CompTIA Blog

I got a kick out of an analysis of a recent hack.  After the RockYou application was hacked in December, exposing 32 million consumer passwords, security vendor Imperva analyzed the passwords to discover the most commonly used ones.  Remarkably, they are the same passwords many of us listed as the worst passwords you could possibly use back in 1995.Some of the worst, but most common, and therefore most easily guessable passwords are: Password Qwerty princess michaelBut the absolute hands down wi ...

In this edition, CompTIA’s President and CEO describes his vision for CompTIA’s Getting America Back To Work program.  Download the MP3 file.[podcast]http://www.comptia.org/media/Todd_Thibodeaux_Getting_America_Back_To_Work_Jan_2010.mp3[/podcast]

Articulating the Value of Security...It’s an uphill battle to convince the decision-makers in any business that they need to invest in security. Why? Because deep down, all professional businesspeople think security is an annoying layer of cost and inconvenience.If you walk in and tell them, “We need more security,” they hear, “We need a more annoying layer of cost and inconvenience.”Getting the buy-in for security products and services today means understanding what drives your company’s securi ...

The term “international” has become somewhat synonymous with the mega corporations that include the term in their name or mission.  But the latest CompTIA research suggests you don’t have to be one of the biggest kids on the playground to claim a spot in the global sandbox.On average, 13% of annual revenue at small and medium-size information technology firms is generated from international markets, according to the latest CompTIA research.  Among the small firms doing business overseas, 43% ind ...

The fluidity of the regulatory, political and economic environment has reached a point where the amount of uncertainty at play in making everyday business decisions has reached a critical level. Terms on contracts, healthcare for employees, the very viability of your customers and more, are really up in the air. The global economy thrives on certainty. It’s one of the reasons, historically, we’ve seen strong economic growth during periods that mixed a multitude of different variables in differen ...

CompTIA is committed to doing its part in training the tech workforce of tomorrow. As the leading global source of vendor-neutral IT certifications we have a big responsibility. Since the initiation of CompTIA’s programs more than 10 years ago a large part of our focus has been on adult learning. Working with our training partners CompTIA has certified more than 1.2 million people helping them start or transition into a new career.Over the coming months and years we will be placing a larger emph ...

As Dwight Schrute would say, “Fact: the small and medium size business (SMB) sector is critically important to the US economy.” With the daily financial news dominated by movements in the Dow Jones Industrial Average or earnings reports from the big guys, it’s sometimes easy to forget the true significance of the SMB market. Consider for a moment: the 30 companies comprising the Dow, a proxy for “the market,” employ about 7 million workers. In contrast, the SMB market (<500 employees) employs ...

After an outpouring of comments in response to our recertification announcement this week, we thought it best to let you hear the responses directly from the horse's mouth.  In this podcast, I discussed some of the more pointed comments with Terry Erdle (our VP of Certs) and allowed him to address them directly.Download and listen to the podcast here: http://www.comptia.org/media/CompTIA_certification_discussion.mp3Links to more information about our recent changes:FAQs Certification PolicySee H ...

What was true and cutting-edge in IT three years ago isn’t necessarily either today.That’s one of the reasons behind our new certification renewal policy, which puts a 3-year shelf life on CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+ certifications.The new policy doesn’t mean you have to take or pay for a new certification exam every three years. Things like publishing IT articles or blog entries, attending a conference or seminar, or even obtaining other industry certifications can count ...

While the economy continues to improve, some workers are still struggling to put food on the table and take care of their families. Many are hard-working and dedicated individuals who have had to turn their professional lives upside down in this turbulent market.When the market gives us lemons, it’s time to make lemonade with a tried-and-true recipe. Education and certifications give professionals the boost they need to differentiate themselves and gain employment. At the CompTIA Educational Fou ...

I can’t remember the last time I asked a tech salesperson to recommend something.  Sure, I’ll ask if they have something in stock or what something costs, but nothing more.  And inevitably while I’m standing there, I’ll hear someone given the wrong specifications for a product or told that it is compatible with something it isn’t.Unfortunately, under-qualified salespeople are at work selling products and services from all levels of all industries.  The result too is universal – no one is happy.  ...

With the launch of the CLEAR WiMAX network in select US cities we’re going to begin to understand what kinds of applications true mobile broadband can begin to power. And whether it ends up being WiMAX, Long Term Evolution (LTE a competitor to WiMAX), or new hybrids yet to emerge in the big spectrum chunk left open by the US transition to HDTV earlier this year, wireless applications are going to open up significant opportunities for MSPs and VARs. Here’s a few ways I think those opportunities w ...

Looking back over the IT news from 2009, I’m struck by a handful of shifts and trends that will have a lasting impact on the IT industry. Here are my top five: The financial meltdown – what started as a panic at the end of 2008 ran well into 2009 with companies laying off staff and seeing some of their worst quarters in history during the first six months of the year. While the banking system has become more stable, credit is still at a trickle. Mergers to add services – Dell, HP, Xerox and othe ...

With the war still raging in Iraq and Afghanistan, we often focus on the vets who are just now transitioning from military service to private life. But IT skills can help vets of any age find new career opportunities. Take Gary William I. Anthony of San Antonio, Texas, a recent graduate of the CompTIA Educational Foundation’s Creating Futures training.Recently Gary accepted an initial IT job as a network tech to pull cable with a U.S. government subcontractor in Afghanistan, beginning in early n ...

In this edition, Mark A. Miller, President and CEO of New Horizons Computer Learning Centers describes his interest in CompTIA’s Getting America Back To Work program.  Download the MP3 file.[podcast]http://www.comptia.org/media/Mark_Miller_Getting_America_Back_to_Work_Dec_2010.mp3[/podcast]