Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

NSA Careers for DEF CON Attendees

nsa.gov

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 89 posts

Re: NSA Careers for DEF CON Attendees

#61

Post by mcantelon »

epoxyhockey wrote: post #57
Zenst wrote: post #2

Have to appreciete the direct honest approach: "It's true that you must be a U.S. citizen, and you'll need a security clearance that requires a background investigation and polygraph. But ... If you have a few, shall we say, indiscretions in your past, don't be alarmed. You shouldn't automatically assume you won't be hired. If you're really interested, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot."

Have to appreciete the direct honest approach You know, they are only referring to smoking pot once or twice, right? Admit to running a small botnet or monitoring GSM calls and I'm sure your 2nd interview will be with the FBI .. not for a job. This whole NSA/DEFCON relationship smells funny. I've lost a lot of respect for DEFCON.

Yeah, the fact that DEFCON brought in an NSA director to keynote is pretty vile. By helping legitimize the NSA and allowing it to openly recruit hackers DEFCON is doing their part to help compromise the privacy and infosec of American citizens.

Re: NSA Careers for DEF CON Attendees

#62

Post by dclowd9901 »

lincolnq wrote: post #56
illumin8 wrote: post #40

I was offered a nice contracting job at a USAF base. All I had to do was run a single large Oracle server (Sun Enterprise 10000). I asked "what does the system do?" The recruiter told me the database handled the parts ordering system for foreign countries that need to order replacement parts for F-15 fighters that the US ships to them. I turned down the position for ethical reasons. Somehow, I'm not comfortable knowi…

I don't understand the moral intuition here: why is working on that Oracle server morally wrong, but not paying taxes to the country which bombs those innocent civilians?

That's a false dichotomy as not all of the taxes you pay go toward national defense. He sees a closer connection to actively (and willingly) working on systems that could be used to oppress people in other places than the 50-someodd percent of his Federal taxes finding their way into National Defense spending (which, by all accounts, he probably wouldn't pay if he had the choice).

Even if that wasn't the case, the argument can simply be "why contribute even more to the military war machine than I already have to," which isn't at all an unjust argument.

This argument also presumes there's no barrier to simply changing residency of country, when in fact, it can be very difficult to get a visa, let alone a job, for a militarily neutral country like Switzerland.

Re: NSA Careers for DEF CON Attendees

#63

Post by illumin8 »

lincolnq wrote: post #56
illumin8 wrote: post #40

I was offered a nice contracting job at a USAF base. All I had to do was run a single large Oracle server (Sun Enterprise 10000). I asked "what does the system do?" The recruiter told me the database handled the parts ordering system for foreign countries that need to order replacement parts for F-15 fighters that the US ships to them. I turned down the position for ethical reasons. Somehow, I'm not comfortable knowi…

I don't understand the moral intuition here: why is working on that Oracle server morally wrong, but not paying taxes to the country which bombs those innocent civilians?

I can't choose not to pay taxes. I can choose not to spend 8 hours a day assisting in the delivery of weapons systems.

Re: NSA Careers for DEF CON Attendees

#64

Post by [deleted] »

illumin8 wrote: post #40

I was offered a nice contracting job at a USAF base. All I had to do was run a single large Oracle server (Sun Enterprise 10000). I asked "what does the system do?" The recruiter told me the database handled the parts ordering system for foreign countries that need to order replacement parts for F-15 fighters that the US ships to them. I turned down the position for ethical reasons. Somehow, I'm not comfortable knowi…

[deleted]

Re: NSA Careers for DEF CON Attendees

#65

Post by drivingmenuts »

richardofyork wrote: post #7

A few NSA reps should hang around HN, if they are not already, to respond to any questions and partake in the discussion on this thread.

How do you know that they're not doing that already? Always and forever assume that you're being watched by somebody, somewhere.

Even if it's just Ceiling Cat.

Re: NSA Careers for DEF CON Attendees

#66

Post by mindslight »

cbryan wrote: post #60
lincolnq wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand the moral intuition here: why is working on that Oracle server morally wrong, but not paying taxes to the country which bombs those innocent civilians?

I've been in a similar situation, and I think it's about risk. It's relatively easy to decline a job, you're not going to jail for turning down a gig. Not paying taxes will get you some serious jail time though. So morally, yeah, both actions are enabling the same results, but one is easier to commit to.

Also, not paying taxes has less prospect of leading by example. The sheer majority will attack you for not paying your "fair" share, as they internalize their rulers' plans as their own to feel a sense of purpose.

Re: NSA Careers for DEF CON Attendees

#67

Post by cleaver »

illumin8 wrote: post #40

I was offered a nice contracting job at a USAF base. All I had to do was run a single large Oracle server (Sun Enterprise 10000). I asked "what does the system do?" The recruiter told me the database handled the parts ordering system for foreign countries that need to order replacement parts for F-15 fighters that the US ships to them. I turned down the position for ethical reasons. Somehow, I'm not comfortable knowi…

Sure bombing innocent civilians is bad, but for me it would be enough to simply say I won't run a large Oracle server for ethical reasons.

Re: NSA Careers for DEF CON Attendees

#68

Post by unimpressive »

epoxyhockey wrote: post #57
Zenst wrote: post #2

Have to appreciete the direct honest approach: "It's true that you must be a U.S. citizen, and you'll need a security clearance that requires a background investigation and polygraph. But ... If you have a few, shall we say, indiscretions in your past, don't be alarmed. You shouldn't automatically assume you won't be hired. If you're really interested, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot."

Have to appreciete the direct honest approach You know, they are only referring to smoking pot once or twice, right? Admit to running a small botnet or monitoring GSM calls and I'm sure your 2nd interview will be with the FBI .. not for a job. This whole NSA/DEFCON relationship smells funny. I've lost a lot of respect for DEFCON.

> Admit to running a small botnet or monitoring GSM calls and I'm sure your 2nd interview will be with the FBI .. not for a job.

I just assumed that they're trying to lure blackhats into submitting incriminating resumes.

I bet it'll work too.

Post reply on HN