Recently, the Biden Administration passed an infrastructure bill which included about $1 trillion in funding to government cybersecurity. This shone a new and much-needed light on the fact that government organizations, and the people within them, should be aware and diligent when it comes to cyber threats.
Recently, a number of cybersecurity attacks showed the U.S. Government the importance of having a secure infrastructure, designed to withstand cyber threats. With so much of day-to-day life moving online both as a result of the pandemic and due to evolving technology, cyberattacks are more and more commonplace. However, state and local governments, especially ones located in more rural areas, are often ill-equipped to handle them.
With this funding, Senator Maggie Hassan, who was a key influence in including the funds in this bill for this reason specifically, hopes to provide state and local governments with the tools and resources necessary to strengthen their cybersecurity.
With these issues finally being brought to light and resources being diverted to them, it might be time to take a look at your own government branch and see where you can improve the cybersecurity measures within your own team of government employees.
There is no training or measures required for state and local governments to take to improve cybersecurity. This both places the burden of responsibility on management and allows you to honestly evaluate the needs of your branch and request the appropriate resources.
Something as simple as providing your team with online resources and training can be crucial to strengthening cybersecurity and protecting the infrastructure and economy of your community
Perhaps the more rural areas and their local governments were without resources to provide this sort of training to your team before. But now, with a new push towards not only encouraging re-enforcement in this area, but also providing the funding to allow it, getting local government employees trained via simple, effective, and cheap online courses is easier than ever!
If anything new has become apparent in the 21st century, it’s that data is eating the world at a faster pace than ever before. It’s estimated that internet users generate approximately 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every single day, and that number is constantly rising.
Projections suggest that by 2020, there will be 40 trillion gigabytes of data in existence. To provide even greater perspective, a 2017 study showed that 90% of all data present in the world today was generated only in the past 2 years.
However, this data is unless there’s someone who can make sense of it.
Companies are beginning to utilize big data to help make more calculated business decisions, and those who fail to do so may inevitably struggle to keep up with the modern age.
This is why organizations all over the world are scrambling to fill their data science positions, a task that is uniquely difficult given the myriad of skills needed for an individual to fulfill the responsibilities of the role, such as:
Python coding
Advanced statistics
Proficiency with the Hadoop Platform
SQL Database/Coding
Apache Spark
Machine learning and AI
Data visualization
And given the fact that data science as a field is still in its infancy, that list of needed skills will only continue to grow in size.
Why Local Governments Need Data Scientists
Big data is used for a multitude of tasks, from predicting hurricanes for pre-emptive evacuation to giving you appropriate recommendations on your Netflix feed.
For local governments, big data can be used for making a variety of data-backed decisions that can help reduce traffic congestion, lower crime, improve the environment, and of course, make intelligent budgeting choices.
Dubuque, Iowa, a city with a population of 58,000, took advantage of big data as early as 2009 during an effort that increased the city’s revenue by $18,000.
Their local government managed to accomplish this by teaming with IBM to improve sustainability efforts by installing smart water meters in homes.
It took time to gather the relevant data, but over time, they were able to learn how their homeowners used water.
They were able to find ways to make water usage more efficient in ways that would have been impossible without big data.
This kind of impact isn’t limited to Dubuque, Iowa. Local and big governments around the world are making the choice to create a foundation for intelligent decision making via their investment in big data and data scientists.
Can Organizations Fill the Need for Data Scientists?
Although the benefits of big data are plenty, local governments won’t be getting any of them unless they acquire people equipped with the skills and experience needed to analyze and understand the data.
It’s become more and more apparent that a career in data science is becoming increasingly promising. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) suggests that there will be nearly 30% growth in the field of data science in the coming years.
The result of this projected growth means the creation of nearly 50,000 jobs in the field of data science, most of these jobs filling the needs of private and government organizations.
The incentives for individuals to develop the skills for data science are not exactly lacking, either. According to Glassdoor, “data scientist” is the highest-paying entry-level job within the USA, the median base salary starting at $95,000.
Although there’s projected growth in this field, many organizations are still in great need of talent today. And for many local governments and businesses, their need for data scientists is simply too great to wait any longer.
