Why CISSP Certification Is Important to Your Career
Shamim Ahammed
Digital Agency Founder | Marketing Expert | Geography Enthusiast | Bookworm
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification is one of the most prestigious certificates you can obtain during your?IT security career. It can dramatically enhance your career to a higher level of leadership, allow you to take on more responsibilities at work, and even climb the ladder to managerial positions. Does it sound attractive? Find out why?CISSP certification is important to your career and how you can maximize your potential by getting it.
What Is the CISSP Certification?
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) accreditation is a prestigious security accreditation provided by?the leading cyber security accreditation body (ISC) 2. It is intended for professionals who have worked in two or more of the eight domains of CISSP (more on this later).
So why is a CISSP certificate so valuable? First, CISSP certification meets?Department of Defense (DoD) 8570 IAM Level II / III, IAT Level III, and IASAE Level I / II requirements. In addition, it was the first cybersecurity certification to comply with the widely recognized ANSI / ISO / IEC17024 standard.
It is also worth noting that CISSP certification is the?only ticket to pursue DoD8570IASAE Level III certified concentrations such as CISSP-ISSEP and CISSP-ISSAP. In addition, this certificate is the gateway to the Australian Government Information Security Registered Evaluator Program (IRAP). With a well-known certification like the?
?CISSP, your game will definitely improve both professionally and economically.
Benefits of CISSP
There are countless benefits to getting a CISSP certification. This is the result of entering a?world of entirely new opportunities with a significant amount of perks that make a long journey of preparation?worthwhile. Here's how?CISSP certification is essential to your career development:
Career Growth
Did you know that?2.9 million?CISSP experts are missing? That's right; getting a CISSP certificate is not a child's play. If you want to pass the exam, you really need to know what you are doing. This explains why?demand far exceeds the number of credential holders.
Being CISSP certified sets you apart from your peers is considered an industry expert, and allows you to gain a better position in a prominent company. You can also work independently as an IT security consultant, and?CISSP certification gives your customers the confidence they need.
Also, while the CISSP certification itself does not guarantee that you will be able to get a specific job, statistics show that this qualification helps improve the career prospects of many professionals.
Higher Salaries
According to CRN Magazine's list of the most valuable certificates of 2017,?CISSP was ranked 4th?as one of the most profitable certificates. Another recent study ranks CISSP as the most valuable IT security certification for 2021.
Based on the data collected by (ISC) 2 in the latest survey, CISSP experts have earned a median global annual income of $ 92,639. Taking only the average salary?in North America, that number jumps to $120,552 a year.
In regions such as Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, CISSP holders earn an average salary of $81,568 per year, while?Latin American CISSPs earn $22,014 per year.
It is worth noting that?fluctuations in average salaries are due to currency differences in different parts of the world. For example,?living costs in Latin America are significantly lower than in North America, so the average salary between the two regions is almost $ 100,000 apart.
According to glassdoor.com, the average salary of CISSP professionals in the United States is $123,231 per year, making it one of the most expensive qualifications in the United States. This is the estimated salary average for North Americans (ISC) 2. Payscale.com also estimates CISSP's national average salary?to be $115,082 annually.
Keep in mind that many factors, such as?industry, company, years of experience, and skills, can affect your base salary as a CISSP.
Establishing Credibility?
Employers are fully aware that?relevant work experience and education is required as applications will only be accepted if they meet the strict standards of?(ISC) 2 in order to qualify for CISSP certification. doing.
Needless to say, after passing the exam, you will need to get confirmation from a CISSP expert to get a certificate. Listing this testimonial in your resume speaks volumes about your expertise in the industry.
The CISSP exam fail rate is 80%, and passing as an industry expert will keep you away from the crowd. In addition, this certification is recognized worldwide, so you can?get an IT security job anywhere in?the world.
Developing Your Skills
To study for the CISSP exam, you need to tackle a?variety of advanced security topics. This gives you the opportunity to hone your skills and explore new concepts and methods that?can be applied to your work.
Authentication follows two approaches that combine management and onsite implementation into one. Through thorough strategic planning and tracking team progress, you will acquire the skills to qualify?to lead?a?team that transcends departmental boundaries.
Similarly, accreditation provides?the practical skills needed to address the technical?causes that impede the progress of security strategies.?CISSP experts can make a significant contribution to your organization by being able to plan a security roadmap from brainstorming to development, monitoring, and improvement.
Next, we'll explore the eight areas published by CISSP Certification to elaborate on the learning outcomes of the?CISSP Certified Training Program.
Security and Risk Management
In this area, you will learn the concepts of integrity, confidentiality, availability, and everything you need to know about those applications in the?industry.
In addition, you can evaluate and apply security principles?to ensure that your security features are in line with your organization's strategic and operational goals. You will also learn about the most common security control frameworks used in the industry.
You will also understand the mechanism of risk management?and security risk mitigation best practices.
Software Development Security
This chapter describes the implementation of security safeguards at various phases of the software development life cycle (SDLC). This allows you to explore the application of security controls in different development environments. You will also learn how to assess the effectiveness of your software security system?and take corrective action as needed.
