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Hackers, Gamers and Tech Workers: The UK Needs You For a New Cyber Army
girlmad writes "The UK government is looking to recruit IT experts for a cyber reserves army, which will help it defend against the threat of cyber warfare. 'This is an exciting opportunity for internet experts in industry to put their skills to good use for the nation, protecting our vital computer systems and capabilities,' said the Ministry of Defence. The reserve unit will cover a range of military cyber tactics, including a strike capability to augment the UK's military prowess."
Since gamers today are basically anyone who has the utterly amazing skill of being able to get bored long enough to reach for a CD, how about we leave them off the listed of request people, thanks.
Riiiiiighttttt... they're asking all "potential troublemakers" to come on in and get on their big, happy, new list. Just wait, some day the long knives will come out.
I deny that I have not avoided attaining the opposite of that which I do not want.
Dear UK,
Chinese hackers in your system? Some troublemaker from the inner city poking around in a highly classified file network? Just dont like what some guy from the internet is doing on your home page?
For the low low price of 1 billion dollars, I will give you the solution to your problems! DISCLAMER: By reading below you are utilizing my advancted technique and agree to make payment in full to myself. Thank you.
Step 1:
Unplug the machine.
Problem solved. I will be expecting my payment shortly. Thank you.
If they don't call them the Cybermen, I'm not joining.
John
I am pretty sure I have dealt with some of these people. We had a third party security auditor come in and do an audit of our system and I got the job of baby sitting him and he didn't seem to know his head from his ass. Even with spoon feeding him information on machine layout and configuration he had issues while being physically connected to the same switch as the machines he was auditing. He was little more that a professional script kiddy and to ensure that he could do his "job" I had to make it easier for him to evaluate the system by disabling encryption, disabling firewalls, disabling certificate based authentication, etc on the system until by the end it was basically an unsecured system but at least he was able to do his audit to find vulnerabilities in the various components which was the purpose of the audit.
Time to offend someone
Well, I'm in, as long as you have a job waiting for me in the private sector too. This country is a sinking ship. We aren't willing to pay top dollar for talent, instead going for saturating the market with immigrant visas to drive labor prices down. We've got a crazy patent and copyright system that all but eliminates opportunity for startups. If signing up for some 'cyber reserve army' is what's needed to have a job that pays the bills, good health care, and a home in a low-crime area, I'm not gonna waste any time... I'll pack my bags and be there inside a month.
Right now, our own 'cyber army' seems more intent on considering its own citizens the enemy; At least from what I've seen in the UK they have similar levels of surveillance but are far more subdued in their... zeal... for punishing people caught in their dragnets. It's not much, but it's something. Taken as a whole, I think it would be a better quality of life to be a British citizen than a US one. Plus, they still have a middle class.
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
From the source, and I'll add some commentary.
We are seeking to recruit from three areas: regular personnel leaving the service; current and former reservists; and individuals with no previous military service
In other words, they take anyone.
As well as employing reserves under current terms and conditions of service, the Cyber Reserve will be running a pilot scheme to evaluate innovative and inclusive approaches to recruiting, training, and employment.
Emphasis mine, but I think that's enough to question what you are getting into.
* possess verifiable exceptional cyber skills (*)
* be aged 18 or over
* be a UK or Commonwealth Citizen
* have lived in the UK for the last 5 years
* be able to commit to the minimum annual training
* be willing to undergo and pass a security clearance process
* use spare time and weekends in order to support defence’s cyber security mission
Nothing too odd here, but it appears that you are going to working for free. Also, "cyber skills" really means squat. I'm sure they will give you a test...
The Cyber Reserve offers a challenge that you can get nowhere else.
Except for the US, the current UK version of NSA, the current version of the German NSA, the Italian version of the NSA, etc.. etc.. blah blah and yes, even Russia has one of those. Not unique, and only challenging to your morals in most cases.
It would be cool if nobody in the UK signed up, but I know that the UK plays on patriotism and "terror" as much as the USA does. So the race is full speed for who is the biggest dickhead country, the US or UK. Good luck over there across the pond.
-The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.
So what are you going to do, drop by a few days each year for reserve training and if you're ever called into action you'll be issued your standard script kiddie pack? Hand a bunch of guys semi-automatic rifles and they'll be a decent fighting force but I don't see "cyberwarriors" functioning the same way...
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
Sounds like the UK is trying to restaff GHCQ with anyone who will take the job and young enough to be assimil^H^H^H trained correctly.
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