Security. Security is on everyone’s minds. CTO Magazine rated security the number one issue facing CIOs today. This means that security is a great career option for IT professionals who are looking to make a change.
The International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2) has recognized the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), as one of the most valuable and difficult security certifications.
According to the current Guide to the CISSP2, (ISC.2), CISSP-certified professionals make an average salary of $130,000. CyberSeek’s interactive cybersecurity supply/demand map of job openings revealed that the CISSP was most sought-after security certification.
It is not easy to earn CISSP certification. We have created a study plan to help prepare you for the exam.
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CISSP is not for beginners. The Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP), from (ISC),2 and CompTIA Security+ are excellent entry-level certifications that are vendor-neutral. Both are U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Directive 8570.1 baseline certs to Level II Information Assurance Technician (IAT). SSCP is also approved to be used for Level I jobs.
The CISSP certification is for security professionals who are experienced. CISSP certification is required in many large organizations to advance your career. It’s a basic cert for Level III IA Technician positions, as well as Level II or III Information Assurance Manager jobs (IAM), and Level I and II IA System Architects and Engineers jobs (IASAE).
The CISSP covers eight domains, including Security and Risk Management and Software Development Security. You must pass the CISSP exam and have five years of full-time, paid employment in at least two of these domains to be certified as a CISSP. While there are other ways to count CISSP work experience, you must still have significant security work experience to qualify.
Exam Breakdown for CISSP
As we have already mentioned, the exam covers eight domains of security and has the following weightings.
Security and Risk Management: 15%
Asset Security: 10%
13% Security Architecture and Engineering
14% Communication and Network Security
Identity and Access Management (IAM), 13%
Security Assessment and Testing: 12%
Security Operations: 13%
Software Development Security: 10%
The CISSP exam can be taken anywhere in the world. The English language version of CISSP exam takes three hours and has between 100 and 150 multiple-choice and scenario-based questions. Passing grade is 700 points or more out of a possible 1000 points. You must also take the exam at an approved testing center.
Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) is a more precise technology used for the English language exam. The exam takes half as long to complete, so you don’t have the same amount of questions to answer. CISSP exams in languages other than English don’t use CAT. They last six hours and have 250 questions.
SPOTO to Get CISSP Certified
SPOTO offers a wide range of training to prepare you for CISSP certification. Keith Barker and Ben Finkel, two of our experts trainers, created a video-training playlist to help you prepare for CISSP certification. This playlist covers eight skills that correspond to the eight domains of the exam. It totals 95 SPOTO videos, nine hours of training.
Each skill comes with both in-video questions and post-video questions to reinforce and validate what you have learned. You can check out our blog post introducing Keith (ISC)2 CISSP 2018, and get a free Nugget about how to solve identity management (IdM).
Study Plan for CISSP
You’ve made the decision to study for your CISSP certification. There are nine options.
