Summary
Today, CompTIA and other exam publishers are being asked to protect the credibility of their certifications. The overwhelming majority of customers understands and respects the importance of professional behavior. They are eager to acquire knowledge, build up experience and demonstrate their technical skills in effective assessment tests. These IT experts aspire and value trustworthy certification credentials to publicly demonstrate their status as IT professionals.
The security of IT certification exams is certainly a topic of discussion that is going to stay with us for some time. The stakes are high and some people just cannot resist the temptation to take the easy way out. Too many so-called "professionals" seem to have enough time at hand to hang out in chat rooms and "share their knowledge." They obviously do not fully understand that the natural consequences of sharing test material include an increased number of people with the certification but without a true grasp of the skill set they should have acquired.
This becomes evident in the workplace, thereby leading employers to believe that the certificate is of little value. Current and future employers will disengage from requesting and supporting certification training and testing. The very individuals who have undermined themselves then feel the final impact. With a clear understanding of this natural chain of events and an increased respect for the quality of their own certification, what IT professional would jeopardize a career future by tearing down the very system that guarantees personal skills?
What can we do? We can better educate our test-takers. Part of their training should include ethical issues and the negative ramifications of sharing test details. A thorough understanding of natural consequences, not unenforceable threats, must reinforce behavior. The field of IT certification is new compared to other established professions. By doing the right thing, we can help to establish IT certified individuals as truly deserving of the recognition and respect afforded other professionals.