Re: IT security professionals in demand in 2006

["J.A. Terranson" <measl () mfn org>]

On Mon, 5 Dec 2005, Andre Ludwig wrote:

> Alphabet soup != technical skill,

And really, that is, in a nutshell, the problem.

These certifications were supposedly going to tell us who knew what, but
just as with the coveted PhD, they are useless for their stated purpose.

Let's face it: these certs are an industry unto themselves, and nothing
more.  Just like much of "higher education" in general - the only
difference with the certs is that you can get rich without being a 200
year old multi campus Ivy League university (along with the standard
accompanying 2 billion dollar "endowment").

We need to get back to interviewing people and testing their skills in
person, and stop relying on greedy third parties to "certify" people.

What good is a certification if they "certify" an idiot?  If they'd offer
a refund of wasted wages these might mean something - at least stand
behind your "certification"!!!

It's disgusting, but SANS (*) and their ilk are just 21st century versions
of the 19th century "University" pyramid scheme.

At least *some* of the universities degrees are worth something (i.e.,
I've never met an MIT graduate who was clueless in their "chosen field",
but I've met a LOT of SANS certified people who couldn't find a SYN in a
flood.


(*) note: used as one example out of 400
candidates.  While SANS is every bit as bad as any other, they are
probably not any worse.  of course, YMMV.)


-- 
Yours,

J.A. Terranson
sysadmin () mfn org
0xBD4A95BF


I like the idea of belief in drug-prohibition as a religion in that it is
a strongly held belief based on grossly insufficient evidence and
bolstered by faith born of intuitions flowing from the very beliefs they
are intended to support.

don zweig, M.D.

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