FBI unable to hire computer experts

Then there's this little gem - might explain why they're not getting good help with their systems.

[link|http://wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,54850,00.html|http://wired.com/new...283,54850,00.html]

Mike Sweeny, fueled by renewed patriotism after Sept. 11, wanted to offer his 20-plus years of experience in computer security to the FBI. But he was disheartened by job requirements that required him to have a college degree, be under 37 years old, morally irreproachable ... and physically fit.

"They will not consider you unless you can carry your M16 through the physical fitness course without killing yourself in the process," Sweeny, maintainer of the PacketAttack website, said. "Most of the geeks I know view exercise as carrying the 80-ounce cola, pager and cell phone all at the same time."
...
The agency has also requested an additional $730 million, over the $400 million originally budgeted, to implement "Project Trilogy" -- a general technology update intended to bring the FBI computer systems into the 21st century.

The project was dubbed Trilogy because it's the third attempt to upgrade the FBI's technology into a system that would be truly useful.

Computer security experts stress the FBI also needs to upgrade its hiring requirements if the agency really wants to attract experts. Besides the physical specimen specifications, many who are skilled enough to be able to protect a network from sophisticated attacks would probably not be ethically acceptable to the FBI.

"In order to be a good computer security person, you must think like a black-hat hacker and be able to understand the tools and methods of the dark side," Sweeny said. "Right there, you are in a very gray area, in the feds' opinion."

Job requirements for an agent also require an applicant to have a felony-free, just-say-no history.

"One question on the application asked if you'd smoked pot more than 15 times," Sweeny recalled. "Fifteen times? What's up with that? Fifteen is the magic number?"

Post #190,596 by tuberculosis 1/18/05 2:22:41 PM Reply	FBI unable to hire computer experts Then there's this little gem - might explain why they're not getting good help with their systems. [link\|http://wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,54850,00.html\|http://wired.com/new...283,54850,00.html] Mike Sweeny, fueled by renewed patriotism after Sept. 11, wanted to offer his 20-plus years of experience in computer security to the FBI. But he was disheartened by job requirements that required him to have a college degree, be under 37 years old, morally irreproachable ... and physically fit. "They will not consider you unless you can carry your M16 through the physical fitness course without killing yourself in the process," Sweeny, maintainer of the PacketAttack website, said. "Most of the geeks I know view exercise as carrying the 80-ounce cola, pager and cell phone all at the same time." ... The agency has also requested an additional $730 million, over the $400 million originally budgeted, to implement "Project Trilogy" -- a general technology update intended to bring the FBI computer systems into the 21st century. The project was dubbed Trilogy because it's the third attempt to upgrade the FBI's technology into a system that would be truly useful. Computer security experts stress the FBI also needs to upgrade its hiring requirements if the agency really wants to attract experts. Besides the physical specimen specifications, many who are skilled enough to be able to protect a network from sophisticated attacks would probably not be ethically acceptable to the FBI. "In order to be a good computer security person, you must think like a black-hat hacker and be able to understand the tools and methods of the dark side," Sweeny said. "Right there, you are in a very gray area, in the feds' opinion." Job requirements for an agent also require an applicant to have a felony-free, just-say-no history. "One question on the application asked if you'd smoked pot more than 15 times," Sweeny recalled. "Fifteen times? What's up with that? Fifteen is the magic number?" "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." --Albert Einstein "This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mental losses." --George W. Bush
Post #190,620 by Ashton 1/18/05 4:24:39 PM Reply	..and these are the people feeding the Bagman director.
Post #190,755 by GBert 1/19/05 10:14:34 AM Reply	Less than 15 times should be no prob for a geek "420" < 15 for sufficiently large values of 10... just pick a suitable base -- hey, they never said "fifteen"! Have whatever values you have. That's what America is for. You don't need George Bush for that.
Post #190,851 by lincoln 1/19/05 5:57:19 PM Reply	You posted an LRPD candidate (new thread) Created as new thread #190850 titled [link\|/forums/render/content/show?contentid=190850\|You posted an LRPD candidate] lincoln "Windows XP has so many holes in its security that any reasonable user will conclude it was designed by the same German officer who created the prison compound in "Hogan's Heroes." - Andy Ihnatko, Chicago Sun-Times [link\|mailto:bconnors@ev1.net\|contact me]

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