You have to be versatile in Information Technology

Back in 2007 we published an article on ‘The Challenge of Teaching Information Technology‘.  Recently we were also asked to write and article for TricomTS’s blog The Right fIT (Their Corporate Website is here) on Educating Tomorrow’s IT Professional Today.

So why do I write these articles?  Because Information Technology is growing.   Boot camps are only or should be only for seasoned IT Professionals.  It takes time.  With technology growing, to educate a student and to transfer the amount of information from every resource available – it is not only challenging for the instructor, it is a challenge even to the best students.   IT Professionals cannot take four years to start a career, technology will change so much within a year and the curriculum (accredited) has to be dynamic and change as technology changes.  IT personnel wanting to move up the corporate ladder should go to college later in order to advance.   Many IT pros are specialized career field but a majority of them have to be versatile and their skills have to be diversified.

And with a global economy, IT Professionals have to be lean and they have to learn quicker than ever.

We recently were interviewed by ComputerWorld and provided our look at how the economy and how a global economy changes the way IT thinks, works and reacts to this.  So truly we offer all of this advice to those who want to become an IT professional.  Be ready for change…everyday.  In today’s world, employers do expect a lot out of young IT personnel.  Remember it is the best career in the world to those who have a heart and passion for the industry.

The article from ComputerWorld was picked up by several other magazines and webpages.
CIO Magazine
NetworkWorld Magazine(ARRA)
NetworkWorld Magazine(Leaner Lifestyle)
LinuxWorld Magazine

Find flight information and details when traveling

With Flightradar24 and PlaneFinder (also with apps for all major phones), you can find information when tracking a loved one’s plane or before traveling.

A Search Engine that shows devices on the web

Secure your devices.  Bottom-line, there are malicious users on the web that can find your device (webcams, IP cameras, routers, SCADA and other devices).  Change the default passwords and update software/firmware when it is available.  Disable UPNP and look for vulnerabilities that may affect your device.

 

CNN’s Money on “Hacking anything connected to the internet“

 

 

Zaxby’s restaurants hit with security breach – Dark Reading

” The chicken food chain Zaxby’s is warning customers that hackers may have compromised customer credit-card data at locations throughout the country.”
Read More

 

 

Backblaze – The best offsite backup solution

Want a backup plan that will backup your data at a price that is reasonable?  How about $50 per year and unlimited?     Backblaze is one of the best cloud based backups available.  With unlimited backup capability, security built in, easy restore capabilities and an easy to use interface,  anyone can use Backblaze.   (Features)

Everyone should worry about privacy and security.  With Backblaze, security is protected by encrypting your files on your computer and securely transferring your files to Backblazes’ servers.   Security is further enhanced by your private key (they do not store this key) so your data remains secure until you decide to restore files.  (Security Q&A Roundup)

What kind of extra security do they provide besides military grade encryption?  They also have a stolen pc feature that helps you to locate a stolen or lost computer.

In the event you lose data or need to restore information, you can simply sign in and instantly pick your data and download the information you want.   You can also order a usb or an external drive (very reasonably priced) and have your data sent to you.

The easy to use Windows or Mac application allows for a continuous backup (it takes time to complete large backups based on your upload speeds and internet usage/bandwidth).

Backblaze also offers a very reasonable business plan allowing businesses to securely backup their critical data.

Backblaze

Some of their secrets -

Petabytes on a Budget v2.0:
Revealing More Secrets

Ever wonder how much cybercrime pays?

Paul’s Internet Security Blog references a Networkworld article that gives the approximate pay for criminals who participate in cybercrime.  Go over and see just how much money is given to the lower end criminals.   The question is how much travels to the top?  Read more

 

One of the largest list of technical, DIY and how-to blogs on the web

As this year comes to a close, take a look at Rick’s Bookmarks4Techs site.  A comprehensive list of nearly 500 blogs.   This list is a valuable resource for anyone in today’s world who enjoys technology.

 

Just a few of the blogs -

Bill Mullins Tech Thoughts Daily News – A great site that has the latest news, terminology and freeware along with how-to articles, reviews and other great information.

Whats On My PC – Reviews, articles, portable-cloud-software apps and tons more.

Visit Bookmarks4Techs.

77 Windows tips

Technet has a list of 77 Windows tips, don’t close the tips out too soon, you’ll find things you may not know how to do.   Although most of these are old if you have discovered Windows 7, many people still don’t know about many of these tips.

Know what Robocopy is?  How about a search connector?  perfmon /report or permon /rel?   Link

Did we go to the moon?

Absolutely.  The conspiracy truly involves the cold war and  American technology at the time. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is slowly mapping out the moon and with that, the Apollo landing sites can be seen and although initial pictures were grainy, the pictures are getting better and better.   So is there any truth in some pictures may have been taken in a studio.  Perhaps.   Over 40 years nearly half of a century, there will be picture mix ups and some pictures may be used twice or there may be inconsistencies with stories astronauts recall.  But bottom-line, the technology at that time was truly amazing.   Even more amazing is the personnel that made it possible.

(Above – Where is LRO?)

I have nearly every Apollo and space exploration book that came out of the ’60s and ’70s.   I also have autographs of Neil Armstrong, Alan Shepard, John Glenn and others.