For this reason, many organizations are turning to in-house training to develop their own talent. Doing this is often difficult and time-consuming unless a third-party is brought in to assist with the training, which in itself may end up hurting their budget.
Individuals within their organizations can go back to school to acquire the relevant skills, but school is more expensive than ever, and many people–especially professionals–don’t have the time to invest in college classes given that they’re already entrenched in their present careers.
An ideal solution would be a training program available online and on-demand, allowing individuals to learn at their own pace while providing a solid framework that’s cost-effective for individuals as well as organizations.
The good news is that you’re experiencing that solution at this very moment,
Enterprise Training has an extensive list of Information Technology courses that cover a variety of topics including Apache, Blockchain, MySQL, and so much more.
ETS learners gain access to over 60 state and national affiliations, as well as accreditation courses, and we also offer IT certifications to solidify your expertise in the data science field.
If you’re interested in positioning yourself for a promising career in data science while making a positive impact in your organization and the world, begin your training today from the comfort of your own home.
Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!
To answer the question of what is CISSP certification you should know why it’s important.
CISSP certification is #1 on the list of the 8 most in-demand IT certifications, according to CIO.com.
And Burning Glass reported that “the demand for certified cybersecurity talent is outstripping supply. In the U.S., employers posted 49,493 jobs requesting a CISSP, recruiting from a pool of only 65,362 CISSP holders nationwide.”
This spells out huge opportunities for motivated IT professionals who want to work in the private sector and public sector because even the Department of Defense considers CISSP certification one of the lead qualifiers for getting hired in their department.
If you’re interested in earning this prestigious certification, let’s look at what CISSP is, how to get certified, and how to start preparing for the CISSP exam today.
What is CISSP Certification?
CISSP certification was developed by (ISC)² to be the world’s most-valued cybersecurity certification. According to (ISC)², employers prefer CISSP 3 to 1 over any other credential.
CISSP demonstrates that the certified holder can design, engineer, implement, and run an information security program.
A wide array of IT professionals choose to get CISSP certified, including:
CIOs.
IT directors.
Security systems engineers.
And many more.
Once certified, (ISC)² provides a number of member benefits.
From digital badges that let you show off your newly acquired skill set to a free subscription to the bi-monthly newsletter InfoSecurity Professional Magazine. CISSP certification benefits extend beyond just a new job title.
But before you can access these benefits, you’ll have to pass the exam.
The exam will take you 6 hours to complete and contains 250 questions. Some are in multiple choice, and some are in “advanced innovative” formats, which are drag-and-drop and “hotspot” type of questions. Here’s a preview of these types of questions from the InfoSec Institute.
There are 8 “domains” that you’ll be tested on, each carrying a different weight in the final score. For example, Security and Risk Management accounts for 15% of your final exam grade, as compared to Asset Security which only accounts for 10%. Knowing this will help you prioritize your study materials.
What Are the CISSP Requirements to Pass the Exam and Get Certified?
Out of 1000 points, you have to pass the CISSP exam with a score of 700 or higher.
You also need at least 5 years of full-time work experience in at least 2 of these 8 domains:
Security and Risk Management
Asset Security
Security Architecture and Engineering
Communication and Network Security
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Security Assessment and Testing
Security Operations
Software Development Security
You can either receive this work experience prior to taking the exam or after. However, if you take the exam without meeting the required 5 years of work experience in at least 2 domains, you will NOT be certified.
Instead, you’ll receive the title Associate of (ISC)². You can leverage this title to gain greater employment and use it become a member of (ISC)² with all the benefits included. Then once you meet the other requirements, you’ll receive your certification.
Of nearly 1,000 clients in 133 countries, over 95% of all cybersecurity incidents involved “human error” as a contributing factor.
According to the report, “The most commonly recorded form of human errors include system misconfiguration, poor patch management, use of default usernames and passwords or easy-to-guess passwords, lost laptops or mobile devices, and disclosure of regulated information via use of an incorrect email address.”
With Cybersecurity Awareness Month beginning in 2 days, it’s the perfect time to help your co-workers brush up on their IT security knowledge.
