With both beginners and aspiring cybersecurity professionals in mind, a University of Maryland Global Campus (UMCG) faculty member and an alumnus joined forces to produce . The book examines how hackers and nation-states gain access to confidential information on some of the most protected systems and networks in the world.
It also offers a blueprint for getting started in a career in cybersecurity.
The book is co-authored by Jesse Varsalone, collegiate associate professor of cybersecurity technology, and Chris Haller, who received his B.S. in Computer Networks and Security in 2017 and M.S. in Cybersecurity Management and Policy in 2020 from UMGC.
As of February 2023, there were 755,743 cybersecurity job openings in the United States, according to statista.com. Authors of The Hack is Back point out that cybersecurity jobs offer great potential for upward mobility and serve as steppingstones into other areas of the cyber field. Â
The book details the prerequisites needed to get a job in cyber. It discusses industry certifications, degree programs and how to build a realistic hacking lab where job seekers can practice their craft.
“Like a professional athlete at the top of their game, you should be practicing hands-on activities with various cybersecurity tools,†the authors advise.
Varsalone, who leads the ÐÒ¸£±¦µ¼º½ cybersecurity competition team, is a proponent of hands-on practice. In the book, he highlights the importance of competition as a way to gain experience and build skills. Â
One section of the book is dedicated specifically to industry certifications and the importance they serve in advancing your career. The authors recommend that those just starting out in the field find a cybersecurity program that aligns with leading industry certifications.
“In the program I teach at UMGC, all of the courses align to certifications, such as CCNA, CCNP, A+, CEH, CISSP, Cloud+, CYSA+, Linux+, Net+, Pentest+, Security+, as well as Microsoft and AWS related certifications,†said Varsalone. “It would be best to focus on a few certifications during your learning journey, with Security+ and CISSP offering the best return on investment.â€
The Hack is Back also includes numerous resources, many of them free, and tips about networking opportunities that will put readers in the best position for breaking into a cybersecurity role or advancing their current career to the next level.Â
About the Authors
Jesse Varsalone is the collegiate associate professor of cybersecurity technology at ÐÒ¸£±¦µ¼º½ as well as the coach of the university’s award-winning cybersecurity competition team. His wide-ranging teaching experience includes assignments with the U.S. Department of Defense as well as in K-12 schools, community college, and undergraduate and graduate programs. Varsalone has also conducted cybersecurity boot camps for high school students and has taught faculty and industry professionals at conferences. He holds several certifications in the IT field, including A+, Arduino, CASP+, CEH, CISSP, Cloud+, CTT+, CYSA+, iNet+, Linux+, Net+, Pentest+, Security+, and Server+.
Christopher Haller is an offensive security practice lead who has more than 12 years of expertise in penetration testing, incident response, risk evaluation, threat intelligence and system administration. During his tenure with the Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command, he spearheaded incident management for attacks on classified and unclassified global Navy networks. Haller holds a Master’s in Cybersecurity Management and Policy, a graduate certificate in penetration testing and ethical hacking, and numerous certifications, including GSE, CISSP, GPEN, and GXPN. His work has led to the identification of over a dozen Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), showcasing his talent for spotting intricate weak points often overlooked by conventional scanning tools.
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