As most of you know, I do not have a college degree. I’m not alone… Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson and countless others have had great success without this particular piece of paper. A common question in The Ethical Hacker Network Community Forums is if someone should get a degree, gain experience or achieve certifications to which I quickly respond by saying, “Yes!” All make for a better resume. Unfortunately, I only have 2 out of 3. In addition to sounding hypocritical, there are plenty of other reasons why I get that nagging feeling that I should get my degree: what if this online magazine thing goes caput, what if I ever want to teach, or, the most pressing item at this point in my life, am I setting a good example for my kids? But even if I do want to pursue a degree, how do I find the time? An undergrad degree is no longer good enough, and that adds even more time and effort to reach for a masters. So as always, I’ll put it on the back burner and let those voices continue in my head…

   
   “You’ve got to kill yourself, Don, before it’s too late.”
   “Why are you doing this to me?”
   “I’m cursed to walk the Earth as the undead until the bloodline is severed. You have to get a degree, Don, or you’ll make others like me.”
   
This American hacker recently had the opportunity to travel to the UK to attend the launch of the latest update (version 5) of the Certified Security Testing Associate (CSTA) ethical hacking certification course by 7Safe. When looking at their website, every page of every course shows the MSc logo and the credits to be earned towards a Master’s Degree in Computer Security & Forensics… that nagging corpse of an idea kept reappearing telling me, “Don… get your degree or people will die!” OK, so I’m not a werewolf from the classic horror film that inspired Thriller, and I’m not spawning a group of undead. It just seems as though every time someone asks me about a college degree, I feel like a new undead idea roams the netherworld of my brain. Will I forever be cursed with these visions?

So what’s the deal with this course, the certification and why should I consider this one over what seems to be a never ending choice of new security training providers? How does it compare with similar courses in areas of content, price, availability and acceptance in the industry? And what’s all the talk of college degrees? Get all the details after the break.