Quote (Cocoo @ Aug 2 2013 11:15pm)
Which program should I specialize in for network security ( the field I want to major in ) to become better or more related to in this genre? So far I've been taking HTML and Java but I don't think that's exactly it. What do I want to use?
"program" is a bit misleading here....you looking for general security programs/applications, programming languages, courses of study? A lot of folks don't really know the different aspects of security all that well, so everything becomes "network security." Is that your interest? Routers, switches, protocols?
There's already been some good advice floating around here....especially concerning certifications. Security+ preparation is an excellent source of entry-level security fundamentals. CCNA is a great way to learn networking, but once you get passed the CCENT it's more about the Cisco way of doing things. Beyond that, look into CCNA/P Security certs, as that's the next logical step up. CWNA has a wireless security cert that's pretty interesting sounding, but requires a great deal of knowledge walking into it. You'd also want to know about IDS/IPS, firewalls, the differences between routers, switches, bridges, hubs....any networked or networkable device. You can't secure it if you don't know all about it.
If you were looking more towards systems security, I'd suggest to look at the Security+ certification to start. From there, learn all about using Linux/Unix in a business environment, as well as Windows server. (Scripting would be extremely helpful here, BASH for linux, Powershell for Windows, and Python for both) Basically, learn as much as possible about the operating systems, their services and functions, and how it all works together. Again, you can't secure something if you don't know how to use it.
If you think you're really ready for prime time, look into the OSCP. Ridiculously hard, but well worth the effort.