The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is an information security certification for security analysts. It was offered by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC2). The certification was designed to assure professionals in computer security have unified knowledge of the field. Achieving a Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification can help you have a successful career as a computer security professional.
What Is CISSP?
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) exam is a six-hour exam comprising of 250 questions that certify security professionals in eight different domains, of access control systems and methodology, physical security, business continuity planning, and disaster recovery planning, management practices, operations, security, telecommunications, and networking security. Other areas relevant to the CISSP certification are security architecture application and systems development, cryptography, law, investigation, and ethics.
How to Become Certified
To be eligible for the CISSP certification exam, the first you need to have at least five years of full-time, paid work as a security analyst in two or more of the eight domains included in the CISSP exam, such as cryptography and software development security. There are experience oscillates available for those with college degrees and additional certifications if these are approved by the (ISC2). You also can become an Associate of the (ISC2) and earn the CISSP when you satisfy your experience requirement. The further step is to prepare for and pass the exam. You will need to have a score of 700 out of 1000 points to pass the exam.
After passing the exam, you will need to have an affirmation in subscribing to the (ISC2) Code of Ethics, and you will have to have approval from another (ISC2) professional who can confirm your professional experience requirements like time period employment, professional status, and continuing education as a security analyst. Obtaining a professional affirmation from a prevailing member is the reason it essential to be a part of professional organizations and to take part in professional seminars and events. These are helpful career moves that are beneficial for networking with prospective endorsers of your CISSP application.
A CISSP certification demands an annual maintenance fee of $85 at the end of each certification year, and you must take the exam every three years to continue membership in good standing with the certification. You must acquire at least a minimum of 20 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits each year through the three-year certification cycle. You can re-certify by completing 40 annual CPEs and paying the yearly maintenance fee.
How to Prepare For the CISSP Exam?
Although the ISC CISSP certification exam is challenging and tiresome, with the right preparation and materials, you can ace the exam with a good score. To help you in your journey to achieving success in your exam, we have listed out some tips that will make your preparation journey easy.
Tips to Prepare for the Exam
Know What the Exam Entails
This is the primary step towards your success in any Information security certification examination. It is necessary that you know the challenging task that is coming up. Visit the ISC2 official website to understand the basic information about the certification exam. While you are on the site, you will come across some links to various useful information that will help you in preparing for the exam. Some of the links you require to look out which comprise exam topics, study materials, official training providers, and practice tests.
You will also obtain the official exam guide, which comprises vital information like an overview of the CISSP exam, the prerequisite to be eligible for this exam, and numbers of questions, the passing score, and the time duration of the exam. The website also provides detailed information on the various topics included in the exam and the percentage of questions devoted to each syllabus topic. This will eventually help you in gathering your study plan.
Create a Practical Study Plan
There are eight domains in the CISSP common body of knowledge, and they include a broad spectrum of subject areas. It is essential that you allow sufficient time to read through the complete CBK. While going through the CBK, you should study, perform the practice tests, review areas that require improvement and visit forums online to acquire more perception. This is certainly a comprehensive task to complete, and without thorough planning, the potential of doing everything dramatically decreases your possibility of passing the exam declines. You, therefore, need to create a study plan that fits your schedule.
When you want to put your syllabus together, it is important that you consider the following factors:
- When you want to take the exam
- Duration of time you can allot to your study every day
- The amount you are going to invest in study material and practice tests
- How well-versed you are with the CISSP syllabus topics
- Your preferred learning method
Participate in the Online Community
The CISSP has a robust online community where aspirants come together to share ideas and experiences. Even if you are not aware of any, go through Google, and you will be surprised at the large number of online communities and forums that will come up.
When it comes to gaining information from an online community, it is very crucial to verify the reliability of the platform. Whatever information you found online, it is essential that you cross-check it in any study material, such as official publications, books, and other guidelines. Many applicants share their experiences and ideas online. Go through these posts, read blogs, ask questions, and share your opinions to have an excellent idea about the examination.
Take the CISSP Practice Tests
It would help if you never sat for the CISSP exam without taking the practice questions. The certification exam comprises 250 questions, and you need to answer all within 6 hours. This implies you need to manage your time in the best possible way, as well as control stress. Answering 250 questions in 6 hours is a challenging task as what it means is that you have approximately 1.44 minutes to answer each question.
You, therefore, need to become familiar with the question type and have a sufficient understanding of each of the CISSP domains. The ideal way to do this is to take a practice exam. Practice tests help you to have a general idea of what to expect during the test. It is essential to use trusted platforms for your practice exam.
Why Achieve CISSP Certification?
A Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is crucial for security professionals to be successful in their careers. Many employers worth the CISSP as a standard for security professionals. While the investments in money and time are substantial, the career opportunities can be valuable as professionals with the CISSP are in demand.
