The End is Near...

It seems that we have come to an end to the semester already!  This semester sure flew by in a blur and I have learned a lot of information about computer security that I am so glad to know now.  I am already using this new knowledge to secure my computer and personal information.  I am also sharing what I have learned to help my family and friends keep their computers save ( or at least safer then they were).  Computer security (and cyber crime) has become a huge topic in the world of technology that we live in and I think it will just continue to grow.  During this class I came across some really good websites that keep us up to date on the latest threats and security issues for example the US Department of Justice, this website is also great for reporting any cyber crimes.  I did subscribe to some of the free newsletters so I would know whats going on out there and what to be on the lookout for, check this one out!

We had a guest speaker, John Payne this mod who works in the IT department of Brigham Young University.  The class was able to ask him any question relevant to computer security.  There were so many good questions that ranged from topics like what changes he has seen during his career at the University to cyber-terrorism security measures and encryption and storage.  It seems that there is and probably always will be, a growing need for IT career's as our society continues to be so dependent upon technology.  A good point was brought up about how does someone whose interested in a career in the it field get a "head start", well I think Mr. Payne had a great answer:

" Always be learning, and be curious.  It’s ok to ask questions, in the spirit of learning from someone already in the field. I read quite a bit, both physical books and online content.  At some point, you need to specialize in something, and become an expert in that area.  Then you can broaden your knowledge from there. "

    

I feel like in an ever changing career like the would of security/IT it is very important to always be learning and reading to keep up to date on any new threats that are out there.  I am really grateful to Mr. Payne to take the time and have this discussion with us, it is encouraging to hear about his career and what the world of IT and security is like.

At this point I'm not 100% sure what type of IT career I would like to go into.  This class has brought to light a lot of things I never even knew about such as the importance of securing your routers at home and all the different type of viruses out there ( and how to tell if you have one).  I really enjoyed the book and all of the interesting stories they have.  I have learned a lot in this class and I will use this blog in my professional portfolio and I will also use it as a reference to what I learned.  We have one more blog entry to make about our group projects/teamwork and after that I am not sure whether I will continue to write in it or not. Keep your computers and personal information safe out there!!