CISM vs CCSP - Which One Is the Best?

Among the most popular IT security certifications in the world are the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and the Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP). These provide information security professionals and managers around the globe with a shared pool of knowledge they can draw from. However, both designations are manufacturer-neutral, requiring five years of experience in information security management and completing education courses to maintain their credibility.

What is the difference between the two? First, let us discuss what CCSP vs CISM is. CCSP and CISM certification is complementary rather than directly competing with one another based on a competitive perspective. In contrast to the CISM training certification, which is strictly management-oriented, the CCSP certification is both technical and managerial. It is designed specifically for security leaders responsible for establishing, coordinating, implementing, testing, monitoring, and ensuring an organization's overall security posture. CCSPs account for 1.3 lakhs, compared to 27,200 CISM, with 1.3 lakhs CCSPs worldwide. The certified information security manager course is necessary to help you perform better in the CISM exam. 

What Is CISM?  

This article is focused on CISM vs CCSP, we'll first discuss what CISM is. This certification is offered by the Nonprofit Independent Association for Information Security (ISACA), a nonprofit, independent association. The CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) indicates that an individual has the knowledge and experience to develop and manage an enterprise's information security program. ANSI has accredited it under the ISO/IEC 17024:2003 standard. 

An information security management professional with experience in implementing and managing information security programs may apply for the CISM certification, accredited by ISACA for professionals with information security management experience. As part of the CISM course, you will be taught the four domains covered in the CISM certification exam. As such, this is an excellent course for both students who wish to gain CISM certifications and for professionals seeking to expand their practical experience in information and IT security. 

The CISM certification exam, and the CISM certificate, require the candidates to have a minimum of five years' experience in information security management. It would also be advantageous to have experience in information security governance, risk management, compliance, and incident management. CISM price of the exam is $575 for members and $760 for non-members.

It is important to note that not every IT professional can take the exam. An individual seeking CISM certification must have a minimum of five years of experience in information security with at least three years of experience in information security management in three or more CISM domains listed above. In addition, the experience must be acquired within 10 years before the application date or within 5 years following the exam. 

Candidates who pass the CISM exam can then apply to become certified within five years of passing the exam. 

Benefits of CISM  

1. Higher Salary  

With CISM certification, you have the possibility of boosting your salary and gaining a competitive edge in the information security industry. A survey by Certification Magazine found that 48% of information security professionals who have obtained the CISM certification were able to boost their salary within a year of getting the certification. According to the survey, 68% of the respondents said they got an increase of less than 5%, while roughly 25% got a rise of 20-25%. The rest said they earned a boost of greater than 5%. 

2. More Knowledge and Credibility  

It has become increasingly difficult for employers to find qualified individuals. CISM certification is one-way employers determine if the candidate has the right expertise and experience. 

It proves you have the skills to develop an information security program that aligns with the business objectives. Being CISM-certified shows that you have the skills and background to do so. CISM's skill set is highly sought after, making it an excellent choice for a career progression. To conclude, deciding whether to pursue CISM certification should be based on a person's long-term career goals. Cyber security is a growing field, and more people are applying to get qualified in the field. It is necessary to take the cyber security certificate programs online to excel in the field and become better today. 

What Is CCSP?  

There is a Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certification designed for those with some knowledge of computing and security who are interested in advancing their careers in cloud-based cybersecurity. If you become a CCSP, you demonstrate to potential employers that you have the technical skills necessary to safeguard valuable assets in the cloud. 

As many organizations move their operations into cloud environments, security professionals with specialized knowledge about cloud computing will be in high demand. Burning Glass Technologies even rated cloud security as one of the fastest-growing technical skills in cybersecurity. 

To become a CCSP, you must meet specific requirements and pass a certification exam that tests your understanding of cloud security topics. 

CCSP price of the exam is around $599 and requires (ISC)2 CCSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) domains and five years of paid work experience in IT (3 years must be in information security and one year must be in one of the six domains of the CBK). 

Benefits of CCSP  

CCSPs are highly sought-after professionals who can help you advance into a better, higher-paying career. They can also provide several other benefits. 

1. Acquire New Skills  

It is a great way to develop more structured vendor-neutral cybersecurity skills that could be leveraged in a more structured way when preparing for the CCSP certification exam. 

2. Confidence in on-the-job Situations  

The knowledge and skills you gain by achieving the CCSP certification could improve your chances of being well-prepared to handle cloud security challenges. 

3. Networking  

CCSP holders are also automatically members of (ISC)2, which offers networks and resources for professional development and networking opportunities.

Differences Between CISM and CCSP  

CISM	CCSP
CISM is certified by ISACA.	CCSP is approved by (ISC)2
CISM examination price is $575 for members and $760 for non-members.	CCSP examination price is $599.
The exam difficulty of CISM is intermediate.	The exam difficulty of CCSP is advanced.
CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) certification indicates that an individual knows information security governance, program development and management, incident management, and risk management.	CCSP is a cloud-based cybersecurity certification designed for professionals with experience in information technology (IT) and security. It identifies a person interested in advancing their career in cloud-based cybersecurity.
CISM exam has 150 multiple-choice questions.	CCSP exam has 125 multiple-choice questions.
The passing score required for the CISM examination is 450/800.	The passing score required for the CCSP examination is 700/1000.
CISM was designed for information security management professionals experienced in developing and managing information security programs and capable of understanding the program's relationship to the overall business goals.	The CCSP is designed for IT professionals with a few years of experience in both IT and security.
CISM requires the candidates to have five years of experience in information security management.	Candidates for the CCSP program must have five years of paid work experience in the IT sector. Out of which, 3 of those years must pertain to information security, and one year must be related to one of the six domains covered by the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) of the (ISC)2 CCSP program.
A person having a CISM certification can earn up to $174,000 annually.	A person having a CCSP certification can earn up to $80,000 annually.
Skills required for the CISM examination are Information security governance, Information risk management and Information security program development and management.	Skills required for CCSP examination are Cloud data security, Cloud platform and infrastructure security and Cloud security operations.
CISM focuses on information security.	CCSP focuses on cloud security.
Certifications test your skill in how you can create a secure information security ecosystem.	It tests your skills related to the security of virtual machines, infrastructure, data, and applications hosted in the cloud.

CISM vs CCSP: Choose the Best  

There are two different fields of study; the cloud and information security. A CCSP or CISM can be obtained in either field. It all depends on whether you are more interested in the information side or the cloud side of things, and this will be purely a matter of personal choice. In choosing the cloud, you'll use many tools and software, and you'll learn new concepts while having fun. When it comes to information, you will have to go through a lot of research-oriented theses etc., keeping up to date on issues like instance, forensics, cryptography. Ultimately, it's up to you to determine the best career choice because a few years down the road, another field may top the market and industry, or these two certifications may even retire. So don't have an eye on either one of those things because they are both working towards the same goal. Instead, choose what you like based on the standards and the situation. 

Conclusion  

We won't draw any conclusions about which is the best. Cyber security is a vast field in itself, and many specialists specialize in specific areas within cyber security, i.e. cyber security incident response teams, pen testers, ethical hackers, etc. Find something that sparks your interest in cyber security, and see which certifications above cover that topic. You will find out what you are passionate about. You should be able to crack the exam easily with the knowledgeHut’s certified information security manager course and become an accredited manager with upgraded skills. The industry experts teach you the ins and outs combined with project-based learning that helps you gather practical skills.