U.S. Homeland Security wants to hire hackers.

The U.S. Homeland Security Department is already on the lookout for hackers. This time, however, the computer specialists are not behind bars, but behind the desk - to the safety of U.S. government networks to be improved.

 

Washington - An offer like this does not often get to see: people will be someone who is "the common weaknesses and vulnerabilities and also knows hacker methods, tools and tactics mastered, so a hacker himself. The search is such a computer specialist but it is not because of some dark underground organization, but from
General Dynamics Information Technology, a company by the U.S. DHS (Department of Homeland Security) to provide IT services.

DDP
Post for Noble Hacker: IT experts are weaknesses in U.S. government networks find and seal

The new plan is apparently a response to the growing fear of the politicians of cyber-attacks. For years, computer networks and by U.S. authorities from abroad under permanent digital fire. As China is regularly accused by the fact of trying to intrude into state computers. Only one and a half month reported the Wall Street Journal, IT specialists from the U.S. secret services had in the networks of energy suppliers in the country, identification of foreign programs. What are the functions of the unknowns smuggled software should meet, remained unclear.

Sure, the experts were only that the existence of the foreign programs in their networks, a latent danger of revealing sources. Equipped with the expertise and the necessary infrastructure, other countries
American energy sensitive networks meet, thereby possibly endangering millions of people and the country serious harm.

There is no emergency plan

But against such attacks, the U.S. will be better protected. Currently the country but was still slightly vulnerable, experts fear. While sophisticated response plans for floods, plane hijackings and the like there is on cyber attacks poorly prepared. In March, warned David Powner, technology expert of the government, the United States were "clearly not as prepared as we should."

Therefore, the cyber-defense now seems to be staffed - even if only moderately. To contain the budget plan for the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week submitted an item which said that the U.S. Department of Defense until 2011 in a position to want, 250 IT professionals per year to train. Currently it is only 80th

A secure job

The now sought by General Dynamics, however, plays a specialist in a different league. The notification of job, a yawning gap for the government to fill said
Nadia Short, Vice President of General Dynamics Information Technology, the news agency Associated Press.

Light, however, there will hardly be a candidate to obtain the high requirements in the job offer can be defined. Accordingly, interested parties are already on the highest security level "top secret" and for the specific security classification "Sensitive Compartmented Information" released. Moreover, it is said in the request list, would prefer candidates with a certificate as a Certified Ethical Hacker presented. Thus an expert who specializes in using methods hackers intrude into networks to ensure their security arrangements to be tested.

Sounds like a dream job for hackers, and is at least for the next few years, a safer workplace. As Nadia Short explains, General Dynamics Information Technology a four-year contract with the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) completed. The task: threats to the U.S. government networks and detect possible security concepts. The budget: 60 million U.S. dollars.