What is CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional

CISSP stands for Certified Information Systems Security Professional, and it is a certification in cyber security. This professional certification is developed and offered by (ISC)2, also known as International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium. It is a globally recognized certification that is extremely useful for IT, security analysis, and cyber security professionals.

To understand what CISSP is, it is essential to know the basics. By getting this certification, professionals can ensure that they are well-versed in cyber security. This certification will open up career opportunities only available to certified professionals. This will help you get better jobs and increase your salary prospects.

Once you get the CISSP certification, you will also have the option to get further certified in related fields such as Information Systems Security Architecture Professional (CISSP ISSAP), Information Systems Security Engineering Professional (CISSP ISSEP), or Information Systems Security Management Professional (CISSP ISSMP) depending upon your area of interest and career prospects. CISSP ISSAP focuses on information and cyber security's building or architectural aspects. CISSP ISSEP is the vertical focused on technical aspects, including development and engineering. In contrast, CISSP ISSMP is for professionals who wish to venture into the management aspect of IT and cyber security.

With the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification, you will get relevant credentials for a successful career. You can enroll in CISSP classes to help you understand the requirements and train you to clear the certification exam. This blog will help you understand the question “what is CISSP?” and decide whether it is the proper certification for you.

What is CISSP Certification?

CISSP Certification is a professional certification offered independently by (ISC)2 and is helpful for professionals working in information security. Along with this, it is also one of the highest-paying information security certifications in the IT world. Certified professionals with relevant work experience have the potential to earn a starting annual salary of $140,000. This makes CISSP certifications one of the most coveted certifications.

Professionals who are interested in advancing in the field of cyber security should consider getting CISSP certified. Further certifications can also be acquired after finishing CISSP to attain more knowledge and get upper management level training. With the CISSP certification course, you get the training for middle-level management. This guide will also help you understand what CISSP does and what it is.

Requirements for CISSP Certification

Some prerequisites have to be completed before being CISSP certified. One of them is an examination that has to be cleared. A candidate applying for the certification must have at least five years of relevant work experience in one of the sections covered under CISSP, such as cyber security, information security, etc.

Moreover, on clearing the examination, candidates are also required to -

1. Subscribe to the Code of Ethics released by (ISC)2.
2. Consent to thorough background qualification questions, and
3. Find an active (ISC)2 professional to endorse them for the certification.

On completing all the criteria and requirements, eligible candidates must continue earning Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits. The condition is to have 40 credits each year. Along with this, an annual maintenance fee of $85 should be paid. These are the requirements for CISSP certification that aspirants must follow.

Job Description of CISSP Certification, Roles, and Responsibilities

The CISSP certification course is best suited for cyber security consultants, security managers, IT heads, directors, informational security consultants, auditors, IT professionals, enterprise architects, etc. Moreover, CISSP is considered one of the best certifications for cyber security due to its worldwide recognition within the cybersecurity field.

As a part of the CISSP certification, you will be expected to learn about -

1. Security Standards – In this section of the certification training, you will learn to understand various aspects of secure systems, principles of networks, equipment principles, and applications.
2. Network Security – As a primary element of CISSP, you will learn how to identify and fix issues in network communication.
3. Asset Management – Understanding the different assets of the organization and finding ways to secure them.

After getting your certification, you will be required to utilize some of these common skills in the workplace -

• Risk Management
• Security Operating Models
• Asset Security
• Enable Security Controls
• Security Testing
• Network Security
• Security Architecture

As a certified professional, your roles and responsibilities would include performing tasks that protect the private and confidential information of the business or organization you are working with. This can be done by

• Identifying the needs of the organizations in terms of security.
• Plans methods in which various security measures can be implemented.
• Explain the issues to the stakeholders.
• Propose and recommend the best possible solutions available.

As a professional working in cyber security and information security, your primary responsibility will be to create and implement policies and procedures that will generate top-notch security measures for the company you are working with. Various other fields, such as network architecture, cyber security management, recovery policies management, etc., are interconnected and can be a part of your job description.

How to Get CISSP Certification? 

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Certification is achieved by clearing an exam that tests professionals on various aspects of cyber security, operations, recovery, planning, and methodology. You also need a minimum of five years of experience working full time. The background should be relevant to the field, as in, your work should be related to one of the eight different domains that are tested in the exam.

In English, the exam will be 3-hours long, and the number of questions will range from 100 to 150. There is a 6-hour exam that consists of 250 questions, if given in languages other than English, such as Korean, French, Simplified Chinese, German, Japanese, Modern Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese. The exam has multiple-choice questions.

The CISSP Certification exams test candidates on eight different domains -  

1. Software Development Security
2. Security and Risk Management
3. Identity and Access Management
4. Communication and Network Security
5. Security Operations
6. Asset Security
7. Security Assessment and Testing
8. Security Architecture and Engineering

According to the conducting body of the certification exam, International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, there is a Common Book of Knowledge (CBK) that covers all the topics relevant to information and cyber security worldwide. Accordingly, the CISSP CBK is the manual that is the most commonly used reference by IT security professionals all across the globe. It is a common framework that lists the field's terms, definitions, and principles and helps learn and understand the standard curriculum.

The CISSP certification exam is considered moderate - challenging in terms of difficulty levels. This explains the selected number of CISSP certification holders all over the world. Even though no data is released regarding the number of exam candidates, it is estimated that the pass percentage is somewhere between 40-50%. A candidate will have to score at least 700 out of 1000 points to pass the exam.

The CISSP certification exam is not the only thing to clear to get professionally certified. After qualifying in the written exam, you also need an endorsement for subscribing to the Code of Ethics. It would help if you also had an endorsement from another professional who can verify that you have the required professional work experience. They will be checking your

• Employment records
• Employment duration
• Professional reputation in previous workplaces

Therefore, being involved in professional organizations, networking, attending professional events, and participating in other events such as webinars, sessions, etc., is essential. You can build contacts and get an endorser for your certification. KnowledgeHut CISSP classes can help you build a network of like-minded people working in the same professional space.  

A Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification also requires yearly renewal and continuation of education via 40 hours of CPE credits.

CISSP Certification Cost and Ongoing Certification

To get the CISSP certification, candidates need to sit for a 3-hour or 6-hour exam, depending upon the language they choose to give the exam in. The fee for the same is $699 plus taxes depending on your location for the exam. You will have the flexibility to choose the date you would like to give the exam. In case you are unable to attend the exam on a particular date, you can reschedule it by providing a fee of $50. The exam can also be canceled by paying $100.

Once you clear the exam, your CISSP credentials and certification will be valid for three years. After the first three years, you will have to renew the certificate by paying the annual membership fee and continuing with CPE credits.

CISSP Certification Salary 

According to a 2020 Cyber Security Workforce Study conducted by ISC2, there are 3 million open job roles in cyber security and information security. The average annual salary for CISSP professionals is $123,490 [Ref.]. With more experience and certifications, you can expect to earn even more.

Conclusion 

Certified Information Systems Security Professional is a great way to gain knowledge and boost your career in cyber security and systems security. A survey conducted by cybersecuritydegrees.com in 2017 revealed that most of the job openings in this field required candidates to have the CISSP certification. To successfully clear the exam in the first go, you must understand the course curriculum and get good practice which can be done through a proper course.