Stories by Linda Musthaler

Improving network access security for unmanaged devices

"Lions, and tigers and bears! Oh, my!" Anyone who has ever seen The Wizard of Oz knows that's the sum of the fears of Dorothy, Scarecrow and Tin Woodsman as they head into the woods on their way to Oz. For the network security administrator dealing with unmanaged devices, that refrain might be something like "handhelds, and laptops and guests! Oh, my!"

Lost: A $49,000 laptop computer

About fifteen years ago, my husband and his colleague had their laptop computers stolen out of a car. They were fearful of reporting the incident to their boss, largely because the laptops had cost the company about US$7,000 each. A $14,000 hit to the departmental budget was a serious blow. And back in those days, no one gave much thought to exposure of the data on the stolen devices.

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Engineers fix the shortcomings of the traditional firewall

Sometimes, the problems we experience with computers are a result of a legacy design. Hardware or software might have been architected 10 or 20 years ago when the world of computing was vastly different from the way it is today. As a result, the product in use today isn't as effective as it could be because of aging or obsolete design.

Top data-breach causes

In recent years, organizations that have experienced breaches have been forced by law (in many cases) to report the occurrence. Therefore, we've seen a spike in incident reports. Collectively we can all learn from those reports to attempt to prevent similar occurrences in our own organizations.

How to prepare for certification legitimately

With the crackdown on certification cheaters, the ITCC strongly urges candidates to know and follow the certifying agencies' security policies. They are posted online and must be acknowledged when a candidate wants to take a test.

Why we need a strong IT certification system

The integrity of IT certification is vitally important to everyone. IT, as an industry and a profession, is largely unregulated. There are no government standards that define the qualifications of any level of IT professional. There is no licensing process or required educational background. In essence, anyone can declare himself a "network engineer" or a "systems analyst." It's the Wild West of professions.

Confessions of a cert cheat

A member of the Exam Security Team from a major IT solutions vendor recently received an e-mail from an IT professional who owned up to the fact that he had inadvertently cheated to prepare for his certification exam.

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Cheaters: Inside the hidden world of IT certification fraud

For the first time ever, companies that develop and administer IT certification exams are working together to combat a problem that has largely been swept under the rug for years: certification fraud.

Exam preparation can put your career at risk

Would you compromise your personal integrity for $80? How about risk your IT career for $200? Of course not, you say. But you already have -- if you've ever used certification-examination "study materials" from TestKing, Pass4Sure or hundreds of test-preparation Web sites just like them.

Time to abandon credit cards and go back to cash?

About two years ago, I had a conversation with a family member about his Stone Age practice of using cash and checks for almost every purchase. He admitted to owning just one credit card and no ATM or debit card, and he didn't even know about online banking.

Symantec is definitely a company to watch

Symantec seems to be one of those companies that toiled for 25 years to become an overnight success. The company has grown rapidly through mergers and acquisitions, not the least of which was systems management company Altiris in April 2007. Now in 2008, Symantec is a powerhouse player in security, systems management, application virtualization, storage management and compliance.

Employee privacy is collateral damage

I have a friend who works for a large company, and he's quite a jokester. He loves to send off-color jokes to his closest friends. I recently cautioned him about doing this from work, telling him he could get himself in trouble with his employer. He said, "Don't worry, I only send these jokes to a few people who really know me. They know I'm only kidding around."

The graying of the IT workforce

When I went to an IT technical conference recently, the first thing that struck me was how old the attendees were. Most seemed to be men and women in their 40s, 50s and even 60s. Baby boomers at their best -- what I used to call "gray hairs" before I became one of them.

Free software: It all 'ads' up

I can see it now: I'm in the middle of a PowerPoint presentation to a potential client. Just as I get to the part where I am explaining the true value of my proposal, up pops an advertisement for a feminine hygiene product. You laugh now, but this could become a reality if Microsoft moves into an advertising-supported software delivery model.

Vintela Authentication Services let Windows and Unix play nicely together

Do any of these situations describe your company?