While the Geek Squad, or IT professionals as the PC (politically correct) brigade would prefer you to address them, have often kept their superiority a closely guarded secret, a study has revealed that these broad-minded individuals believe in extra-terrestrial life forms. Perhaps the language the IT professionals use isn't actually of this planet.
A study conducted amongst the booths of Infosecurity Europe earlier this year - a specialist IT security exhibition held at London's Earls Court - has exposed the startling reality that 52% of this educated audience believe in aliens, with 7% undecided (or perhaps unwilling to confess their belief - well they didn't say no!)
Technology has moved at warp speed in recent years, and the threats we all face have evolved just as quickly. There are some who claim hacking is a dark art - actually, having met a few BlackHats over the years, I think it's more likely to be a Venus Trait!
More than sixty-five years have passed since a UFO was rumoured to have crashed in Roswell, New Mexico, sparking what many consider to be the largest cover up in living memory, and giving birth to many other conspiracy theories. Did a spacecraft containing extra-terrestrial life really meet its end in a field in New Mexico? What can't be denied is that, shortly after this fateful night, an influential little invention occurred that changed the course of history in a big way for computers and all electronics - the transistor. Now, I'm not saying aliens invented computers, but you can't argue that the timing's a bit coincidental!
I've said for years that it's important to have an open mind and a challenging disposition when it comes to working in IT and in particular securing the organisation. Someone who can imagine the 'what next', and not be swayed by disbelievers, will be better prepared.
A similar survey conducted in 2012 at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, had only half the respondents saying 'yes' with 11% on the fence. Interestingly enough, the believers are gaining momentum, as our survey demonstrates, so something's fuelling this mind change. Perhaps now that 65 years have passed, in terms of reproduction, we'd be into third, or even fourth generations. I'm just saying - it could be one reason there's more believers, and more IT professionals with an open mind.
Whether Roswell did or didn't happen, is not the issue, it's all about being open to possibilities. The truth is out there.