Re: Article: Attacks prompt more scrutiny of IT security

From: Steve Kritzer (skritzerat_private)
Date: Tue Nov 27 2001 - 14:07:39 PST

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    A Sys Admin's view, sorry this got kind of long.
    
    I notice that the CISA certification has a stringent (self serving?)
    continuing education requirement.  Is the same true of the CISSP?  Where do
    these certification mills get their accreditation?  Is there some sort of
    college equivalence?  (Even though the E in MCSE stands for Engineer, I
    wouldn't advise attending an engineering convention with just the MCSE
    credential)  Why not just challenge a course at an accredited college?
    
    For example, Microsoft has released 13 corrections to it's published books
    relating to MCSE certification.   In an adaptive testing scenario, missing a
    couple of questions can be the difference between a pass or fail.  Missing
    questions because they are incomprehensibly written, or just plain wrong is
    unforgivable.
    
    I haven't heard anything about MS offering to replace the reference books --
    let alone re-evaluating the tests that would have been passed with the
    elimination of the faulty questions.
    
    A poor CNE must enroll in the Ver. 6 program, just to maintain the right to
    say s/he was certified on a prior version, I haven't come across an
    installed copy of NetWare (any version) in the last 3 years.  On the other
    hand, Microsoft has quietly published that it will continue to honor NT 4
    certifications -- despite industry rumors.
    
    So, what is the IT professional's motivation to enter into a continuing
    education requirement?   Security is a culmination of over 40 years of
    industry experience, just becase a certification is dated, does that mean we
    can no longer read a manual?
    
    There has to be a better way, perhaps BSD?
    Steve Kritzer
    
    BTW, I think that the sales projections for the security industry are
    optimistic.  The first thing to be cut is security when bankruptcy looms.
    Fines for violating basic HIPAA regs are ridiculously low when compared to
    software compliance.  Many companies don't even have a handle on software
    over-installs yet.
    
    
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Meritt James" <meritt_jamesat_private>
    To: <securityjobsat_private>
    Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2001 7:22 AM
    Subject: Article: Attacks prompt more scrutiny of IT security
    
    
    > "Sure, information technology spending is down and will continue to stay
    > down if industry experts are correct. However, there's a bright -- and
    > hot -- spot: IT security.
    >
    > In 2002, tech spending will grow by only 2.2 percent but much of that
    > growth will come from IT security, according to Cambridge, Mass.-based
    > Forrester Research Inc. Forrester estimates IT spending will rise by 9.7
    > percent to reach $567 billion. "
    > ...............
    >
    > Full article at
    > http://austin.bcentral.com:80/austin/stories/2001/11/26/focus1.html
    > --
    > James W. Meritt CISSP, CISA
    > Booz | Allen | Hamilton
    > phone: (410) 684-6566
    



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