Re: Certifications: Not worth the paper they are printed on?

["Jay D. Dyson" <jdyson () treachery net>]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

On Sun, 5 Oct 2008, Jon Kibler wrote:

> Yesterday I was reading a blog where someone with no security experience 
> whatsoever was grousing that they flunked the Security+ exam. The 
> blogger also claimed to have over 100 certifications. In my opinion, 
> that many certifications undoubtedly qualifies this blogger to be the 
> Poster Boy for everything that is wrong with the certification process.

First off, let's see the URL.

Secondly, let's see this list of certifications this blogger claims s/he 
possesses.  Suffice it to say some fact-checking is in order before flying 
off the handle about the certification process being "broken."

To be perfectly blunt, just because someone *claims* they have "over 100 
certifications" doesn't mean they actually do.  Based on that simple 
reality, I have to dismiss outright your claim that there's anything 
broken about today's certifications at all.

Let's get serious: anyone can claim they've got 100 certifications or are 
members of MENSA, MEGA or Dorks of America, but that doesn't prove that 
they are.  What's more, that they're grousing about their own personal 
failures is a reflection on no-one's shortcomings save their own.

Are there clueless people who have certificates?  No matter what vetting 
process exists, there's always going to be book-smart and reality-stupid 
people.  But to claim the certification process is broken based on the 
bellyaching of one person isn't just wrongheaded, it's ridiculous.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (TreacherOS)
Comment: See http://www.treachery.net/~jdyson/ for current keys.

iD8DBQFI6VT5Iu2Fkdy0GOwRAuMvAJ4rZYnlCaouqCWC6VBOZSOzcK9SKQCg3BZA
pCxGLM3Q7CF2nTKZDh9/OLc=
=ydhl
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

------------------------------------------------------------------------
This list is sponsored by: Cenzic

Top 5 Common Mistakes in 
Securing Web Applications
Get 45 Min Video and PPT Slides

www.cenzic.com/landing/securityfocus/hackinar
------------------------------------------------------------------------