Braindumps. We all know they’re out there, and we all know it’s wrong to use them, and it’s very wrong to distribute them. (Lifetime decertification would be the least of your worries.) But just as with software piracy, we know there’s a seedy underbelly in this business, and we do our best to ensure it stays marginalized.
Which is why we were alarmed and surprised a few months ago when we noticed this tweet from one of our readers:
Ouch—when an MCT is accused of promoting braindumps, that strikes pretty close to home. The MCT community is one of Microsoft’s longest- and proudest-standing communities, and we knew this had to be a very, very rare exception and not the rule.
Still, an hour later, another MCP followed up:
…and up until this point, the only thing unusual about this story is that the tips came in via Twitter rather than our tctips@microsoft.com alias. But here comes the plot twist.
Just hours later, we received this e-mail from the MCT referred to by the first tweeter:
“I saw on Twitter that one of my students [redacted] complained about the way I talk about preparing for exams (he states that I promote dumps). “Let me start by saying that I agree that what he states I’m doing (promoting) is inappropriate behavior like you said in your response to his tweet, and I will adjust my behavior appropriately. “Having said that I have 2 comments I want to add: “Firstly: In my opinion I do not promote the usage of ‘dumps’. I merely state they are there, and tell that there are people that are using that such methods to pass exams. That can be considered promoting. Being a trainer I take full responsibility for how people understand what I say. “Secondly: I do not think that simply ignoring the fact that there are sites like [redacted] where anyone can download almost perfectly recreated exams for free with very recent comments about how valid they are is the right approach. Ignoring them does not negate the fact that people that know about that they exist can find and use them, and in doing so undermine the value of certification. In the field of security this is considered ‘security by obscurity’. In this case it means that people that don’t know about this think that everyone that has passed an exam had to put the same amount of effort in archiving that, and the people that do know about it laugh their heads off and take the short route, thereby devaluating the certification of the ones that did it the proper way. “I have [redacted] spoke with Microsoft Learning representatives like [redacted] about that fact that those sites exist, and asking what Microsoft is doing about them. Therefore I know that ‘proxy exams’ in India and areas like that have been acted upon, and that legal actions have been taken against company’s like [redacted]. It keeps bothering however me that the site [redacted] has been in the air for at least the last 5 years. I hoped that if mentioning that fact to my students (who are investing time and money in learning the product and getting certified ) would help put some pressure on Microsoft. Apparently this is being interpreted differently than I intended, and I will refrain from this in the future. However, I will not stop asking Microsoft any time I can to take action against these sites, because I think that not mentioning them is bad, but the fact that they are there is. “If you think that any actions against my person are appropriate I will accept that because, as I stated, I take full responsibility for my actions.”
“I saw on Twitter that one of my students [redacted] complained about the way I talk about preparing for exams (he states that I promote dumps).
“Let me start by saying that I agree that what he states I’m doing (promoting) is inappropriate behavior like you said in your response to his tweet, and I will adjust my behavior appropriately.
“Having said that I have 2 comments I want to add:
“Firstly: In my opinion I do not promote the usage of ‘dumps’. I merely state they are there, and tell that there are people that are using that such methods to pass exams. That can be considered promoting. Being a trainer I take full responsibility for how people understand what I say.
“Secondly: I do not think that simply ignoring the fact that there are sites like [redacted] where anyone can download almost perfectly recreated exams for free with very recent comments about how valid they are is the right approach. Ignoring them does not negate the fact that people that know about that they exist can find and use them, and in doing so undermine the value of certification. In the field of security this is considered ‘security by obscurity’. In this case it means that people that don’t know about this think that everyone that has passed an exam had to put the same amount of effort in archiving that, and the people that do know about it laugh their heads off and take the short route, thereby devaluating the certification of the ones that did it the proper way.
