CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional
Earning a CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification can enhance and advance your IT and information security career, proving that you have exceptional technical expertise, knowledge, and abilities in the field of cybersecurity.
A CISSP is designed for security analysts to prove mastery in eight different domains, or the common body of knowledge (CBK) framework, which includes both technical and managerial knowledge. The CISSP certification requires at least five years of experience as a security professional, a background check, and passing of the CISSP examination.
Once certified by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, or (ISC)2, a CISSP has more earning and career advancement potential.
What positions benefit from CISSP?
The CISSP is a specialized certification created by the (ISC)2 that can indicate advanced information security knowledge, technical abilities, and managerial skills. Experienced security practitioners can seek the CISSP to validate extensive IT/IS knowledge and for career advancement opportunities and salary increases.
The following IT professionals can benefit from securing a CISSP certification:
- Chief information officer (CIO)
- Chief information security officer (CISO)
- Security manager
- IT director/manager
- Directory of security
- Security systems engineer
- Security architect
- Security analyst
- Security auditor
- Security consultant
- Network architect
The CISSP can designate you as an experienced cybersecurity professional.
What is the CISSP?
The CISSP certification includes a broad range of cybersecurity skills. It requires demonstrated knowledge and proficiency in the ability to manage risks, develop security policies, understand technical security controls, design and implement an information security platform, and manage cybersecurity from an enterprise standpoint.
The CISSP examination is a three-hour, 150-question exam that will test your knowledge in the following Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) domains:
- Security and Risk Management
- Asset Security
- Security Engineering
- Community and Network Security
- Identity and Access Management
- Security Assessment and Testing
- Security Operations
- Software Development Security
CISSP certification process
To obtain the CISSP certification, you will need to pass the CISSP examination with a passing score of 700 out of 1,000 points. The test costs $749 per try, and it often takes more than one attempt to pass it.
You will need to subscribe to the (ISC)2 Code of Ethics and have the endorsement from another (ISC)2 professional. You will also need to pass a background check on criminal history and related issues.
To qualify for the CISSP, you must have at least five years of experience as a professional in the information security field. Additionally, this work experience needs to be directly within two of the eight domains listed in the (ISC)2 CBK framework.
You can become an Associate of (ISC)2 without this work history after passing the exam. Then, you can take up to six years to gain the necessary and required career experience to obtain and apply for the CISSP certification.
There are waivers for some of the professional experience that can include additional IT credentials approved by the (ISC)2. If you have a college d