Google’s “Parisian Love” and Kansas State University’s “Information R/evolution” Demonstrate the Power of Digital Information
(From Geek Shui Living on MWD)
February 8, 2010 – The Google commercial “Parisian Love” that aired during the third quarter of yesterday’s Super Bowl was an undisputed attention grabber and a clear favorite among both the tech aficionado and romantic comedy segments of NFL fans. Following a story-line of using the power of internet to find information that can change the course of one’s life, the conclusion implies that the nature of a person’s searches evolves with the chronological passing of time. This isn’t the first time, though, that a commercial or non-profit video has been made that demonstrates the power digital information exercises over our real and virtual lives….
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CompTIA Revises Previously Announced Changes in IT Certification Program
February 8, 2010 – Since industry-recognized IT certification giant, CompTIA, began administering certification examinations in 1982, their policy has been that, once a candidate passes an examination, their certification remains good for life. Unlike Microsoft, which requires certified professionals under previous operating systems to re-certify under new ones, CompTIA has only encouraged (not required) members to update their skills, by taking new versions, as they are released. Back at the beginning of January, though, the industry-recognized IT certification company, CompTIA, announced its intention to change its certification policy for popular certifications, to include, among others, the CompTIA A+, Security+, and Network+. When a new version of the examination was released, a member certified under the previous version would have to complete a “Bridge Examination” to migrate them forward to the new certification version.
What was the result of their announcement? It quickly became apparent that CompTIA certified professionals were not happy. Popular social media networks like Linked-In, Twitter, and Facebook were flooded with complaints. Some complained CompTIA’s change on a misguided attempt to generate revenue. Others felt it was a move that would re-validate an IT professional’s knowledge and ensure they were keeping up with the times. Still others stated that, if CompTIA were really interested in maintaining a member’s professional knowledge, they would adopt a policy whereby members must complete a minimum number of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits, on an annual basis, through the completion of classroom/online training, teaching/training of others, authoring articles, etc. The latter option would align CompTIA with other internationally recognized certification institutions like the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC2), which provides certifications such as the CISSP, CISM, and CISA.
It appears that the massive response received by CompTIA resulted in their reconsideration of the intended change. On January 26, 2010, an updated announcement was posted on the CompTIA website advising that those professionals currently holding the certifications, as well as those who successfully pass the examinations prior to December 31, 2010, will be considered as “certified for life”. Those who become certified after that date will be required to retest every three years or satisfy the requirements of a yet-to-be-announced continuing education program. The change should not only satisfy new those who are currently satisfied but also those who have yet to become certified, since the requirements are clearly defined beforehand.
In the official statement posted on the website, CompTIA encourages IT professionals to regularly visit their Renewal and Blog pages to see the most current updates, as they are released.
China Shuts Down Virtual Boot Camp for Hackers
February 8, 2010 – The Chinese Government announced Monday the news that it had shut down the country’s largest hacking website. Their statement also reported that Huanggang (east of Wuhan) authorities arrested three people connected with the operation of the website. Known as “Black Hawk Safety Net” (3800 h k.com) the website was a training ground for those desiring to learn the techniques associated with hacking and had a membership of over 12,000. The site also allegedly provided fee-for-access to malicious software downloads that could be used to propagate hacking attacks.
According to the official statement, the website shut down and arrests actually happened in late November 2009. It was not made clear why today’s announcement came nearly two and a half months after it happened. Though there is no doubt that hacking is a very popular past-time in China, based on the regularly detected events originating on IP addresses assigned to the region, it has been difficult, thus far, for experts to prove that it is a state-sponsored activity.
The announcement comes less than a month after reports surfaced alleging China had orchestrated attacks on Google, in order to gain access to Gmail accounts of known human rights activists and steal intellectual property. Though China has denied any involvement, many experts worldwide maintain that China’s state-sponsored hacking program continues unabated.