“I have [redacted] spoke with Microsoft Learning representatives like [redacted] about that fact that those sites exist, and asking what Microsoft is doing about them. Therefore I know that ‘proxy exams’ in India and areas like that have been acted upon, and that legal actions have been taken against company’s like [redacted]. It keeps bothering however me that the site [redacted] has been in the air for at least the last 5 years. I hoped that if mentioning that fact to my students (who are investing time and money in learning the product and getting certified ) would help put some pressure on Microsoft. Apparently this is being interpreted differently than I intended, and I will refrain from this in the future. However, I will not stop asking Microsoft any time I can to take action against these sites, because I think that not mentioning them is bad, but the fact that they are there is.
“If you think that any actions against my person are appropriate I will accept that because, as I stated, I take full responsibility for my actions.”
Well now. There are so many interesting aspects to this story that I’m not sure where to begin.
Let’s start here: First and foremost, I must offer my appreciation to both the individual who came forth and tweeted out the trainer in question as well as to the instructor who came forward voluntarily to explain himself. I appreciate the integrity they both displayed in doing so, and if more people spoke up when they notice something harmful going on, we’d have an even stronger certification program than we do today. It’s out of respect to them that I’ve redacted any identifying details.
Next, let’s examine some of the trainer’s claims:
“…I do not promote the usage of ‘dumps’. I merely state they are there, and tell that there are people that are using that such methods to pass exams.“
This is one of those cases where the delivery can say a lot more than the content itself, but let’s take him at his word, shall we? The thing I can’t figure out is this: at what point in the course does it help students to know that braindumps “are there, and… that there are people that are using such methods to pass exams?”
Ah, maybe it’s here:
“ Ignoring them does not negate the fact that people that know about that they exist can find and use them, and in doing so undermine the value of certification… people that don’t know about this think that everyone that has passed an exam had to put the same amount of effort in archiving that, and the people that do know about it laugh their heads off and take the short route, thereby devaluating the certification of the ones that did it the proper way.”
If I understand him correctly, I think the argument is something along the lines of: I tell my students that braindumps exist so that they know that there are unethical people out there who are profiting off of the hard work and integrity of those who take the high road, and that it’s important for the people with integrity to keep an alert watch for the folks without it.
Maybe that’s a stretch., but I’m pretty generous with benefits of doubts. Although I faced a pretty big test on that front when I came to this part:
“I hoped that if mentioning that fact to my students (who are investing time and money in learning the product and getting certified ) would help put some pressure on Microsoft. Apparently this is being interpreted differently than I intended, and I will refrain from this in the future.”
So unless I misinterpret, I believe his hypothesis is: “if I tell my students about braindumps, maybe they’ll lend their voices to my own, and then Microsoft will surely take action!”
But since the only voice we heard was:
…I may not be the only one misinterpreting.
The thing is, by his own admission, this trainer actually knows that we take action against braindump sites. He had spoken to some of our staff and he cited specific examples where we had taken action, so he almost assuredly knows that he—and anyone—has a direct line to our anti-piracy/fraud team by e-mailing tctips@microsoft.com. That’s a far better strategy if you want to get our attention, and especially if you don’t want anyone else listening to misinterpret you. Yet we didn’t we receive any tips from him or his students.
But by far, the most interesting part of the story is the fact that it didn’t play out over e-mail—it unfolded over Twitter. The student who reported the trainer didn’t whisper in our ear; he used a megaphone in a public square.
Did that have anything to do with why the instructor came forward so quickly? I don’t know.
But I do know that if I was that instructor, I would have been sweating bullets that day, hoping that my student wouldn’t reveal my name in front of the entire world.
Which brings me to my own personal key takeaway from this story:
At Microsoft, we absolutely investigate and act on allegations of wrongdoing, but we tend to do so privately. Cheat on an exam, and you’ll be decertified, quite possibly for life. But that’s between you and us—it’s highly unlikely that we’re going to publish a story about it (this blog post notwithstanding).