8 Cybersecurity Tips for Protecting Your Agency
Here are 8 cybersecurity tips that you can use to help the end users in your agency recommit to cybersecurity best practices.
We’ve also included a few ideas on how you can educate your employees on these tips to help you create a basic program for educating, training, and encouraging everyone in your agency to play a proactive role in protecting your organization from cyberattackers.
Create Strong Passwords
This is an essential cybersecurity tip for people who don’t quite understand the nuances of IT security and the risks of an easy-to-hack password.
Let them know that one of the most powerful security organizations in the world, the Department of Homeland Security, specifically suggests these tips:
Never use your name, or the names of your kids or pets, or any other easily findable information about yourself
Break up your passwords with marks and symbols like @, !, #, 1, 9, etc.
Always use a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters
You should also consider implementing a “password change policy” that mandates a routine password change every 45-90 days, with an explicit rule against using the same password over and over again but with a different number or character at the end (we’re sure you’re well aware of THAT guy).
Lock up All Your Devices Whenever You Leave Them
When your employees leave to take a lunch break, go to the bathroom, or go home at the end of the day, you need to make sure they always remember to lock their computer, tablet, phone, or other device that stores sensitive information.
The few minutes it takes for them to grab a snack or smoke a cigarette is just enough time a malicious insider needs to steal valuable data.
There are 2 things you can do to get your employees in the habit of locking their machines:
Both are humorous, fun, and effective ways to get everyone involved in identifying bad security practices.
Be Aware of Phishing Emails
This is an essential and easily forgotten cybersecurity tip:
Be hypervigilant regarding your email and links in your email – you might be getting “phished.”
You have to repeat this over and over and over again to people who don’t live and breathe cybersecurity.
Educate your employees about phishing and tell them that it’s one of the most common email scams out there.
Let them know how it works:
The “phisher” poses as a legitimate business, agency, or person and sends you a spoofed message.
The message is usually urgent, and the sender will almost always ask you to click on a link to resolve the issue.
Once you click on the link, it will either install malware on your device or send you to a spoofed website that steals the information you input into it.
And let them know how to avoid being phished:
Double-check the sender to verify it’s an email address you recognize.
Look for blatant and consistent spelling errors in the body of the email (this is a hallmark of both spam and phishing emails).
Contact the sender directly, either in person or by phone, to verify that they actually sent you an email.
One thing we can all agree on is that the end user absolutely needs an antivirus because they’re far more likely to engage in riskier behavior than you are.
Let your employees know how critical a VPN is to their security and safety, especially when accessing data remotely.
Enforce a policy that simply states “every employee must access the company’s network using their VPN.”
Enforce Strict Access Privileges
Your staff should only have access to information that they need to access in order to perform their job functions.
Any access beyond that point puts your agency at risk.
Financial data, other employees’ data, official information, etc. should only be accessed by particular team members and managers.
Use access control on your organization’s intranet, on commonly used software, and on any other work-related programs.
Develop a Disaster Recovery Plan
A disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a set of procedures and resources to control the fallout of an unexpected attack, accident, or disaster.
A good DRP eliminates guesswork and enhances your team’s response effectiveness during an emergency.
To develop a solid plan, make sure to:
Take inventory of all your hardware, software, devices, and data
Ensure everything is consistently being backed up
Ensure you have the appropriate hardware and software required to perform a backup if needed
Assign a project manager to oversee the creation and maintenance of your DRP
Test your plan regularly to ensure it can appropriately respond to unexpected threats
Get your whole team involved in creating and executing your DRP
Provide On-Going Cyber Security Training to Your Staff
Use our cybersecurity tips to begin engaging your employees in an ongoing effort to protect your agency from cyberattackers.
Attempt to cultivate a cybersecurity awareness culture amongst all of your employees. Make it so that it’s not just October when everyone starts practicing good online behavior – they take cybersecurity seriously all year-round
If you want to secure your agency against serious threats, then get serious about training and educating your staff about the importance of cybersecurity.
Of course, only IT professionals need IT exam preparation tips to prepare for certification tests to upgrade their skills and knowledge
But your employees could benefit from formal courses in order to help defend your agency from serious threats.
