DoD Taps DEF CON Hacker Traits For Cybersecurity Training Program by Kelly Jackson Higgins.
The Department of Defense sends Frank DiGiovanni, director of force training in DoD’s Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, to DEF CON 24.
His mission?
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“My purpose was to really learn from people who come to DEF CON … Who are they? How do I understand who they are? What motivates them? What sort of attributes” are valuable to the field, the former Air Force officer and pilot who heads overall training policy for the military, says.DiGiovanni interviewed more than 20 different security industry experts and executives during DEF CON. His main question: “If you’re going to hire someone to either replace you or eventually be your next cyber Jedi, what are you looking for?”
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The big takeaway from DiGiovanni’s DEF CON research: STEM, aka science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, was not one of the top skills organizations look for in their cyber-Jedis. “Almost no one talked about technical capabilities or technical chops,” he says. “That was the biggest revelation for me.”
DiGiovanni compiled a list of attributes for the cyber-Jedi archetype based on his interviews. The ultimate hacker/security expert, he found, has skillsets such as creativity and curiosity, resourcefulness, persistence, and teamwork, for example.
… (emphasis added)
The DoD has $millions to throw at creating cyber-Jedis.
If you plan to stay ahead, now would be a good time to start.
PS: If you attend the next DEF CON, keep an eye out for Frank:
