In case you are currently working in the security field and want to propel your career to a completely new level, consider taking the (ISC)2 Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional exam. In short, this test is also known as the CSSLP, and if you pass it with flying colors, you’ll procure the related namesake certificate that will cultivate in you the skills to aptly integrate the required security features into each stage of the SDLC or the software development lifecycle.

Experience & Targeted Audience

In order to participate in the final CSSLP exam, you have to first meet the given experience requirements. So, the first prerequisite option claims that you should have at least four years of experience within the SDLC field relating to at least one domain that belongs to the CSSLP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). Instead, if you hold the four-year degree further leading to a baccalaureate in Computer Science or IT, then the amount of years of experience is reduced to 36 months only. Thus, if you meet the eligibility criteria and also work in the positions of a software architect, engineer, or developer, just to mention a few, you are good to go and attain the CSSLP certification.

What is CSSLP Designation?

In a nutshell, this certificate proves that the candidates are capable of incorporating the authorization, auditing, and authentication processes into SDLC, and those processes usually revolve around the design for software, execution, testing, and deployment. As said above, to earn this qualification, you need to thoroughly prepare the topics of the CSSLP CBK and pass one associated exam with a particular pattern.

Exam Structure

As to the structural facts for the CSSLP, be ready to spend 3 hours tackling the test with 125 MCQs. Apart from this, the main evaluation is carried out in English and requires a cut score of a minimum of 700 marks. To schedule your exam, visit the Pearson VUE website and pay the test fee of $599.

Overview of Measured Evaluation Topics

As you can deduce, nailing the (ISC)2 CSSLP exam from the first attempt must be problematic for some students. But anyway, this shouldn't sound discouraging insofar as you put sufficient effort into the learning process and study the exam domains in detail, the actual evaluation will be a cakewalk. Now, let’s delve into the knowledge areas of the CSSLP exam in full swing:

• Protective concepts for software

  Initially, under such a domain, the candidates will be captured on several core terms namely, confidentiality, integrity, availability, authorization, and so on. After that, they will need to educate themselves on peculiar principles for security design, among which there will be the separation of duties, least privilege, resiliency, and open design just to mention a few.

• Requirements for protective software

  In the second chapter, the applicants will showcase what they understand compliance requirements and their analysis, data classification stipulations as well as their identification, and the requirements for privacy. Rather than these, candidates will also tackle the issues touching on the development of cases for misuse and abuse including the Security Requirement Traceability Matrix (STRM). Finally, within the scope of a module like this, the exam-takers will enable the conditions for security access to both suppliers and providers.

• Architecture and design for secure software

  The third area extends up to ten objectives that scrutinize the process of accomplishing threat modeling, the definition of security architecture, creating a design for secure interfaces, and accomplishing risk assessment for architectures. Additionally, the same exam portion will underline the importance of properties alongside constraints for security models and will teach you to classify and model data chunks hands down. Then, while navigating the topic further, you will get enlightened on choosing the reusable design for security, handle design review, describe a secure architecture for operations, and utilize the reliable principles, tools, and patterns necessary for robust design.

• Sound software execution

  The fourth exam objective will equip candidates with the related knowledge to appropriately stick to the practices forming the security coding and make an analysis of code for risk security. After that, the examinees will put into practice the security controls, challenge security risks, use again third-party code also known as libraries, integrate the necessary elements, and apply security while doing the building operations.

• Testing for secure software

  Within this module, the applicants learn to develop test cases, plans, and testing strategies for security, validate the essential documentation, find out more about the undocumented functionality, monitor errors, and protect test data.

• Management of secure software lifecycle

  Here, the examinees can develop the skills in securing version control and defining a roadmap alongside strategy. Next, they have to discern how to control security processes within methodology for software development and how to prepare the security documentation hands down. Lastly, among other objectives highlighted there, you’ll encounter the way to comment on the security status, infuse the Integrated Risk Management (IRM), and perform continual improvement.

• Operations, maintenance, and secure software deployment

  In the seventh objective, applicants are taught to conduct the operational risk analysis, release software without glitches, monitor as well as store data for security, and enable the protective setup. In addition to all these, accomplishing post-deployment testing for security and establishing patch & vulnerability management are also elaborated within this domain.

• Supply chain for securing software

  All in all, the final chapter teaches you to put into operation Software Supply Chain Risk Management and make a security analysis of third-party software. Besides, when handling such a part, the knowledge of verifying pedigree & provenance and backing up contractual requirements will be imparted in the curious candidates.

Your Career with (ISC)2 CSSLP

Having become a Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional, you can opt for several new jobs in software development. These, in particular, are a Senior Software Engineer, Software Developer, Chief Information Security Officer, and Senior Systems Analyst. And when it comes to yearly compensation for the certificate you've earned, it equals $108k on average according to the information revealed by Payscale.

Next Designation

Apart from the CSSLP, the certification vendor has a lot more to offer you. For example, you can opt for the HCISPP, CISSP, and CCSP validations and further polish up your skills.