CompTIA Blog

In the wake of high-profile data breaches at Target and Neiman Marcus, among others, Congress held three hearings on data security and data breaches last week. The first, held by the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, dealt with specific financial sector issues related to data breaches, but the Senate Judiciary Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee hearings looked at data security and data breaches from a number of different angles. Following the hearings, there is ...

CompTIA, the leading provider of vendor neutral skills certifications for information technology (IT) professionals, and dozens of its industry partners are teaming up to give someone the chance to “Be One in a Million.”

When Lindsay Dick first dipped her toes in the IT channel, she expected — in fact, invited — the challenge. Her professional expertise wasn’t geared toward information technology, but what she lacked in a formal technical background she made up for in pluck. But when it came right down to it, the initial experience turned out to be a bit more overwhelming than she’d imagined. Luckily, Dick had the good fortune to connect with Lori Berry, an executive council member of Com ...

TechVoice recently spoke with Brooks Raiford, president and CEO of the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA) and one of the recipients of the 2014 TechVoice Champion Awards. NCTA leverages events to advance its policy agenda, as well as links member companies with public sector contracts, fostering growth and opportunity for the North Carolina IT sector. What are some of the initiatives you’ve implemented that have advanced NCTA’s policy agenda the most? Back in 2008, whe ...

The information technology (IT) industry is likely to experience moderate growth in 2014, according to the IT Industry Outlook 2014 released this week by CompTIA. CompTIA’s consensus forecast projects a 2014 growth rate of 3.4 percent for the global IT industry, with upside potential of 5.9 percent. The U.S. forecast is slightly lower: 3 percent, with upside potential of 5.4 percent. Get the full story here.

Add Neiman Marcus to the growing list of retailers that have announced information systems breaches over the past few weeks: In a company statement, the Dallas-based department store chain reported compromised servers, a hack that gave outside access to customer payment information. On the heels of Target’s holiday debacle, the news fueled the IT security discussion and elevated consumer angst. This should be a call to arms for solution providers, vendors and distributors. No business will ...

Crystal balls and tea leaves have been in heavy use of late; as IT industry prognosticators prepare their predications for the year ahead. With so much innovation in the tech space, there is certainly no shortage of material for trends lists. The temptation, though, is to overhype the future, while understating the present. Trends take time to progress through the stages of adoption — often taking longer than many expect. The year ahead will certainly feature its share of surprises, but re ...

Tomorrow, President Obama will deliver his fifth State of the Union speech, an opportunity to set forth a theme that will guide his administration’s agenda for the year. It is widely anticipated that the president will speak to the topic of economic opportunity and how to close a gap between those at the bottom of the economic ladder and those at the top. The IT sector has always had a role in this important discussion. The industry is a driver of the economy, with a steady stream of inno ...

Certifications often help people grow their careers, but for Lamia Al-Azzawe, IT training went beyond this. It helped her pivot from an uncertain future in her home country to a world of job opportunities.

On Jan. 14, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit overturned two of the three net-neutrality rules initially passed by the Federal Communications Commission as part of its 2010 Open Internet Order. Despite what some have said, this ruling does not give carte blanche for ISPs to run roughshod over their customers. That’s because the overturn overshadowed perhaps the more important aspect of this decision: The court found that the FCC now has clear authority, under S ...

Workforce development and STEM awareness — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — are two key success areas for Tech Collective, Rhode Island-based technology industry association that’s leveraging its state’s small size to make personal connections with the legislators who influence the future of these programs. We spoke to Tech Collective Executive Director Kathie Shields to hear about the group’s progress, their victories and her tips on how to make c ...

Industry number crunchers estimate 30 to 40 percent of the SMB market runs Microsoft Windows XP and Office 2003. With Microsoft ending support for these products on April 8, there is a short but fantastic window of opportunity for information technology service providers (ITSPs) to build stronger relationships with clients and uncover new revenue opportunities. Here are four ways to make this situation work in your favor: 1. Be Proactive. Whether you use spreadsheets to track client assets or us ...

Administrators wanted students at Chicago’s West Leyden High School to understand the IT skills needed in the business world, so they set up a technical support internship (TSI) to provide a live IT help desk for the school.

“The Innovators Job Creation Act,” bi-partisan legislation co-sponsored by Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), was introduced in the Senate this week. This legislation would promote innovation by making the R&D tax credit more accessible to small startup firms. Under current law, the R&D tax credit can only be offset against federal income tax liability. However, because most startups do not generate net income in the early years, they have no fe ...

The beginning of a new year always brings with it a ritual for everyone who keeps a close eye on technology: the International CES, produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). First held in 1967, this year’s show featured 3,200 exhibitors and more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, making it a premier location for exhibiting new technology and innovation. With so much on display, there are obviously many different themes on the radar. The Internet of Things was pegged ...