But if a colleague, fellow student, trainer, test-taker or even a manager discovers you taking an unethical shortcut, they may very well start talking. (We actually get most of our fraud and cheater tips this way.) Most of the time, they come to us directly, but now there’s a precedent for taking to social networks—and that means your reputation is on the line in a big way.
Food for thought.
What’s your take on this? Let us know.
Braindumps are the bane of the certification world. Yes, they are out there, and there are some people out there that use them. Usually during the interview process (or early after hired) they are caught with their pants down as they cannot apply those certifications to the real world. That gives the hiring manager less of a reason to go for a candidate with certifications. BUT, they are still very valuable and can give you an edge in this very competitive market.
I will NEVER use braindumps, nor do I trust them. But, when I hear of other people using them or asking where to get them (A lot on LinkedIn), I get upset. I wouldn't hire them, nor would I accept advice from them. They are already cheaters, lyers, and frauds. I feel that Microsoft is doing what is needed to combat them (decertification, bringing down certs, etc.). CertGuard is one place I go to make sure a site isn't selling dumps and is legit.
Of course, I like certifications as they help increase my knowledge of a subject, not just for the paper and the help on the resume. I've learned so much from studing my butt off and got a lot of hands on experience from learning the material.
I disagree any form of Braindump promotion. This method of exam study deprecating my certifications and all people MCPs in the world lost value.
I repeat in my emails signature and classroom value of "Charter member" and Beta exams, of prove I am not use Braindump.
I think that anyone mentioning the existence of braindumps to people who might not otherwise have known they were out there to go looking for, should only mention them clearly in the context of "make sure you don't use these things, and I'll report anyone I catch".
Not "oh, there are these things out there, and Microsoft hasn't managed/bothered to stop them, just thought you should know, wink wink nudge nuge".
I think it may be better for Microsoft certifications to become really performance based, because if you can do the task on the exam probably you can do it in a real life. In this case braindumps can become just training tools: how to do something if you are required to do it on exam. And if we have enough variations of performance based tasks on the exam we can have covered enough skill set required to do the jobs.
Hi
I am a MCTS,have been working along my recruitment team in a global corp for entry level engineers,experienced candidates etc across asia and europe,We hate the concept of braindumps,its misguided,misleading and not required. Most of the big corp recruitment teams have technical members with social networking skills and security we sieve the candidates online professional presence without hitting any of the privacy issues before and after Candidate assessment. There are days when i used to drill the web while interviewing the candidate right across the table. Most of the questions will reveal the truth as we study body language along with candidates reaction. If i can confirm any acts of using braindumps or dishonest practice, i usually send the candidate out and drop them with a bad history tag. If i dont do this than iam not being honest to my job as recruiter, i may end up building a team with dishonest colleague who may bring down the honest practices of the company. No recruiter will ever do this. Usage or promoting Braindumps is like cancer.
We look for people with integrity and honest practice. I may be aligned to pick up a candidate with good knowledge and expertise but not exam skills, who might have been honest but may have failed in his MCT first exam attempt,such people can be trained and we know they will honestly train themselves as they have the drive, they may pass exams within weeks,we are prepared to wait, train and get them certified.
As MCTS, i can clearly tell you that in most of the cases information on how to prepare and details are available for preparation for most of the microsoft products,you may even reach out and access few Microsoft experts. I have done this while prep for my exam. There is no point in wasting time and efforts in misleading practices or dishonest activities.
While i would request MS to increase free/easly available material to prepare for exams as this should not be a reason for interest towards draindumps.
I hope this post will motivate both students and other candidates trying to understand the views of recruiter,the message is simple, strive to "Be honest"
Ahhh..the braindump story continues. When will people learn that cheating just makes you look like a fool. Businesses employ people with skills because they expect them to know those skills. The whole point of an exam is to test that you understand the subject material. If you just learn the questions from dumps, you probably learn about 2% of the material and almost certainly don't understand the principles. Your employer will laugh at you!
