Join Mike Kilgore, tomorrow for an exclusive webinar on CompTIA Cloud+ to explore how this certification can elevate your students' career potential in cloud computing. Discover the comprehensive knowledge Cloud+ offers, including cloud architecture, security, and operations, and learn about the high demand and competitive salaries for cloud professionals. Don’t miss this opportunity to empower your students with the skills they need to thrive in the dynamic cloud industry!

Thursday, October 10th at 2:30 pm CST

Register Now​

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ChatGPT’s Footer​

In a recent ChatGPT session, I noticed the footer “Don’t share sensitive info. Chats may be reviewed and used to train our models. Learn more.” Not sure if they recently added it, or if our ChatGPT friends have put that there from the beginning. Regardless, I am writing about sharing sensitive information in AI prompts today. My example is of ChatGPT but I feel this advice applies to all AI interactions.

Why You Should Keep Personal Info Out of ChatGPT, and All AI Engines​

Keep ePHI (electronic protected health information) out of AI prompts.
When using ChatGPT or any AI engine, it’s important to be careful about what information you share. You should avoid putting personal details or health information in your prompts. This helps protect your privacy and keeps sensitive data safe. ChatGPT uses the information you give it to create responses. While the company behind ChatGPT, OpenAI, says they try to keep data private, that is a beautiful plan IMO. Here’s why:

1. Your conversations might be reviewed by AI trainers to improve the system.
2. De-identified information could be used for research.
3. There’s a chance your input could appear in responses to other users.

OpenAI encrypts the data you enter, but they don’t sign special agreements to protect health information (ePHI). This means it’s best to assume anything you type into ChatGPT could potentially be seen by others.

Protecting Your Privacy When Using ChatGPT​

To use AI engines safely:

• Don’t enter any personal details like names, addresses, or phone numbers.
• Avoid sharing health information or financial data.
• Be careful not to include details that could identify you or others.
• Remember that deleting prompts later isn’t always possible for regular users.

If you’re using ChatGPT for work, especially in healthcare or finance, it’s extra important to follow these guidelines. Your company might have rules about what information can be shared with outside services.

By being careful about what you share, you can enjoy using AI while keeping your personal information secure. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to protecting private data online.

More​

AI ain’t so tough. See https://cybersafetynet.net/category/ai/ to help understand and use Artificial intelligence.

Hey there, CINners!

I'm running into some trouble accessing the Instructor Resources, for the Test Out Office Pro. I tried accessing them, but it 'refuses to connect'. It doesn't seem to be an internet issue.

Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

I have a few questions about this :

1. Who is this for?? Must you be a DBA? Just curious about crunching data?

2. How SQL heavy is this exam?

3. How deep is security covered? SQLi etc?

Thank you inquiring minds want to know

Has anyone heard if CompTIA plans to give full or partial credit for CEU renewal by passing a higher-level CompTIA data analytics certification?

Will DataSys+ give full or partial credit for CEUs for Data+?

Will DataX give full or partial credit for CEUs for DataSys+ and/or Data+?

Howdy!

We’re reaching out to hear from people who have taken the unique path of becoming an IT teacher in a U.S. high school. Whether you’re currently teaching or have taught IT in the past, we would greatly appreciate your input.

Please take less than 20 minutes to complete our survey. Your participation will help us better understand the experiences and support needed for IT teachers, contributing to the future of IT education in U.S. high schools.

Feel free to share this survey with any other IT teachers you know - we value every voice!

Thank you,
Kelli Adam, Network+
Texas A&M University

With Comptia rebranding the CASP+ exam to the SecurityX exam, (with the feedback being questionable at best, as per Login to view embedded media , Login to view embedded media , and Login to view embedded media ), and ITF being rebranded as Tech+ ( https://www.comptia.org/blog/comptia-tech-vs-comptia-itf-for-it-basics-whats-the-difference), is it time for the CompTIA A+ course to be rebranded CompTIA ITsupport+? or Support+?

I know the A+ has been around for ~30years, and has a history, but the A+ description doesn't really explain what the course does... with the other fundamentals being about Networking and Security, changing the A+ certification to be more descriptive of what the course covers, might make it more recognizable to HR recruiters and IT managers.

