(ISC)² Blog

CCSP vs. Professional Cloud Security Manager: How Do They Compare?

Cybersecurity isn’t only a national security issue making headlines almost daily — it’s at the top of the list of imperatives for organizations, public and private. In fact, a majority (73%) rate their security readiness only average or below average, according to the 2021 Cloud Security Report by Cybersecurity Insiders. And that unease extends to the cloud. Though cloud-based security solutions offer significant advantages, resistance to migrating to the cloud continues to exist. Those surveyed say staff expertise and training continues to rank as the highest barrier (53%) to cloud adoption. That realization is leading more enterprises and individuals to... Read more →

CISSP - Tales of the Unexpected

We have all heard the old adage how big surprises can come in small packages. If you are a candidate who is studying for the CISSP exam, or if you are in the early stages of considering studying for the exam, you may be surprised that at all the opportunities that are available from a single certification. However, when taken in context with the benefits of the CISSP credential, very few other certifications carry the same respect and career-boosting potential as the CISSP. It is understandable why one might hesitate at reaching for what is often referred to as the... Read more →

Mastering Identity and Access Management in the Cloud

The migration of business services, apps and data in the cloud has blurred traditional corporate perimeter. Legacy security solutions, based on securing the perimeter, are no longer adequate to address cloud security challenges and risks. Businesses need to evolve their traditional identity and access management (IAM) program to safeguard the access to their cloud-based assets and data. Digital identities are the foundation of modern IAM and organizations need to establish strong authentication methods to protect these identities. Weak IAM policies result in identities and credentials being vulnerable and compromised. Attackers are leveraging these stolen and compromised credentials to infiltrate corporate... Read more →

CISSPs from Around the Globe: An Interview with James Wright

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification is considered to be the gold standard in information security. This is so because of all the doors that certification opens to a CISSP professional. Those doors lead to many different types of positions and opportunities, thus making the information security community dynamic and multifaceted. In support of this, (ISC)² has launched a series of interviews to explore where CISSP certification has led security professionals. In our last interview, we met Jason Lau. In this installment, we meet James Wright. He is a cybersecurity technologist with The Walt Disney Company. He is... Read more →

READY for (ISC)² Events of the Future

(ISC)² CEO Clar Rosso recently joined Megan Gavin, director of global events, for a webinar as part of the series Inside (ISC)². The two executives candidly discussed the 2021 (ISC)² Security Congress, taking place October 18-20, as well as the future of all (ISC)² global events. Megan shared that while Security Congress is changing from hybrid to virtual, the agenda, content, number of sessions and speakers will not be impacted, and the shift provides an opportunity for us to provide another world-class virtual conference. “As much as we’re disappointed that we will not see you in person, we are dedicated... Read more →

Is the CISSP Right for Me?

No matter where you are in your cybersecurity career journey – a college graduate looking for your first professional role, an experienced staff member aiming to step into leadership, or a veteran manager wanting to expand your expertise – (ISC)² cybersecurity certifications can help you achieve your goals. With nine certifications to choose from (including our three CISSP concentrations), it may be difficult to know which qualification is right for you. The CISSP is the most well-known (ISC)² certification, with roughly 150,000 card-carrying members around the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s best for everyone. How to Know if CISSP... Read more →

CCSP Certification vs. CCAK Certificate: What Are the Distinctions?

Cloud security tops the list of technical concepts and systems those seeking a career in cybersecurity should pursue, according to the 2021 Cybersecurity Career Pursuers Study. The research also points to the benefits of upskilling current IT teams to become cybersecurity experts in the face of the worldwide skills shortage. Clearly, cloud security certification is a smart move for enterprises and individuals. But with so many credentials out there, how can you determine which one is right for you? Let’s look at two options: Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) vs. Certificate of Cloud Auditing Knowledge (CCAK). Certification vs. Certificate: What... Read more →

Code Red: Hospitals Are Facing a Major Ransomware Threat

As the U.S. healthcare system struggles to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been fighting another major battle – ransomware. Nearly half (48%) of hospitals, according to a new study, have had to disconnect their networks in the past six months because of ransomware. Midsize hospitals are especially at risk, according to the study, Perspectives in Healthcare Security, conducted by Ipsos for CyberMDX and Philips. It found that while large hospitals reported an average shutdown of 6.2 hours at a cost of $21,500 per hour, midsize hospitals averaged nearly 10 hours at a cost of $45,700 per hour. The... Read more →

CCSP vs. Cloud+: How Do They Stack Up?

As more organizations move their operations to the cloud for the benefits of improved efficiency, better scalability and faster deployment, a majority (96%) of cybersecurity professionals say they are concerned about public cloud security, according to the 2021 Cloud Security Report by Cybersecurity Insiders. It comes as no surprise, then, that spikes in demand for cybersecurity professionals specializing in cloud security span the globe. For cybersecurity professionals, the incentives to pursue cloud certification are many — but so are the number of cloud cert options out there. To help narrow the pool, let’s look closely at two globally recognized, vendor-neutral... Read more →

Thinking about CAP or CISSP? Here’s How They Compare.