The trainer in this example is pretty dense. Informing students that using braindumps is a study technique doesn't help anyone, least of all them self. Handing out PDF's of Microsoft press books? What's that all about? Buy the bleeding books for yourself or write up some training notes! What are these students paying for again??
Microsoft does a great job of providing reference material and tutorials online..just look at technet and the MSDN library. There's tonnes of stuff there including references to everything you need. There's trial versions of most software, some for over 90 days. I think that people have become too lazy these days, if you don't put in the effort you won't get the rewards my friends!! Remember that!
As an (hopefully) interesting side note, I Googled the new SQL Server 2008 MCM exam last night to see if I could find any more information about it and there are already braindump sites (which actually refer to themselves as braindump sites) that claim to have dumps of the exam. I really doubt that it is possible to have a dump of that exam, but it does show how bad the situation is.
I'm an MCT and occasionally students will ask about brain dumps. I tell them basically what has been stated above; Microsoft will decertify you for life if they catch you. I also explain how it cheats you and all others that work hard and legally to get certified.
Ken, how about we add a slide to our MOC offerings introduction section with bullets on tctips@microsoft.com and what Microsoft does with cheaters. This would help a lot. To follow up on my own advice, I will add this slide to my "repertoire" but having it as a course ppt will re-enforce it will all.
Dave Franlkyn, Auburn University (#1 in the BCS!)
If you are interested in learning more about what Microsoft is doing to protect the integrity of our certification exams and catch cheaters, check out this Live Meeting recording:
Exam Forensics and What Microsoft is Doing to Catch the Cheaters
Greg Stephens and Shelby Grieve discuss what Microsoft and other organizations are doing to protect certification from "brain-dump" providers, proxy test-takers, and score-report fraud.
http://bit.ly/bEbOxS
I translated this post to PT-BR and posted in my blog.
I'll collect the comments and send them to you.
Nice idea from Dave Franklyn about having a slide in our courses ;)
I reported the MCT who trained me also for promoting braindumps, however I dont know what Microsoft does with that and I'm not on that school anymore kinda, they decided to separate me from the class because I brought it outside that the MCT was promoting braindumps.
Also its strange most students wont make this public or tell Microsoft about it.
I'd like to ask something, how does the braindump sites & companies managed to get the latest exam contents and sell it coz I am really curious, just my 2 cents.
From Dave Franklyn and Emillio Mansur:
"Nice idea from Dave Franklyn about having a slide in our courses ;)"
From [redacted] MCT in Ken's post:
"“…I do not promote the usage of ‘dumps’. I merely state they are there, and tell that there are people that are using that such methods to pass exams.“
Any significant difference between posts?
Looks like, you suggest promoting dumps (cheating, dishonest, etc) in EVERY class and for EVERY student???
What did you say? You can’t forget Herostratos since 356BC?..
I'm MCT for 12+ years and from time to time my students (usually at the beginning of their IT career) ask me about dumps. My simple answer that I've signed MCT agreement and it doesn't allow me to help students that way. That's it. Everybody understands. Another variation that closes the theme immediatelly is: "Classes are for getting knowledge, while dumps are to show off. Why are you here?".
@Dustin, Marcelo, Alice, Victor: I agree with your comments, although Dustin, I'd argue that the existence of braindumps should deter a hiring manager from hiring certified candidates any more than it does for a law firm, medical practice, or any other professional field that requires certification or licensing (and for which the exams are available if one looks hard enough and/or pays enough). It *does* mean, however, that hiring managers should be on their guard a bit--it'd be prudent to have a few screening questions or scenarios of your own, just to be sure that the candidate knows the ropes. If the candidate handles them well, I'd be pretty comfortable that their certs were valid.
@richard.vijay: wow--I'm impressed at your thoroughness and diligence! Would you be interested in sharing some of your screening techniques in a hiring-manager session at our next Career Conference in February?