Just something to ponder

The CompTIA EMEACon is coming up this month in London October 21-22! I hope to see a lot of CINners at the event! It is going to be a great time!

I am very excited to present with fellow CINner @Kwabena Fred on Monday, October 21st. Fred and I will present "Certification Roadmap: Career Progression and Intersections." We will discuss the various career pathways and how certifications will cross pathways. This is going to be a fun talk!

If you would like to hear more about the new CompTIA Expert series of certifications and their implications for instructors, I will also present a session on them on Monday afternoon. Be sure to check out the session "Product Roadmap: Expert Certifications."

Are you attending? Let's Sync up!

Hello CIN Team,

Firstly, thank you Stephen and Don for a fantastic TTT series. I really enjoyed it.

I finally got my hands on the instructor resources for this new version of Network+ and I was looking at the pacing guide. I'm interested in the 5 day pacing which is what my academy is delivering courses to. I noticed that the 5 day sheet in the pacing guide has you doing 20 hour per day for 5 days I also noted that there were around 160 short labs for the learners to do which aren't part of the pacing. I thought the latest Sec+ (701) planner did a pretty good job of breaking things out into what to do in class and how to pace over 5 days. Does anyone have any recommendation on teaching over 5 days or is there a better planner in the works somewhere ?

Thanks
Rasheed

sorry because I never learn math very serious during my school time. anyone could help me ?

Suno Revolutionizes Music Creation for Analytical People Like You and Me​

Suno is an AI-powered music creation platform that offers significant potential for businesses across various industries. This innovative tool streamlines content creation, reduces costs and provides unique branding opportunities. Left-brainers can use Suno. After all, the music Suno gives you comes from your prompts.

Getting Started with Suno​

Start by creating your account.

• Visit suno.ai
• Click “Sign Up”
• Choose from Discord, Google, or Microsoft login options
• Complete the registration process
• Access your new Suno dashboard

Songs I Created​

Can you believe a left-brainer like me actually created music? My Suno screen name is Zeus Lives in California.

With the prompt “A synthesizer-driven song to go with scuba diving video in the Caribbean. Slow, mysterious and refreshing. Mix in water sounds,” I created at two instrumentals, Vacation (Time to Turn Off Your Phone) at https://suno.com/song/cac22c27-fd70-4ec8-a5fc-92c7003ee78c and Dive In (You Know You Want to be Here) at https://suno.com/song/365ee095-78bf-4068-8a15-bf45e69a9d93.

With the prompt “A bright and slow techno pop song about viewing aurora borealis alone at midnight. Spatial, mysterious and galactic,” I created two instrumentals, Bright Midnight Lights, at https://suno.com/song/a0e3d033-1aa3-4ab4-9d72-1a98439accb6 and Midnight Lights at My Piano, at https://suno.com/song/1532f546-36c8-4acc-b433-71e2520df0fc.

With the prompt, “A loud, powerful rock n roll song about racing classic cars and one of the drivers crashes. Dual guitars. Strong male singer. Loud guitar solo,” I created two rockers. The first one is Thunder Road (Feel it in My Bones) at https://suno.com/song/5563e8e0-8728-465e-a859-2a5030d87bb6 and Twisted Metal Again on Thunder Road, at https://suno.com/song/5413eebf-f5cd-4f71-b640-279a21d5a653.

Why Two at a Time?​

Suno receives your prompt and generates two songs. Although you get 50 credits per day, each prompt creates two songs at 5 credits each. Let me save you the math. Five prompts per day gets you 10 songs per day.

