There are a lot of certifications available currently. Candidates now have the flexibility to opt for a certification course and complete it from their ease at home, credit to the internet.
Amongst the many, one of the best industry-standard certifications for IT security professionals is the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). This certificate is provided by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2.
Exam pricing and other qualifications:
- The cost of the examination comes to around USD 550. In addition to the certification cost, there are specific parameters for candidates to qualify for the study.
Experience requirements:
- At least five years of experience in information security is required to appear for this certification. The certification sponsor prescribes ten security domains, and your experience should be within two of the ten domains.
Minimum score:
The passing score for CISSP certification is 700/1000, and you might have to undertake the test from an authorized test centre. The examination contains 250 multiple-choice questions. With pencil and paper and endurance, you have six hours to complete the assessment. Below are the domains present in the exam,
- Security and Risk Management
- Security Operations
- Identity and Access Management
- Security Engineering
- Communication and Network Security
- Security Assessment And Testing
- Software Development Security
- Asset Security
Obtaining endorsement:
- An active credential holder from (ISC)2 must attest to your industry experience by completing an endorsement form. After passing the examination, or even before too, obtaining this endorsement is mandatory. Once (ISC)2 approves the approval, the CISSP certificationis authorized for the candidate.
Expiry and renewal information:
- CISSP certification comes with a three-year validity. There are specific requirements for the candidates to renew the certification. On not meeting the needs, the CISSP certification stands cancelled. Security practices constantly evolve and change; hence renewing the CISSP certification is more crucial to keep yourself equipped and updated.
Why should you be CISSP certified?
1.Maximizing the earning potential:
- The certification has tremendous value, and employers value it more than any other certifications, directly impacting your salary.
- A CISSP certified professional, on average, earns $131,030 a year. Extensive knowledge of cyber security and hands-on experience in cyber security is in addition to the pay you receive every year.
2. Maximizing the career potential:
- The demand for CISSP certified professionals is much higher than any other professionals, even in the infuse domain. (ISC)Two recently did a study which indicates that the cyber workforce globally runs with a shortage, and there is no better time for professionals to take up this certification.
- There are add-ons available on top of the CISSP certification, which is on the CISSP management and CISSP architect, which further boosts the career prospects.
3.Uniqueness:
- Obtaining a CISSP certification is quite complex compared to other similar industry-standard certifications. In 2017, the “Cyber security trends spotlight report” mentioned that CISSP is the most valued certification among employers.
- Hence storming out as a CISSP certified professional is truly an achievement that demonstrates that you have experience in infuse.
4.Understanding the cyber security landscape:
- All fundamentals of cyber security are covered in CISSP. It ensures certified professionals understand the complete information security landscape and its ecosystem.
- A certified CISSP professional can understand the infuse environment within the organization.
5.Hands-On cyber security experience:
- The CISSP training offers hands-on experience to the candidates in cyber security. The candidate must showcase the equivalent of four years of full-time work to grab the certification.
- In addition to this, the candidate also has the endorsement from an (ISC)2 credential holder.
6.Become part of the community:
- Clearing the CISSP examination gives a lifetime member of the (ISC)2 community, the world’s largest non-profit organization of cyber security professionals.
- Nearly 140,000 members are currently part of the (ISC)2. The CISSP professionals get many perks other than the salary. The community conducts free webinars, and any member can participate in them.
- Discounts in (ISC)2 courses are also offered to the members, and they can avail of any other certification courses.
Why CISSP is Valuable?
Industry-wide acceptance of this certification is valuable for any certified cyber security professional who holds this designation. Irrespective of the organisation’s geographical location, all employers value the CISSP certification equally.
Another essential value that the CISSP provides is knowledge about modern world security threats. A certified professional is already aware of these threats and will be easily able to provide a firewall to protect the organization.
Intensive preparation, work experience, and endorsements set the floor for a certified professional before taking the exam. Due to this reason, the CISSP designation is famous in the modern digital world, which is prone to common cyber security attacks.
Becoming a professional in infuse and cyber security in this era is the need of the hour.