Full Disclosure mailing list archives

Re: [OT] CISSP Test


From: Anders Langworthy <hades () psilanthropy org>
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 00:59:48 -0600

SecurityLSI wrote:
I wholeheartedly agree that there needs to be an industry benchmark,
something that says you cannot operate in this field unless you have passed
x. I'm thinking along the lines of something similar to the Bar exam that
lawyers have to take, or perhaps a license like what doctors are required to
obtain before being able to practice. I fear its going to take something of
that level to truly separate the chaff from the wheat. Anything less and you
only end up with braindumps and bootcampers throwing resume after resume at
you.


There is an important distinction between something like the Bar, and medical licensure. The InfoSec equivalent of the legal Bar would be impossible to implement, because unlike a courtroom, a network is not under regulated control. If you wish to practice law, you must do it in a government-controlled courtroom*, and that government says that you must pass the Bar before doing so.

My network, on the other hand--like my body--belongs to me. Nobody has the right to tell me who I can and cannot hire to work on them. In the same way, I could pay somebody off the street to perform surgery on me if I wished. I wouldn't recommend it, and they wouldn't be a licensed doctor, but nobody can stop me.

So what difference does it make if we add another benchmark/"cert"? We already have plenty. Even if it were possible, would we really want to grant absolute power to something like the medical AMA?

* Judge Judy doesn't count.

--
Anders
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