Creating Your First 5 Songs​

• Click “Create” on the dashboard
• Enter a description for your desired song
• Toggle “Instrumental” if lyrics aren’t needed
• Click “Create” to generate two song versions
• Provide feedback using thumbs up/down icons
• Repeat four more times

You Can Maximize Suno to Meet Your Tastes​

Customizing Music Style​

• Include specific genre keywords in your description (e.g., “upbeat corporate pop”)
• Experiment with style combinations (e.g., “modern jazz fusion for product launch”)
• Utilize Suno’s extensive style list to align with your brand identity

Tailoring Vocal Characteristics​

• Describe desired voice traits in your prompt (e.g., “professional male voice for company anthem”)
• Use descriptive terms like “authoritative,” “friendly,” or “energetic” to match your brand voice
• Adjust prompts based on results to fine-tune the output

Business Applications​

• Marketing and Advertising: Create custom jingles or background music for commercials and social media content
• Brand Identity: Develop a unique sonic brand with consistent musical themes across all touchpoints
• Content Creation: Generate background music for corporate videos, podcasts, or presentations
• Event Planning: Produce custom music for corporate events, product launches, or trade shows
• Customer Experience: Create on-hold music or in-store playlists that align with your brand

Cost-Effective Solution​

• Free tier: Up to 10 songs per day
• Paid subscriptions: Increased daily song limits for higher volume needs

Best Practices for Business Users​

• Consistency: Develop a “musical style guide” to ensure all Suno-generated content aligns with your brand
• Experimentation: Test different prompts and styles to find the perfect fit for your business needs
• Feedback Loop: Regularly gather input from team members and customers to refine your music strategy
• Legal Considerations: Understand Suno’s licensing terms to ensure proper usage in commercial applications
• Integration: Incorporate Suno-generated music into your existing content creation workflow

By leveraging Suno’s AI-driven music creation capabilities, you can enhance your brand presence, streamline content production, and create unique customer experiences. As with any new technology, the key to success lies in strategic implementation and continuous optimization to align with your specific business goals.

More​

AI ain’t so tough. See https://cybersafetynet.net/category/ai/ to help understand and use Artificial intelligence.

One challenge we face as instructors is bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world IT skills. For example, students might excel in simulations but struggle with hands-on troubleshooting in real environments. How do you address this skills gap in your courses? I’ve incorporated more real-world scenarios into labs, but I’m curious about other techniques.

When the ssh command is executed, with either 1, 2, or 3 -v switches, it outputs various debug messages. Does anyone know a resource that will provide an explanation for the debug messages that appear in the output?

Thanks to Comptia and his helpful team... @Stephen Schneiter
I passed Network+ 009 exam yesterday...

What's next ...

I've put together a curated list of free and paid resources to help us prepare our students for the CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-004 exam. It includes links to valuable labs, courses, and reading materials. Feel free to check it out and share with your classes!

Greetings. Over the past year, I redeveloped a few of our IT courses using TestOut (ITF+, A+, Network+, and Security+). We plan on moving these over to the new CertMaster Perform when they become available, such as with Network+ and Tech+.

The major concern I've had, and still have, is that the simulations in the courseware are the exact same as the custom quiz labs. I am finding that students go through the simulations in the courseware, score the labs, copy the steps provided, then take the custom quiz lab (we call them lab assignments) and use the steps provided. I don't understand why CompTIA doesn't make the custom quiz labs different from the simulations.

I am at a loss. I even had a student tell me they were the same and it was a waste of their time to practice, copy the steps, and then complete it again for a grade.

As part of Objective 2.4 (analyzing indicators of malicious activity), collision attacks on broken cryptographic algorithms, like SHA-1, are critical examples of tampering threats.

Key Takeaways:​

• Collision Attack: When two distinct inputs generate the same hash, indicating possible tampering or forgery.
• Broken SHA-1: SHA-1 is deprecated due to collision vulnerability, making it possible for attackers to create identical hashes for malicious files.

Practical Demo:​

1. Demonstration: Use the
   SHAttered
   website, which showcases a real-world collision attack on SHA-1. It provides two PDF files that generate the same SHA-1 hash, but contain different content.
2. Verification: Have students download the example files from
   SHAttered
   and use Python on https://github.com/OffensiveSoldier/Collision-attack/tree/main to hash them, demonstrating the collision.
3. Discussion: Analyze how collision attacks can be used in malicious activities, such as bypassing digital signatures or integrity checks.

Has anyone had trouble getting a hold of their account rep to purchase training? I have been trying since the 13th and customer service say I can only put in a ticket and wait. I did that and I still do not have any contact with the business/academic partner team.

