Updated CompTIA Security+ Exam

from Comptia.org press release

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., October 13, 2008 The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), the leading provider of vendor-neutral certifications for the world's technology workforce, announced today the updated CompTIA Security+ certification exam is scheduled for worldwide availability on Tuesday, October 14, 2008.

The 2008 Edition of the CompTIA Security+ exam places greater emphasis on knowing how to address specific security issues, rather than simply being able to recognize these issues. The new exam covers six major objectives, or topics: Systems Security, Network Infrastructure, Access Control, Assessments and Audits, Cryptography, and Organizational Security.

"CompTIA Security + serves as a solid foundation as it demonstrates a deeper understanding than some of the other computer security certifications available today," said Sam Brothers, senior digital forensics analyst, U.S. Customs. "Coming from a very technical environment, CompTIA Security + certification enables us to identify more desirable candidates and plays a role in our decision making process."

Organizations across a wide range of industries including professional services, agriculture and food, information technology, telecommunications, government, and the United States military use CompTIA Security + as a skills benchmark for IT staff members who manage systems and network security.

In addition, government security requirements such as U.S. Department of Defense Directive 8570 mandate that department employees or contractors engaged in work related to information security are required to be certified. The directive specifies CompTIA Security+ as a choice for Information Assurance Technician Level II and Information Assurance Manager I.

A 2008 CompTIA survey of more than 2,000 individuals with responsibilities for information security found that more organizations are requiring security certifications, such as CompTIA Security+, for their IT staff because certified staff is better able to identify potential security risks proactively, and to respond more quickly when security breaches do occur.

The CompTIA Security+ (2008 Edition) exam will be available at Prometric or Pearson VUE testing centers worldwide. The new exam will initially be in English, with other languages to follow. For more information on CompTIA Security+, visit http://certification.comptia.org/security/default.aspx.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the voice of the world's information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy. For more information, please visit www.comptia.org.

Contact:Kara KershManager, Media RelationsCompTIA630-678-8464
KKersh@comptia.org
www.comptia.org

CompTIA Security Study Proves Value of Certification

The annual CompTIA security study, titled Trends in Information Security: A CompTIA Analysis of IT Security and the Workforce, shows that security training has saved U.S. companies $2.2 million in total, much of which is due to a reduction of server/network downtime and fewer impacts to employee productivity. Likewise, the provision of IT security certification has saved U.S. companies over $675,000 in total for similar reasons.

The study found that the most widespread threats in the U.S. today stem from spyware , the lack of user awareness, and virus and worm attacks. Canadian organizations indicate riskier browser-based attacks and wireless networking security while Chinese organizations indicate significant threats from spyware, viruses, worms, and browser-based attacks.

The percentage of their IT budget that companies dedicate to security is growing year after year. In the United States , companies earmarked 12 percent of their IT budget in 2007 for security purposes – up from only 7 percent in 2005. The bulk of these dollars are used to procure security-related technologies.

Companies spend substantial amounts on prevention because security breaches can be costly if they occur. In the past year, U.S. firms shelled out an average of more than $200,000 as a result of security breaches, a third of which was attributed to the loss of employee productivity. Moreover, in the last year in the United States, Canada and UK, IT staff members spent more than 10 percent of their time dealing with security breaches, and in China, almost 20 percent of their time.

Nearly 60 percent of U.S. companies require IT security training for IT staff and more than half make training available to non-IT staff. Companies are also increasingly requiring IT security certification. Nearly 33 percent of U.S. firms make certification required now compared to only 25 percent in 2006 and 14 percent in 2005. However, a full 78 percent of organizations in China require certification.

CompTIA Security+ is an ideal certification to prove you know IT security. CompTIA Security+ validates knowledge of communication security, infrastructure security, cryptography, operational security, and general security concepts. It is an international, vendor-neutral certification that is taught at colleges, universities and commercial training centers around the world.

Although not a prerequisite, it is recommended that CompTIA Security+ candidates have at least two years on-the-job networking experience, with an emphasis on security. Because human error is the number one cause for a network security breach, CompTIA Security+ is recognized by the technology community as a valuable credential that proves competency with information security.

For more information, visit certification.comptia.org/security+.

Top 10 InDemand IT Jobs/Skill Sets

After reviewing many articles, reading many blogs and doing research based on the local IT job market Baseline Magazine is spot on with their edition of the Hottest IT Jobs for 2008. I have contacts ranging from Senior Account Executives working for the largest IT Placement Company in our local market, owners of IT Placement Agencies and IT Staffing Companies in the area all who would love to get their hands on IT Professionals with the Skill Sets mentioned here.

