There's Nothing Like a Live Virus to Keep Students Awake

I taught people how to identify an infection, how to recover data, and how to protect against future attacks. There is nothing like a live computer virus to keep students awake.

Over the years, I built a collection of nearly 200 viruses, each one used for education. I'd infect machines on purpose, then walk students through the recovery process. It was risky, sure, but it was real. And the real experience is what sticks with people when you're training them, so they can remember and not forget.

Working with CompTIA, I helped develop the A+ Computer Repair Certification, writing courseware that became the backbone for technicians worldwide. That certification was proof that you could handle the chaos — whether it was a fried motherboard or a boot sector screaming "Legalize Marijuana."