Ok well here's my theory of the damn near almost perfect quick way to learn quite a bit about security.
Networking First:
I know people always talk shit about the A+, but i took the course, and fixed computers ALL day almost EVERYDAY, for CompUSA, Hiwaay.net, and My school that i went to, (Cisco Networking Academy) and for the reason that i know how to get information, but i have a hard time RETAINING information, i failed the A+ not because i wasn't good at troubleshooting, (because i am, i'm not trying to be cocky, but thats just something i love doing is troubleshooting fucked up machines, NOT NETWORKS, just computers themselves) but because i focused more on the hands on approach then to memorizing IRQ's and COM's and all that shit, but like i said, i was top of my class for troubleshooting pc's around the school even, but i digress, getting back on subject, you just MUST know networking in full i think. the OSI layer is a whore, just another useless thing to remember, unless your wanting to program, or you want to be the shit when it comes to network troubleshooting (like being a diagnostition for networking).
Some Programming:
I found this book the other day, (because i work at one of the Books a Million's in my town) and it said "Programming for Dummies", and wasn't' on just any certain language but was how programming works, and how its set up, basically gives you an understanding on how the programming process takes place i guess is what i'm trying to say. Anyways, didn't give it a ton of attention because i was working, but that seemed to be a good start for someone just getting into it. Me personally, my dad taught me how to use DOS, when i was really young, and then Batch file programming came almost natural. So of course then i started getting more interested in BASIC, and soon after that i was interested in what the difference from a "scripting language" was to a regular "programming language" making applications.
THEN Security:
I think after knowing these prerequasites that I've noted security will come a LOT easier, if not naturally (like my example first learning how to use DOS, then learning to program in BASIC). knowing how to network, i think setting up a LAN, at your crib would be wise, and then just playing around as much as possible. This virtual network thing, i'm very interested in, but i don't know shit about, so i hope someone starts talking bout it soon, but anyways, after that then any and every security file, text, tut, book, torrent, you can get your hands on just read away. These are the steps I took as a newbie, to be where i am now, now like i said, i'm far from where i want to be, i'm just a bit lazy, i have a few problems in my life that get at me quite a bit, and some other excuses i can make keep me from just being dedicated because i know that if i were to get settled down and...do that, just be DEDICATED, then i know i could be where i was. again, i digress, but also i wanted to let the community know i found ANOTHER book that i thought was so fucking kool, and would be a bad thing, and a good thing to the newbie, (could and will create script kiddies, but also inform people like me about programs that i don't know about) is "The Anti-Hacker Tool Kit", and let me tell you this book is so great, because it breaks down A SHIT LOAD of programs that are already online, how to use them the correct way, it just great man. i'm going to give a link to the torrent so you can just go head and check it out now. Here we are: http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/2034570/4800591/
So thats my shpeal. If everyone doesn't mind, Lets all tell how we started, how and why we got into computers. What steps we took (BE DETAILED!!) to get where we are now. A lot of newbies never get started the right way because they didn't ask the right questions the right way. SX has always been notorious for not flaming, i'm sure its been bad back in the day, but ANY question I've ever asked has gotten an answer. So lets hear it, how did you get started? Why? and in what order did you study?
Really quickly about me how i got started since this post is getting long anyways, this is kinda lame, but my dad was in a group working for the army doing computer diagnostics. He showed me how to use one, how to go to start>programs> bla bla, so i was like kool well what els can this do, so i started asking more q's and my dad taught me DOS. Then (and this is really how it happened, i'm sorry RaT but i don't wanna lie) I found a nuker, you know one of those apps that a lot of lame ass people sitting in chat rooms used to show how POWERFUL they were kicking people off line, and i wanted to know how it worked. My dad told me "all you need is a number, and you can literately shut down someone's computer of make it 'blue screen." I thought that was so neat, that i went to lol, and yes, the FIRST hacker website i'd ever been to, Portwolf.com. started reading a bunch, posting and reading on forums on BC, hackersclub.com, SX, etc.. and just haven't stopped. I love em, Just like the paper, they don't judge you, they don't care what your hair looks like, they won't get mad at you if you don't wanna hang out one day, they don't call you names, and make you look stupid in front of your friends, then act like they have no idea what your talking about and make you look like your "too sensitive" when really that mother fucker is a for real dick head at heart... so ya. thats how I got started. Let me know you YOU did.
kid