Oh Yeah....About That Test...

I passed.

About three weeks ago, I sat for the CISSP exam . Brutal does even begin to describe the ordeal. It covered all 250 questions in four of the six allotted hours, and emerged onto the empty streets near the Jacob Javits Convention Center wondering how I could be so stupid to blow $550 bucks for another professional designation.

Well...I passed. Here's the proof.

Dear Spartacus:

Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that you have passed the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP®) examination - the first step in becoming certified as a CISSP.

The second step in the certification process requires submission of two additional items:

1. A COMPLETED ENDORSEMENT FORM. The endorsement form and instructions are available for download at https://www.isc2.org/cgi-bin/content.cgi?page=1278.

2. YOUR RESUME/CV. Please provide a copy of your resume/CV along with your Endorsement in one email (Note: your resume/CV should be the same as the copy you give to your endorser).

Jeez, as if taking the test wasn't enough! Now I've to find full-fledged CISSP and grovel for their endorsement. Next their going to want blood samples to make sure I didn't take any steroids. Man, I feel so dirty.

I'll say this for the CISSP designation -- from an employment perspective, this is a nice card to have in my hand because in Corporate America, IT Security is a huge, HUGE, deal.

I can't imagine why.

So, even if I sometimes loathe working in a cubicle for "the man," it's a J-O-B like any other that helps pay bills and the feed hungry mouths of these three mangansones.





Is there a better reason than this?






Before I leave you, give this sample question a try:

1. Which of the following is not an encryption algorithm?

   • Skipjack
   • Twofish
   • DEA
   • SHA-1

Leave your answer in comments. Or if you care to peek.....









Answer: SHA-1. The SHA-1 is a hashing algorithm producing a 160-bit hash result from any data. It does not perform encryption.

Damn It! I've Been Tagged Again. (Part 2)

This time it was CDP from over at Aunt Dahlia who tagged my ass.

This tag requires a bit less physical effort than the Mathman's tag, but alot more thought.

Okay, here's the borrowed one:

How NOT to Get Pissed Off at Stupid Shit
Of course I’d have to look MUCH harder for blog material, wouldn’t I? This might just be one of those “be careful what you wish for” things.

Now here are the rest:

Understanding the Phenomena of the Remote Control
A survey course in the actual history of this most ubiquitous of rectangular electronic devices. We'll look at how it went from being a time-saving component for changing television channels to a phallic symbol of patriarchal authority and household control. For me this one is crucial because the remote is the only device between me and another episode of "What Not To Wear."


Learning to Pay Attention
This is a skill I really need to master, especially when it comes to listening to E. Whether I'm walking through the door after work or I'm intently watching "the game", she may as well be Charlie Brown's teacher talking gibberish or I'm the chicken hawk to Foghorn Leghorn's chicken, because I can never hear a fucking word she's saying.




How To Disappear When A School Project is Due
Despite the fact that I rarely act my age, I did satisfy my compulsory educational requirements, graduated high school and college. There is simply no reason in the world why I should be mentally and physically pre-occupied with task of building yet another replica of the Great Pyramids of Egypt. What I would not give for the ability to make myself disappear this weekend.



How To Conveniently Forget Your Driving Skills When Your Kids Need a Ride
This one's a no brainer. Really. While E. is more of the household taxi driver than I am, it is the one "honey-do" activity that rankles me to no end. When I was a kid in the New York City and in Queens, I walked everywhere. While this is not always possible for certain suburban activities, more and more of them are of a "walkable" distance. I could make 'em walk, but I'm thinking if I could get the current NYC metered-taxi rate of $2.50 upon entry, I just might re-think this course and call it, How to be more like Robert DeNiro When Your Kids Need a Ride.