Even in tough economic times, employees with the right skills will always be in demand in the IT industry. Baseline analyzed recent employment studies and interviewed several technology recruiters and industry professionals to find the hottest IT positions today. Although there is still consistent demand for the “old-reliable” jobs such as network administration and help desk positions, these picks reflect the current gaps between supply and demand. Here is Baseline Magazines' list:

1. Senior Level Java/J2EE and .NET Developers - Most headhunters agree that finding lead developers with Java/J2EE or .NET proficiency and management experience can be a tall task in today’s market.
“If they're software developers and they have Java/J2EE or any of the .NET skills, they're very hot right now,” says Janet Miller, president of the recruiting firm Computer Management.

2. Application Development Managers - Dan Martineau of Martineau Recruiting Technology says that the need for application development managers nips closely at the heels of Java/J2EE opportunities at the top of search lists from clients.
“There is a definite need for applications development managers with strong technical backgrounds, specifically within object-oriented and service-oriented architecture-based applications,” he says.
In the Robert Half Technology 2008 Salary Guide, lead applications developer was listed as the position predicted to see the largest increase in salary this year, with an increase of 7.6 percent.

3. Security Professionals - In spite of increased awareness about IT security in recent years, there is still a skills gap when it comes to this specialty. In fact, a recent CompTIA survey found that among all IT skills, security has the biggest disparity between demand and supply of proficient workers.
“Managers we talk to say that the reason skills are coming up short is because the security landscape changes so rapidly that it is very difficult for anyone to stay on top of all of the different threats that are out there,” says Steven Ostrowski, director of corporate communications for CompTIA.

4. Architects of All Stripes - All varieties of architects are in strong demand today, but there is a special need for those who can help organizations ramp up their burgeoning service-level architecture deployments, Martineau says.
“Architects of all stripes are big right now, but the hottest ones are applications architects,” says Martineau.
According to the Robert Half Technology 2008 Salary Guide, applications architects are expected this year to see the second-largest average pay raise among all of the positions it studied, with an expected bump of 7.5 percent.

5. Talented IT Managers - Pretty much all of the data and anecdotal evidence point to an acute need for talented IT managers. Businesses seek ideal candidates who not only have strong technical skills, but also proficiency in communication and business knowledge.
“All of those things that fall into the bucket of what seem to be 'soft skills' is something that most employers—if not all employers—want in addition to the technical skills that people need to have,” Ostrowski says.
A recent survey by Robert Half Technology backed Ostrowski up—more than 41 percent of CIOs questioned said that they are placing a greater emphasis on knowledge of business fundamentals when considering applicants for IT positions.
These fundamentals are especially important for those in management, Martineau says. He believes that there is a particular need for managers who are able to capably lead geographically dispersed teams and who can effectively manage outsourced labor.

6. Business Technology Professionals - The fact that there even are designated “business technology” roles should scare IT professionals because, as Martineau puts it, they exist only because IT isn’t doing what is expected of it.
“The difference between business technology and information technology roles is that IT delivers a particular service—whether it’s a shared service or an application or whatever,” he says, “while business technology workers accomplish the hybrid goals that live between the business and IT. These are strategic roles that are all about aligning the business needs with IT.”

7. Database Administrators and Managers - In its annual salary report, Robert Half Technology recently pinned database administration and management as one of the key growth niches in IT, particularly in light of Bureau of Labor Statistics predictions that this sector will outpace the growth of all other occupations through 2014.
This year Robert Half expects the biggest salary bumps in this category to benefit data modelers (7 percent) and business intelligence analysts (6.6 percent).

8. Infrastructure Pros with Strong Backgrounds in Virtualization - Most organizations these days are trying to find a way to leverage virtualization deployments into bottom-line savings.
“Virtualization is the biggest thing going on in the data center right now,” Martineau says. “It allows you to deliver the same number of applications with a quarter of the servers, saving space, money and power, so people with virtualization skills are in high demand.”

9. Web 2.0 Developers - As business finds more ways to utilize Web 2.0 and service-oriented architecture (SOA), the need for developers with appropriate skills will continue to rise, Ostrowski says.
“There's a lot of interest in the Web 2.0 type applications and development, so people who have some sort of ability in that arena certainly have a leg up,” he adds.

10. Wireless Networking Experts - Although wireless professionals may not be in very strong demand today, the need for their skills will soon outstrip the supply, many experts believe.
“Wireless IT skills are going to be critical in the not-too-distant future,” Ostrowski says.
A recent CompTIA survey of more than 3,500 IT managers found that wireless and radio frequency (RF) mobile technology is the skill set they expect to increase most in importance over the next five years.