This weblog was co-authored by Brent Hill, Exam Protections & Security Operations Manager, and Brent Morris, Security Investigations & Enforcements Program Manager.
The idea of certification is constructed on belief and integrity. When somebody is licensed by a company, that group is guaranteeing that the certification holder met the necessities to earn that certification and that the method of incomes it was truthful, and importantly, safe. Here at Cisco, the Exam Security Program protects our certifications’ integrity and maintains the respect and belief with which they’re regarded. Our function is to be energetic all through the whole lot of the certification course of, constructing safety into every part we do to repeatedly preserve the integrity and fame of Cisco exams. In brief, we’re the workforce that operates behind the scenes, policing the behaviors and actions that may jeopardize the worth of the certifications individuals work so onerous to earn.
Meet the Cisco Exam Security workforce
For a little bit of context, the Exam Security Program was formalized in 2001, and is managed and primarily based within the United States. Our workforce consists of Brent Hill, Exam Protections & Security Operations Manager, and Brent Morris, the Security Investigations & Enforcements Program Manager. Right now, we’ve got safety and enforcement oversight of 100+ exams, eight CCIE labs, 2700 Pearson Vue testing facilities, and all on-line examination supply.
Before we get too far into this, we wish to level you within the course of a current interview we did for the Cisco Learning Network Podcast. We talked at size concerning the subject of examination safety. If you need extra details about my background, our perspective on all of this, and a bit extra context concerning the workforce (together with a deeper dive into how we created the Exam Security Program), test it out on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Let’s step into this dialogue with an eye fixed towards the massive image. On the podcast, we undergo among the challenges we face and the beliefs that drive us. One of the factors that function each a perfect to attempt for and a problem we face is how we preserve worth. Obviously, worth may be calculated in numerous methods; there’s financial worth, in fact, however there’s additionally worth in realizing the fabric you’re studying is significant and updated, there’s worth in realizing the examination you’re taking is an correct benchmark of expertise, and there’s worth within the certification itself. Protecting these values doesn’t simply occur on the finish of Cisco’s examination course of or within the testing middle—it guides every part we do. And that features what we’re doing internally and externally.
Behind the scenes of certification examination safety
You ought to by no means really feel like a Cisco examination or certification lacks worth. Our inside work additionally permits us to collaborate with groups in Cisco to verify the safety measures we’ve devised are integral components of their design course of, baked into the way in which that they’re considering and working. It additionally permits them to be proactive once they see an issue with their content material and help us in figuring out options. Our means to collaborate permits us to work much more successfully throughout a big group.
Externally, we’re all the time searching for methods to guard the integrity of our exams and our certifications. One of the massive issues we search for within the wild is what we name ‘Exam Brain Dumps.’ Essentially, a mind dump is when somebody who has taken the examination remembers the specifics of an issue or part after which disseminates it on-line, both on the market or free. (We discuss it a bit extra at size on the podcast.) What’s extra, is that that is lined particularly by the Cisco Candidate NDA, so these individuals know what they’re doing.
We defend you all through the examination course of
Obviously, having an examination drawback or part out on the earth threatens the integrity of the examination. Candidates can use that data to cheat. When somebody earns their certification by dishonest, that devalues everybody’s certification and calls into query the belief that Cisco has constructed, so we’re all the time looking out for this kind of dissemination.
So that kind of works as a great instance of the considering that goes into what we do. We’re all the time looking out for mind dumps, collusion, fraud, proxy testing, false rating experiences, and many others., as a result of every of these issues cuts into the validity of a Cisco examination. When we discover them, we’ve got to take motion. Because as soon as one thing is on the web, it’s out of our fingers. There are different concerns right here as effectively. We’re not simply altering the examination, we’re additionally invalidating certifications for individuals who accessed the fabric and giving them lifetime bans. It’s extreme.
Our intent can also be to guard candidates who don’t know higher. Cisco certification exams are onerous, and there are legit research assets on the market. But the final factor we wish to see is a candidate to present their cash to somebody who can jeopardize their certification or mislead them.
The choices are there. But keep in mind: There isn’t a straightforward, brief path to passing a Cisco certification examination. So, while you come throughout the promise of a straightforward, too-good-to-be-true path to getting licensed, it is best to really feel alarmed.
How to report a Cisco examination violation
It’s not onerous to determine if the fabric you’re seeing is professional or not, we wish to assist you and we’re right here for that. Sending an e-mail to security-tipline@cisco.com is one of the best ways to determine if what you’re or contemplating shopping for goes legit. And we’re completely satisfied to direct you to different choices, we’re in your aspect throughout this course of, which is the purpose of examination safety. We have a zero-tolerance coverage for dishonest, and we’ve got developed completely different strategies for catching cheaters, it’s simply not price doing at any degree.
There are a number of duties that we ask candidates to tackle, that are detailed on each the Candidate Rights and Responsibilities doc we’ve created and the Exam Policy web page. When candidates come to earn a certification, they turn into a part of our group and conform to a code of conduct that we use to keep up the safety of our exams and defend their worth for everybody.
Overall, we’re right here to work with our group to guard their certifications and onerous work. We encourage questions and ideas as a result of we wish to assist. Feel free to succeed in out to us and have that dialogue, tell us in case you have considerations, or see one thing you suppose we must always have a look at.
Thanks for taking the time to learn and study a bit extra about Exam Security. Reach out within the remark part with questions and let’s begin a dialogue. We’d love to listen to about your Cisco examination experiences and the way we are able to finest help your certification journey.
Questions? Need to report an examination coverage violation? Send us an e-mail.
Best,
The Brents (Brent Hill and Brent Morris)
Listen on the Cisco Learning Network Podcast
“How to Protect the Integrity of Your Cisco Certification“
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