The following information provided by iDEFENSE:
2003 Summer Internship Program
IDEFENSE’s 2003 Summer Internship Program is an exciting
opportunity for undergraduate/graduate students to experience what it is like
to work at iDEFENSE, the only pure-play security intelligence provider in the world. As an
SIP intern, you have the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the
best information security professionals in the world today.
At iDEFENSE, interns are just like full-time employees. You will have
enormous responsibility, project ownership and impact. The only difference
between you and a full-time employee is that you are here for a few months
instead of years.
Read the following FAQ to gain a better understanding of what an
iDEFENSE internship might be like for you.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
What can I expect to do at iDEFENSE during my internship?
iDEFENSE interns share the same job
responsibilities as full-time employees. You will be given real work with
tremendous problems to solve. As an intern, you will be working right alongside
full-time employees as part of a team charged with delivering innovative
solutions and intelligence to iDEFENSE customers and the community at large. Interns will be responsible for technical vulnerability
verification, pure security research, exploit/IDS signature development, in
addition to writing white papers on emerging topics. Daily duties include
driving the cyber-intelligence gathering process through technical innovation
and specifically assigned projects.
Will I work in various parts of the company during my internship, or
will I focus on a specific goal in one group?
You will be focused on working particularly with one group: Technical
Intelligence Team. It is the best way to make sure you have the opportunity to
make a real contribution. However, there will be plenty of opportunities to
learn about and be exposed to other sides of the company. You always have the
opportunity to pick the brains of other employees working around our
headquarters.
If I am not a computer science major, can I still intern?
We do not require that you be a computer science major in order to be
an intern. However, you MUST have some technical skills and abilities. We are
interested in individuals who have demonstrated a deep passion for information
security, as well as a drive to learn and get “hands on” experience with as
much information security-related software/applications as possible.
Interns must have strong technical skills in a number of
the following competencies:
Various flavors of Unix/Linux system administration
(Solaris, AIX, Red Hat, Debian, *BSD, Mandrake, HP-UX, etc.), Windows 3.1 - XP,
MacOS, Cisco IOS, general router administration, Netware, TCP, UDP, IP, IPX,
HTTP, SMTP, FTP, DNS, SQL, Unix shell scripting, Perl, Java, JavaScript,
VBScript, ASP, PHP, C/C++, Assembly languages and coding, SSL, PKI, IPSec,
wireless technologies, vulnerability scanning tools, firewalls, intrusion
detection techniques and products, etc.
Interns must also possess strong
writing skills and be able to communicate their ideas effectively. Frequent
contributors to BugTraq and VulnWatch should apply.
How long do internships last?
We ask that interns stay for a minimum of 10 weeks — long enough to
really make a significant contribution. It begins around
Are there locations outside of iDEFENSE Headquarters, where I could do
an internship?
At this time, our
Do I have to be a
We will interview all qualified candidates attending college in
IDEFENSE offers benefits designed to make your experience the best it can be. Whenever possible, we shift certain burdens and expenses back to us so you can focus on the things that brought you here in the first place: the chance to work with some of the finest minds in the information security industry.
If you plan to fly, we will provide you with an airline ticket via the
most direct route to and from your IDEFENSE location. Upon arrival, we will
reimburse you for your taxi fare. If you plan to drive, we will reimburse you
per mile for the most direct route to iDEFENSE.
iDEFENSE prefers that you approach
the internship w/ a place to stay already in mind. Ideally, prospective interns
would already be in the metro
You are going to need to get around while you are down here, right?
Ideally, you will have a car already in tow. If not IDEFENSE will contribute
toward the cost of a bike and helmet (this works best if you’re staying at the
“Corporate Hut,” which is about a mile from the office).
Hey, you are going to be in our nation’s capital for 10
weeks; you are going to want to explore it, right? Well, we have just the
solution. Get
around with your free iDEFENSE metro pass. It should cover your travels on all
buses and metro trips you take in the metro DC region.
Nature did not intend you to be swivel-chair-bound for eight hours
straight. Therefore, we provide 24/7/365 access to the Corporate Hut’s gym
facilities at no additional cost.
To keep you learning about information security, IDEFENSE is happy to
send you to security conferences on our dime. The highlight of your summer will
be an all-expenses paid trip to DefCon, the largest information security
conference in the world!
This is true. Unlimited sugar and caffeine ALL DAY/NIGHT LONG!
We have enough iDEFENSE shirts and mugs for each person in
During that first crazy week, we will orient you to your job and to
IDEFENSE in general. You will be teamed up with a full-time mentor from the
Technical Intelligence team who will show you the ropes, give you advice, and
help you get the most out of your internship.
Yep. You are paid. However, we cannot give out numbers just yet. The
money is comparable with other internships in the industry.
Write a short statement - Tell us about your experience. This should include both academic and real-world experience. Cover the extracurricular projects you have worked on. Definitely, include any internships you have had and any on-the-job responsibilities. Tell us the roles you played in each, what you contributed and what you learned. Also, tell us a little about what you want to do “when you grow up.” Be sure to include a current resume. When the two documents are ready, either e-mail them to internship@idefense.com, or mail it to the following mailing address:
Attn: Summer 2003 Internship
IDEFENSE Inc.
We will send you an acknowledgment upon receipt.