If you are going to be a cybersecurity advisor ...

[rslade]

... it's possibly best to know at least a little tiny bit about what you are saying.

(Failing that, of course, you could always just shut up ...)

(This post has minimal editorial content in order to avoid making a "controversial political statement.")

(For the original postings, and various short commentary, see here.)

[CISOScott]

Yes, attended a security conference once and the poor guy they wrangled into giving a talk knew very little about a "pesky little virus" called Stuxnet. He had no clue about how sophisticated it was and just kept referring it to as a "pesky little virus" with trivial impact to anything. He was speaking to a room full of cyber people who knew much more about it than he did. Over half the room emptied out before the end of his talk and I feel the other half stayed just because they felt pity for the guy.

Please know what you are talking about if you get asked to do a presentation. Or at least have the decency not to try to fool your audience. Some people tried to correct him without looking too much like jerks, but he kept going back to his original premise.

[dcontesti]

Problem is that everyone thinks they know something about Security......

[CraginS]

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@dcontesti wrote:

Problem is that everyone thinks they know something about Security......

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Possibly the fault of our own community, because we (collectively) keep pushing security awareness training that includes the slogan, "Security is everyone's job!"

[CISOScott]

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@dcontesti wrote:

Problem is that everyone thinks they know something about Security......

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@dcontesti Reminds me of some good advice I got from one of my former bosses who was a pretty good boss. "Don't be afraid to tell me you don't know. But tell me you don't know, and that you will go research it and then get back to me. AND then get back to me, or the person you told this to."

I see so many people try to BS their way through something instead of just admitting the truth. I will have much more respect for you if you do not try to lie to me.

[dcontesti]

@CISOScott very sage advice Scott. 

[wwing]

Spot on advice there..

I used to teach in the Military (Navy Instructor) and that's the same advice that was given to us.

If you don't know the answer be honest, look it up, and get back to the student.

Sailors (I was one) tend to be the worse students ever, always looking to trip you up, and let you know how much they know. 

[dreastans]

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I see so many people try to BS their way through something instead of just admitting the truth. I will have much more respect for you if you do not try to lie to me.

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ds me of some good advice I got from one of my former bosses who was a pretty good boss. "Don't be afraid to tell me you don't know. But tell me you don't know, and that you will go research it and then get back to me. AND then get back to me, or the person you told this to."

But, some people have a need to appear right, even if they aren't right.  I find you avoid a lot more arguments with a simple "I don't know, but let me get back to you."  You also set better expectations that way.

[Syne07]

This is a popular field with a strong need for additional resources. 

I appreciate and understand the issue, however, perhaps the solutions is to help educate these resources and make them more effective. 

[Curiousmind18]

This was hilarious!!! But the problem is that people whom don't understand, don't hire people that do, I mean case in point heating with Google CEO ...it's saf