or the timeframes involved with breaking ciphers and how they impact their use.

I'll be honest though, this sounds more like a discussion you need to be having with tutor/supervisor. Crypto isn't really my area of expertise to begin with, and I can't speak from experience when it comes to postgrad work. They may have a list of topics you could choose from, or point you towards some ideas. That said, if there isn't a topic in particular you really want to work on, then maybe it's not the right topic to be doing a postgrad project on. Do you absolutely have to do crypto?

Reply 26

ahpadt

15

Crypto is really just mostly maths. Unless you're a super maths person it's likely to get complicated really quickly. The offensive side is generally not considered entry-level because you need a decent amount of prior knowledge. Most people start on the defensive side. They are quite different subjects. Ultimately it's easier to find fault in something rather than trying to make a 100% secure infrastructure which is practically not possible because humans.

Reply 27

Elise_18

13

Hi there, I'm currently in year 12 and need to do a programming project for my A-Level. I want to go into cyber security or digital forensics but am not really sure how to ensure my project could link to these- do you have any advice?

As well as this, are there any tips you could give me to try and strengthen my personal statement for uni when applying for the two courses mentioned above?

Thank you! :smile:

Reply 28

hypn0se

10

Hi there, I currently finished my A-levels due to the health crisis that is going around the world. I always had an interest for cyber security, but unfortunately I haven't the chance to explore this field in more depth since my A-levels were quite time consuming and I was putting a lot of effort into them to get the best grades.
Last year, I bought this book https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1292025409/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 , do you think it will be helpful for someone like me who is a beginner and would like to get into cyber security?
Also, what programs,applications or tutorials do you recommend for a beginner to self-teach practically.

Reply 29

Great444

14

I did my undergraduate project on cryptography, from Ceaser cipher to RSA , search the internet there is a lot of material, your maths has to be good to an extent, I will not do Cryptography for my postgraduate project. I decide to do something about the history of maths and education.

Reply 30

donavaillo

3

Original post by username5204820

A bit of background for those that have never seen me lurking over in tech. I'll be graduating my Cyber and Forensics undergraduate degree this summer with a guaranteed First. I've interviewed at a handful of organisations and have a competitive job lined up for when I finish. My primary interest is in offensive cyber (pentesting/red teaming) and research.

I'm happy to give advice and answer questions about breaking into the industry (as a career changer, as a school leaver, whatever) or any other general questions about cyber. I won't be answering questions that involve sharing personal information (what uni I'm at, where I'm going to work on graduation, my salary, etc.).

I am a cyber security student and currently finishing my second year in 2021. After several attempts applying for placement in cyber security, I was accepted by one company to do my one year placement as ICT Engineer. I am expected to come back to complete my uni studies after the placement is done, extending expected uni completion to 2 years. I am just worried about doing my placement as ICT engineer when all I wanted was a placement in cyber security like pen test. My question is, will it benefit me in my cyber security career on the long run if I do this placement or I should look to more cyber security concerntrated placement or just continue university to complete the studies without a placement year?

Reply 31

Quady

20

Original post by donavaillo

I am a cyber security student and currently finishing my second year in 2021. After several attempts applying for placement in cyber security, I was accepted by one company to do my one year placement as ICT Engineer. I am expected to come back to complete my uni studies after the placement is done, extending expected uni completion to 2 years. I am just worried about doing my placement as ICT engineer when all I wanted was a placement in cyber security like pen test. My question is, will it benefit me in my cyber security career on the long run if I do this placement or I should look to more cyber security concerntrated placement or just continue university to complete the studies without a placement year?

Work experience be good

How relevant for the future it is depends on what you'll be doing as 'an engineer'

Original post by donavaillo

I am a cyber security student and currently finishing my second year in 2021. After several attempts applying for placement in cyber security, I was accepted by one company to do my one year placement as ICT Engineer. I am expected to come back to complete my uni studies after the placement is done, extending expected uni completion to 2 years. I am just worried about doing my placement as ICT engineer when all I wanted was a placement in cyber security like pen test. My question is, will it benefit me in my cyber security career on the long run if I do this placement or I should look to more cyber security concerntrated placement or just continue university to complete the studies without a placement year?

Hi @donavaillo I hope you don't mind me jumping in here. Your placement as an IT Engineer is going to be really useful, and really valid for your longer career plans in cyber security.

Employers are happy to hire junior cyber security specialists, but in terms of cyber security, you really need some solid hands-on experience in the IT industry before moving into cyber security. This placement year is going to be a fantastic opportunity for you, and a great way to give you the foundation experience needed for a role in the industry.

Hope that's useful,
Jenny at Learning People

Reply 33

Kecifer

9

Hi, I am also finishing my second year at university and doing a Cyber Security specialised degree. I applied to so many placements but unfortunately got rejected by all of them. How can I get a job in the cyber security field after graduation? I doubt a first class will be enough to impress them

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 34

donavaillo

3

Original post by LearningPeople

Hi @donavaillo I hope you don't mind me jumping in here. Your placement as an IT Engineer is going to be really useful, and really valid for your longer career plans in cyber security.