Now, it’s true that it’s not easy to find good IT security training materials and instructors. And it’s also not easy getting your employees to learn – what with some people preferring microlearning, while others preferring long-form learning.
Now, you and your non-IT staff can continually educate yourselves and stay up-to-date with the latest threats and threat prevention tools and procedures.
Where can you find all this information?
Right here at Enterprise Training Solutions.
Cybersecurity Tips On-Demand
With videos, ebooks, and courses on topics ranging from phishing to malware to ransomware, we give you access to all the knowledge you need to improve your current security posture and prepare for any future threats.
Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!
With the right tips, IT exam preparation can be fun and easy.
To receive a career-making IT certification, you’ll need some proven IT exam preparation strategies.
Many professionals today still treat exams like they did in college:
Read (or skim) the book and study materials once
Pull an all-nighter
Take the exam
You’re going to be sorely disappointed when you apply this strategy and fail.
Instead of doing what rarely works, why not try a few strategies that almost always work?
We’ve compiled 6 tips for effective IT exam preparation. If you apply them to your studies, you’ll be much more likely to pass the exam, get your certification, and move forward in your career.
6 IT Exam Preparation Tips
Create a Study Plan
There is a well-documented technique for remembering information over the long-term.
It’s called the spacing effect, and it’s critical for IT exam preparation.
If you know when you’ll be taking your exam, you can break down your course materials to determine how much you need to study each day, and when you can review that information a few more times before the exam date.
Here’s how to do it:
Create an outline
Mark relevant pages of books you’re studying
Mark times on videos you’re watching
Gather all your class materials
Create flash cards
Create a timeline
And forget about cramming
Stick to your study plan, and you’ll be much more likely to retain most of the information you learn, as opposed to your last-minute, late-night friends who will forget what they were studying by the morning of the exam.
Sleep Well
Speaking of late nights, it’s best to avoid all-nighters and inefficient sleep patterns altogether.
Acronyms abbreviate a set of words down to the first initial of each word.
It works like this:
Choose a term, concept, or rule that you’re studying
Create an acronym using the first letter of each word
Memorize the acronym or make up a silly phrase for it
For example, the order of operations in math – parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction – can be memorized using the acronym “PEMDAS.” or can be expanded into:
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.
Form a Study Group
A study group leverages the knowledge and skills of other people to improve everyone’s IT exam preparation strategies.
Here are a few ways to make a study group useful:
Do all of the studying together
Quiz each other every session
Take practice exams together and discuss the answers afterward
Multiple studies confirm that regular exercise, especially cardio, significantly improves the problem-solving and memory functions of your brain.
Eating foods that are good for your brain before and during a test is an easy way to prepare for a tough IT exam as well.
Making sure to take regular study breaks is also important. Your brain needs time to process the information you’re learning. Take a day off every once in awhile and do something fun and leisurely.
Use Practice Exams
While the rest of the IT exam preparation tips we’ve given you will be helpful to some, they’re not helpful to all.
One of the few proven tools for excelling on exam day is taking a practice exam, according to a study from Henry L. Roediger.
Practice exams give you a taste of what to expect when you sit down to take your real exam.
It helps you work through your anxiety, pace yourself, time yourself, and find out how much information you can recall from your studies.
If you’re trying to pass the gold standard of IT exams, CompTIA, then it’s imperative that you take practice exams.
But where can you find good practice exams?
Sure, there are plenty of practice questions all over the internet, but there are very few practice IT exams that will actually mimic CompTIA or something similar.
If you want train your brain to be ready for exam day, and take advantage of one of the most powerful study techniques, then we can help.
Enterprise Training Makes IT Exam Preparation Easy
If you want to take your IT career to the next level and need effective practice exams to do it, then we’ve got you covered.
We offer a wide variety of certification training and exam prep materials from industry leading vendors, including Project Management Institute, Microsoft, CompTIA, Cisco, Amazon, TOGAF, Six Sigma, ITIL, IIBA and more.
Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training – explore our complete list of certification curricula today!Learn More