It also learns all the details of secure coding standards and how to define them and provides the intuition needed to identify security vulnerabilities at the source code level.
Communication and Network Security
In this area, you will learn how to design secure network architectures such as wireless networks and TCP / IP models. It also describes secure network components such as transmission media, hardware operations, endpoint security, and network access control (NAC) devices.
Security Architecture and Engineering
As the name implies, the field of security architecture and engineering?focuses on the application of secure design principles to technical processes. Familiarize yourself with the core principles of the security model and learn about the standard methods used to select the best control measures according to your security requirements.
In addition, you can measure and mitigate?vulnerabilities in mobile, embedded, and web-based systems. You will also learn how to use encryption, one of the most important skills?IT security professionals need to have in the arsenal.?
In addition, in this module,?you will learn how to apply safe design principles to map safe locations and facilities.
Security Assessment and Testing
Security assessment and testing is an important part of the knowledge base of IT security professionals.
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In this chapter, you will learn how to design and validate your audit and test strategies. You can also familiarize yourself with security control tests by understanding how to run various tests, such as B. Vulnerability analysis, exploit case testing, interface testing,?and penetration testing.
In addition, this topic provides the basic knowledge needed to collect data about technical and administrative security processes. You will also learn all about?security KPIs and disaster recovery decisions.
Asset Security
The Asset Security part of the CISSP training program focuses on identifying and classifying assets and information, protecting the privacy,?and establishing proper data security management. You will also learn how to choose the right standard based on different scenarios.
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
The IAM domain provides information about?the physical and logical access control settings, as well as the identification and authentication of services, people, and devices. You can also understand how to implement IDs by treating them as a third-party service.
Security Operations?
Finally, the Security Operations module describes the requirements of different types of investigations, including civil, administrative, government, and criminal investigations. It also introduces industry standards for safety research.
You will also learn about the entire incident investigation process, from collecting?and reporting evidence to use appropriate investigative techniques. In addition, you can get used to digital forensic tools.
Stay Updated
CISSP certification is renewed?every three years. To hold the certificate, you need to earn 40 CPE (Continuing Professional Education) credits per year. You can get them by performing one of the following activities:
Striving to maintain a CISSP certification gives you the opportunity to stay on top of current industry trends and continually improve your skills and knowledge.
In addition, by teaching other professionals?the basics of information system security, you can update your knowledge on a regular basis and?learn when students?ask difficult questions. It's a learning journey that lasts as long as you choose to maintain your qualifications.
(ISC)2 Membership
With over 140,000 active members (ISC) 2, it is the largest non-profit organization for cybersecurity professionals around the world.?
?If you pass the CISSP exam and receive confirmation, you will automatically become a member of (ISC) 2. Becoming an (ISC) 2 member has several benefits, including:
Paving the Way for Other Certifications
CISSP certification is not the end of the road for cybersecurity professionals. Once?certified as a CISSP, you can earn more professional certification across multiple career paths.
There are many professional qualifications that can be obtained after officially becoming a CISSP, depending on the area of specialization you want to focus on.
In general, CISSP has three focuses: engineering, management, and architecture. Depending on the path you choose, you can start getting more professional certificates to increase the market value of your work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Needs CISSP Certification?
CISSP certification is ideal for professionals who want to increase their career prospects and are currently in one of the following positions:
How Much Does the CISSP Exam Cost?
The cost of the CISSP exam is $699. However, the cost may vary depending on the location. Also, keep in mind that if you change your exam schedule, you will have to pay a $50 fee. There is also a $100 cancellation fee.
In addition, you may want to consider the cost of your training program. You can choose the official training program (ISC) 2 ($ 2,795) or look for a cheaper?third-party alternative program.?If you are taking a course from a third-party platform, make sure it is a reliable course.
How Do I Prepare for CISSP?
Here’s how you can start preparing for the CISSP exam:
Remember that the CISSP exam is not easy. Consisting of 250 questions that can be answered in 6 hours,?it is one of the longest exams on the market. Tricky scenario-based questions that challenge your knowledge of the eight domains of CISSP.
If you do not achieve the required 70% score, you may have to retake the exam, but with good preparation, you can avoid this.
Does CISSP Require Coding?
No programming experience is required for CISSP work or exams, but at some point in your IT security career, it is helpful to be at least familiar with the basics of programming. It's a good idea to start with the Python programming language.
Can You Pass the CISSP Exam Without Experience?
Without experience, it is almost impossible to pass the CISSP exam. In fact, without at least five years of full-time or part-time work experience, you are not eligible to take the exam at all.
Some of those years can be replaced with related training. A four-year college degree or?other certificate provided by B. (ISC) 2.
Final Words
There is no denying that?CISSP certification is a major step toward the development and growth of your career. Whether you want to get promoted, change jobs, or start your own IT security consulting agency,?CISSP will be a great addition to your performance.
However, it is important to remember that getting a CISSP certification is a long way to go, requiring a lot of dedication, effort, and, of course, money. For this reason, you need to make sure that obtaining a CISSP certificate is in line with your career goals.