The Certified Authorization Professional (CAP) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) credentials. Both globally renowned certifications are held by experts deeply skilled and experienced in cybersecurity. What are the key distinctions you should consider if you’re weighing which one to pursue? CAP-certified security professionals have proven their skills in effectively advocating for risk management solutions to authorize systems that will support an organization’s mission within regulatory-mandated requirements. CISSP-certified professionals have been evaluated on their knowledge, skills, and ability to design, engineer, and manage an organization’s security posture. While a CISSP-credentialed professional has strong general knowledge of one regulatory requirement... Read more →

Asset Visibility – Breaking the Fourth Wall in Cybersecurity

As a cybersecurity professional, you probably spend most of your day honing your craft, refining your technical skills. While this is important, there are other focal points that should not be neglected. One of these is your responsibility to know all of the assets that are present in your organization. Achieving full asset visibility is a difficult endeavor. The inventory and classification process alone requires not only technical knowledge, but also the ability to discover those entities that are invisible to you. This is a deeper subject than the specious tool-based promises of cataloging “Shadow IT”. Asset visibility can be... Read more →

Containers in the Cloud: Key Benefits and Challenges

Container deployments are on the rise and expected to increase over the next 12 months. At the same time, container security incidents are rising exponentially. What types of security challenges are causing these events and, in turn, forcing organizations to delay application deployment? Before answering, we need to understand why security challenges are currently emerging. Containers have been around since the early 2000s, yet developers didn’t begin using them until recently. Subsequently, organizations are only now beginning to realize their potential – and four areas that make container security uniquely tricky. Read the full article. Read more →

Navigating the Troubled Waters of Risk Management

The nature of organizations is to evolve and adapt to changes and the risks associated with these changes. Businesses migrate to the cloud deploying a multitude of platforms, move their data in the cloud, and employ containerized services not only to survive change but to thrive in this challenging environment. Even though all these technological advancements benefit businesses in many ways, they equally create new risks. The cybersecurity landscape is evolving together with the technological one. Cybersecurity risks have “escaped” from the siloed environment of IT departments and have become business risks. This is where the role of a Certified... Read more →

CEO Clar Rosso: Championing (ISC)² Members and the Cybersecurity Profession

The duties of the CEO of a member association like (ISC)² are many, and part of the job is to be a strong voice for the membership in advocating for the cybersecurity profession. Clar Rosso took on that responsibility when she was appointed in October 2020. Ever since, she’s been representing the more than 160,000 current cybersecurity practitioners who have earned (ISC)² membership. In addition to meeting with members and presenting to global (ISC)² Chapters, speaking on panels and attending online conferences, Clar has also conducted dozens of press interviews to bring more visibility to the profession and has hosted... Read more →

How a CISO Values CCSP Training and Certification

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Luis Gonsalves, Head of Security for Portugal’s central bank, and founder of the Cloud Security Alliance’s Portugal Chapter, says Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) stands out from other technical certifications. With CCSP, cybersecurity experts gain a strategic understanding of cloud governance, risk and data privacy. In turn, they’re able to clearly communicate the advantages and risks of the cloud model to the C-suite. “That’s the real differentiator,” he says. Read the Full Article. Read more →

CISSPs From Around the Globe: An Interview with Adesoji Ogunjobi

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification is considered to be the gold standard in information security. This is so because of all the doors that certification opens to a CISSP professional. Those doors lead to many different types of positions and opportunities, thus making the information security community dynamic and multifaceted. In this installment, we talk to Adesoji Ogunjobi, who is passionate about cybersecurity in Africa. He is Chief Information Technology (security) Architect and Trainer with Kavod Doyen Consulting in Lagos and talks about how this industry has changed over his 14-year professional background and his ambitions for... Read more →

The Pitfalls of Poor Software Implementation

The importance of apps to businesses Software applications (apps) are at the heart of modern business success and have transformed the way companies handle their operations. A well designed and developed app with user-friendly methodologies and a security and privacy mindset can be very beneficial to a company’s operating, marketing, and sales strategies. Apps benefit businesses in numerous ways, providing credibility, higher productivity, and building trusted relationships with their customers. However, developing an app does not always go as planned. Failures do happen. And when they happen, they create major disruptions and financial losses. Have we learned from past failures?... Read more →

Relevance Requires More than Just Paying Attention

Accelerating Your Security Career Requires More Than Just Paying Attention Many InfoSec professionals have seen so many breaches, whether through personal experience, or in the news, that it becomes apparent that a new approach is needed to combat the existing and emerging threats. Since the cloud is embraced by most organizations, the ability to protect the organization is also changing and becoming an increasingly important capability for the security professional. One way that companies are achieving better security is by creating a resilient security approach. This resilience, especially in the cloud, requires an upgrade to the skills of many security... Read more →

The Role of Culture in Compliance

When it comes to compliance in cybersecurity there are many regulations in play, GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, to name but a few. Whilst you may have to take a key role in these regulations, you need the support and engagement of your organization. One nominated person is not enough. In the case of an InfoSec professional, culture is frequently the difference between a successful, and a failed endeavor. This is especially true when attempting to navigate the many regulations that impact an entity. Trying to find unity in the directives, and often disparate suggestions in many regulations can be a maddening... Read more →

Cybersecurity Professionals to Newcomers: Focus on Vendor-Neutral Certifications

Cybersecurity professionals are far more likely to hold vendor-specific certificates than certifications from a vendor-neutral association or standards-based organization, according to the (ISC)² Cybersecurity Career Pursuers Study. But when asked which qualifications they would recommend to cybersecurity newcomers, professionals tend to prioritize vendor-neutral credentials. This preference suggests that even though current professionals followed a more traditional, vendor-specific path when gaining experience in the field (55% of current professionals entered cybersecurity from IT backgrounds), they see greater value in pursuing broader professional qualifications for people starting their careers now. This is a perspective that may be informed by their own lessons... Read more →