The (ISC)2 CISSP or Certified Information Systems Security Professional exam proves your expertise in managing, executing, and designing various cybersecurity programs. This particular evaluation is ideal for security practitioners, executives, and managers, and if you manage to pass it from the first attempt, you’ll be awarded the namesake CISSP certification.

Related Certification Details

In brief, the tech, as well as managerial knowledge that is vital to design, manage, and engineer the overall security posture that belongs to an organization, underlies the creation of such a designation from the house of (ISC)2. To obtain the qualification in question, you have to thoroughly study the domains of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) and later apply this knowledge in the official CISSP exam. Unfortunately, not every candidate is allowed to undertake the certification journey as the vendor requires that you have a minimum of 5 years of work experience in at best two domains of the said CBK.

CISSP Test: What It Represents?

The first thing to bear in mind when it comes to the CISSP exam is that it’s delivered as two separate variations depending on the chosen language option. In particular, these are the CISSP CAT or Computerized Adaptive Testing evaluation and the CISSP Linear. Speaking of the former, it holds 100-150 advanced innovative as well as multiple-choice items to be tackled in 3 hours. This test is conducted in the English language alone and doesn’t accept a score that is less than 700 points out of 1000. On the other hand, the latter test, the CISSP Linear, features 250 questions of the same types as the CISSP CAT exam and also needs a passing mark of 700. However, such an evaluation has a distinctive peculiarity, and that is the fact that the CISSP Linear is carried out in languages other than English, and these are German, French, Chinese, Korean, Spanish Modern, etc. To finalize, generally, you’re given the time limit of 6 hours to show your excellence in this specific exam.

Domains That CISSP Assesses

Even though there are language and structural differences in the two variations of the CISSP exam, there is no any discrepancy between their tested topics. Thus, the actual test will evaluate your command of:

• Risk management and security;
• The security of assets;
• Engineering alongside security architecture;
• Network security & communication;
• IAM (identity and access management);
• Testing and the assessment of security;
• Operations necessary for security;
• The security of software development.

Now, let us dive into the measured objectives so that you could grasp what such an exam expects from you. So, the initial module checks whether you get the gist of professional ethics and can stick to it and promote it. Once you’re apt with this, you need to develop the skills of appropriately applying security notions and evaluating the governance principles of security. Next, you’re to demonstrate prowess in compliance, legal & regulatory issues, types of investigation, security standards, policies, and guidelines. Finally, when you prove your acumen in the requirements for business continuity, handle the terms for risk management, and utilize the Supply Chain Risk Management or SCRM concepts, this means you’re a full-fledged candidate for the final CISSP test. The succeeding topic teaches you to classify & identify the given assets and information, plus, you have to create the requirements for the handling of assets and know how to securely provision varied resources. Last of all, here, you will also be in charge of the data lifecycle, enable the retention of assets, and decide on which security controls for data and compliance to make use of. When it comes to the third tested area, it starts with highlighting engineering processes, security models, and capabilities for the security of Information Systems. Next on the agenda is the mitigation of vulnerabilities, selecting the proper cryptographic solutions alongside cryptanalytic attacks, and the design of site & facility controls for security. After this, the fourth chapter steps in and puts into the spotlight the assessment as well as execution of protective principles for the design that are used in the architectures for networking. Apart from that, you must demonstrate your ability in securing the elements for networking and putting into operation protective design communication channels. Moving forward, the fifth domain scrutinizes physical as well as logical access to diversified assets, deals with the authentication of people, gadgets, and products, and explicates the way to manipulate the mechanisms for authorization. The sixth module measured in the CISSP exam looks at the process of validation and designing audit strategies, teaches to carry out the testing for security control, collect the data for the security process, analyze the output of the test, and finally, facilitate audits for security. As the syllabus goes, the seventh area details how to meet the investigations, carry out logging, monitor various activities, accomplish configuration management, and conduct the management of incidents. In addition to these, you need to apply suitable protection for resources via the management media including the corresponding techniques for protection, and maintain both detective & preventative measures. Other than these, you also have to back up patches, perform the management of vulnerabilities, test the processes of disaster recovery, and take part in devising for business continuity. Finally, the eighth domain talks about how to integrate the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) with security and how to make use of security monitors in the ecosystems of software development.

What Career is Ahead of You?

With the CISSP designation on hand, you’re eligible for the posts of security analyst, auditor, manager, consultant, and architect. Luckily, all of these specialists will be generously compensated for the harsh process of getting certified. Thus, according to Payscale, the CISSP certificate alone can bring its holders a minimum of $117k per annum, which is indeed an impressive salary package.

Next Certification

Once you’re holding the CISSP designation issued by (ISC)2 you need to further polish your skills with the CISSP extensions. These, in particular, are the CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, and CISSP-ISSMP that look into the security architecture, security engineering, and security management, respectively.