Employers are happy to hire junior cyber security specialists, but in terms of cyber security, you really need some solid hands-on experience in the IT industry before moving into cyber security. This placement year is going to be a fantastic opportunity for you, and a great way to give you the foundation experience needed for a role in the industry.

Hope that's useful,
Jenny at Learning People

@Jenny Thank you so much. I think its a great opportunity too. Thank you.

Reply 35

kupian

7

What was the balance between theory and practical study in your course? Did you mostly get taught concepts and abstracted methods or did you spend a lot of hands-on time doing actual pen-testing exercises?

Reply 36

username5770391

14

Thanks both for the questions. I posted this thread a year ago on an old account, but recently posted a new AMA here. Feel free to ask me again over in that thread and I'd be happy to answer. But some short answers below:

Original post by Kecifer

Hi, I am also finishing my second year at university and doing a Cyber Security specialised degree. I applied to so many placements but unfortunately got rejected by all of them. How can I get a job in the cyber security field after graduation? I doubt a first class will be enough to impress them

Congrats on finishing your second year.

A First could be enough, depends what you want to do. I had a bit more going for me than just a First, but for the most part secured a graduate job with entry level skills learned in some final year modules. I'm not suggesting that you rely solely on your degree but there's tons you could do. It depends heavily on who you're trying to impress though (i.e. what job you want)

Original post by kupian

What was the balance between theory and practical study in your course? Did you mostly get taught concepts and abstracted methods or did you spend a lot of hands-on time doing actual pen-testing exercises?

Good mix of theory and practical, maybe 50:50 slightly leaning on practical skills. Cyber Sec modules were heavily practical, some other modules (e.g. Comp Architecture) were more theory. Not specifically doing pen testing exercises though

Reply 37

username5770391

14

Original post by donavaillo

I am a cyber security student and currently finishing my second year in 2021. After several attempts applying for placement in cyber security, I was accepted by one company to do my one year placement as ICT Engineer. I am expected to come back to complete my uni studies after the placement is done, extending expected uni completion to 2 years. I am just worried about doing my placement as ICT engineer when all I wanted was a placement in cyber security like pen test. My question is, will it benefit me in my cyber security career on the long run if I do this placement or I should look to more cyber security concerntrated placement or just continue university to complete the studies without a placement year?

I missed answering this yesterday. Congrats on getting a placement, a lot of students have struggled finding placements this year and last year.

I can appreciate wanting to get a placement role that's closer to cyber. However, finding something like a pentesting placement is pretty uncommon, simply because most businesses won't take the risk letting you loose on real systems. There are more dedicated cyber placements around, but they don't tend to not be the offensive security side of things.

When I was at uni, I did a placement which was not massively cyber focused. It was closer to an infrastructure engineer role, and basically nothing that I learned has been relevant to my graduate role. I imagine it played a small part in the decision to hire me, but it was my skills from final year uni modules that actually ended up being relevant.

I'd generally say that doing a placement, even one that's not super focused on cyber, is better than not having a placement. This applies even more if you've got no other job experience. Rather than thinking of it as a way to develop useful cyber skills, think of it as a way to develop the soft skills. A placement is really good for demonstrating things like work ethic, and if you happen to pick up some useful cyber skills along the way then great.

Specifically, your question asks if it'll benefit in the long run. I'd say maybe, but indirectly at best. Doing the placement is unlikely to matter in 5 or 10 years. Where it really helps out is getting your foot in the door, it's another "nice to have" that helps you stand out when trying to get your first job. Maybe you'll learn a bunch of real world infrastructure skills that end up being useful, but I generally wouldn't look at a placement as an investment in the long term. Rather it's an investment into making yourself as good as you can be when looking for your first job.

For those concerned about finding placements, I'll also make it clear that you don't have to do a placement to get a job. Plenty of people don't do placements and still get jobs, I think only 4 out of 20 students in my class did a placement. There's a lot of factors, and doing a placement is just one part of the bigger picture

Reply 38

username5770391

14

Original post by ahpadt

Most people start on the defensive side. They are quite different subjects. Ultimately it's easier to find fault in something rather than trying to make a 100% secure infrastructure which is practically not possible because humans.

I know this comment is a year old, but this is not really the case. There's tons of entry level pentesting roles, and an awful lot of people don't start off on the defensive side.

I also wouldn't say that one (offence or defence) is easier than the other. Defence is hard because you need to try and close off every possible attack path, which as you say is not practically possible because there's always going to be holes. Offence is hard because although you only need to find one hole, the process of exploiting it may be quite involved. It's a constant back and forth, which requires strong skills on both sides

Reply 39

Kecifer

9

Where did you find the graduate job, was it through uni, online or other connections? I am mainly looking to work as a cyber security analyst or penetration tester. My final year does involve learning about penetration testing and some computer forensics stuff.

Cyber Security Graduate - Ask me (almost) anything

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