Does anyone know a work around?

Thanks!

CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-004
have started now please do well to join the platform .

I'm a UX Designer at CompTIA. I'm hoping to hear from instructors. What is your AI wish list for the CertMaster platform and courses?

1. How would you hope to be able to use it? In other words, what job would you hire AI to do for you in CertMaster? And why?
2. What job would your students hire AI to do for them in CertMaster? And why?
3. How have you already used AI to help you teach?
4. How are your students using AI currently to help them learn?
5. What, if any, negative effects of AI are you currently seeing, either for instructors or students?

I’m still waiting for my Network + voucher. Any updates on when it might be coming?

Three Mile Island: From Meltdown to Microsoft’s AI Power Play​

Remember Three Mile Island? That nuclear plant south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that gave us all a scare back in 1979? Well, it’s making a comeback, and this time it’s got Microsoft muscle (and money) in its corner.

A Brief History Lesson​

Three Mile Island was home to two nuclear reactors. In March 1979, Unit 2 suffered a partial meltdown, causing the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history. While Unit 1 kept chugging along, it eventually closed in 2019 due to economic pressures. Producing electricity there was more expensive than other providers using cheaper natural gas.

New Owner, New Expectations​

Constellation Energy now owns three Mile Island. That’s not the only nuclear power plant Constellation owns. Here’s a partial list:

• South Texas Project Electric Generating Station (Texas)
• Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station (unit 1, Pennsylvania)
• Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station (Illinois)
• Byron Nuclear Generating Station (Illinois)
• Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant (Maryland)
• Clinton Nuclear Generating Station (Illinois)
• Dresden Generating Station (Illinois)
• Ginna Nuclear Generating Station (New York)
• James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant (New York)
• LaSalle County Nuclear Generating Station (Illinois)
• Limerick Nuclear Power Plant (Pennsylvania)
• Nine Mile Point Nuclear Generating Station (New York)
• Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station (Pennsylvania)
• Quad Cities Nuclear Generating Station (Illinois)
• Salem Nuclear Power Plant (New Jersey) (minority owner)

Enter Microsoft / Enter Microsoft Muscle / Enter Microsoft Money (whichever heading you prefer)​

Microsoft, in its quest to power the AI revolution, needs electricity. They need electricity to a) power the servers running and supporting CoPilot, and b) provide cooling in the server rooms housing those servers. The servers create heat. The rooms have to stay cool. They need industrial strength air conditioning.

How Much Power Can Three Mile Island Generate?​

Microsoft’s deal with Constellation is for a whopping 835 megawatts of electricity. That’s enough to power about 800,000 homes. All this electricity will come from Three Mile Island and go towards powering Microsoft’s AI ambitions. They’re diving headfirst into the AI pool, and they need a lot of energy to keep those servers cool and running.

Summary​

AI servers are creating more electricity demand than what our current infrastructure can supply. Expect more stories like this to come, to keep AI alive.

More​

AI ain’t so tough. See https://cybersafetynet.net/category/ai/ to help understand and use Artificial intelligence.

Good morning/evening/night everyone,

Just caught up with the DataX TTT (great job, RJ!) and @Stephen Schneiter 's comments about CIN membership and the email address we use prompted me to look at my profile.

When I signed up a few years ago, I used my personal email address and for some time there was no issue with getting exam vouchers but lately I didn't receive any. I put one training provider I work for in the profile but it no longer seems sufficient. Now I tried to change my email address but it wouldn't let me.

Is there a way to change the email address to one supplied by the training provider?

And if that's not the issue, any pointers would be very much appreciated!

Many thanks,

Andreas

Hello everyone! I don't know if this is the right channel to report this, but here goes anyway: through its blog, CompTIA published an interesting article about data-focused certifications: Data+, DataSys+ and DataX. The problem is that the section dedicated to publicizing the certification paths does not include the other certifications besides CompTIA Data+. It would be better to take a look... &;-D

Blog post link: https://www.comptia.org/blog/enhanc...s-with-the-comptia-data-pathway-certification
Link to the path disclosure: https://www.comptia.org/certifications/which-certification