Amazing generation of engineers, technicians and astronauts

With that said, one of my favorite stories that comes from Apollo was when Apollo 12 was struck by lightning.   The command module lost power and systems failures were apparent.  All telemetry was lost and the Saturn V along with three astronauts could be lost from this near disaster.   It is amazing but one 24 year old engineer, John Aaron who calmly said, “Flight, Try SCE to Aux”.    Mission control relayed this obscure recommendation to the command module and fortunately astronaut Alan Bean knew where this switch was.   With the hundreds of engineers and three astronauts, only two people remembered in a time of crisis where the switch was.    Astronaut Pete Conrad nervously laughed all the way into orbit.  (This is one of the best  videos  to watch and  listen to (mp3.)

There’s a moral to this story.  Because John Aaron and Alan Bean knew their  job – because they cared, they saved not only the mission but the astronauts who were on their way to the moon.

In today’s world of high tech, new IT personnel should know their jobs inside and out.  They should constantly research new technology and read as much as they can.  Dawn and I have seen a trend where new IT personnel become comfortable with knowing only one area of information technology.   That is not to say that the new generation doesn’t care.   Society has put us in a mobile world where the internet is available 24/7, creating IT personnel who become comfortable only with their job at hand.   We’re also seeing a trend in that once new IT personnel settle in their job, they don’t seek additional certifications or go to seminars.    Our advice to them, keep growing.  Your education cannot stop.

With trillions of dollars of databases exposed to the internet, it is their job to keep data safe and keep their business operational.   Looking back at the Apollo program, the 400,000+ personnel who made it possible worked 16 and 18 hour days to complete their mission.   They balanced their personal lives and business lives and continued to grow.  In the world of IT, you have to continue to grow or you’ll slowly fade away and be lost as new technology comes out.

Remember – “SCE to Aux”

Another good article
Lost? Move SCE to Aux

Connected but alone? Sherry Turkle

You have to like the TEDTalks from the TED Conference.  Here Sherry Turkle talks about our online lives and how we are now redefining how we talk and communicate.   Excellent.  Visit the TED website.

In my opinion, we should slow down, ignore our devices and make human contact and balance technology and our lives.

They need your help – Many users to lose internet in July

Please tweet, share or reblog this post.   With this problem coming up, get the word out.  See how to check your computer at the end of this article.

In July thousands of computers will be without internet.  Over 300,000 users still infected!  DNS Changer is a piece of malware that could possibly affect thousands of computers that are currently running through FBI computers. This Malware redirected you to malicious DNS servers.

What is DNS?  DNS is a form of services all computers, notebooks, tablets, netbooks and phones run through in order to use the internet.   When you type a url such as http://www.wordpress.com your computer goes to a DNS server and the name is converted to an IP address so that your information can be routed to the webserver you are trying to view.

Scan your computer for viruses, malware and spyware.   Use your anti-virus program (Download AVG free or Microsoft Security Essentials) and scan with Malwarebytes or SuperAntispyware portable edition.   Check your computer by using the information found below.

Want to learn about malicious activities and the internet? Be sure to visit each of the links below.

Fortunately, the FBI intercepted these (all known) malicious DNS servers in order for users to travel to legitimate sites. However the intercepted DNS servers and redirects by the FBI will be turned off in July. It is estimated over 300,000 people are infected.   Be sure to check your network and computers for these infections.

DCWG gives information on Detect, Fix and Protecting your computer.

FBI – Check to see if your computer is using a rogue DNS server – Link

Operation Ghost Click Information

Dark Readings Article on Teaming Up to Take Down Threats

Team Cymru Information (Security)

Team Cymru helps organizations identify and eradicate problems in their networks, providing insight that improves lives.

Check out their movie on one day of malicious activities

Team Cymru Battle Project

Botnet Analysis and Tactical Tool for Law Enforcement (BATTLE) displays IRC and HTTP botnet, crimeware, and phishing data on an interactive world map in near real time. It is intended to provide enough information to enable law enforcment to identify botnets and attacks that are of interest to them. On the right-hand side of this page you can see an example screen shot of the BATTLE interface.

Security professionals are leery of one-way public-private partnerships, but Operation Ghost Click shows that the model is necessary to take on international threats

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Advanced IT Professionals – Information on Servers 

Advanced IT Professionals can see DNS server status here.

Sample Status for IT Professionals – below (use the link above to check DNS status)

Sandia National Laboratories gives an analysis of your domain here

Sample Status of DNS/Domain information

(provides DNSSEC, Responses, Servers and the ability to Analyze domains)

Thanks to Dawn Babian our Network Admin, Mickey Chilton and Virginia Dennis for links and information.

Check your computer here! 

A graph that shows how websites connect and how data can be collected

Just saw a student’s post on an add-on you can get for Chrome.  Adam shared a link to Collusion for Chrome at Chrome’s webstore.  This add-on compiles information from the websites that bind to one another and builds a graph inside of Chrome.

The graph can show exactly how a site has a relationship to other sites.   Hover your mouse over a site and you can pinpoint how that site is interconnected to others.   Data is compiled only on your computer and the graph can be reset.  This graph shows only 15 minutes of surf time.

 

Hovering over a website -