(ISC)² Blog

Fast Facts about the CISSP

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Cert Magazine Salary Survey Says: CCSP is the Next Big Thing

For the fourth year in a row, Certification Magazine named the Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP®) as the “Next Big Thing.” The magazine conducted their annual salary survey and found that the CCSP was the top choice for professionals to pursue in 2019. Ranking #2 in the list – for the third year in the row – is the CISSP certification. You can read the full article, “Certification leads to improved performance, increased earning power” here or in the January issue of Certification Magazine. This issue focuses on detailed results and findings from the annual salary survey. Read more →

Cybersecurity Workforce Study: What Cybersecurity Certifications Are You Pursuing This Year?

(ISC)²'s recent Cybersecurity Workforce Study asked what certifications professionals had plans to pursue in the coming year. Download the infographic: What Cybersecurity Certifications Are You Pursuing This Year? Read more →

Cybersecurity Engineer Is the Top Tech Job for 2019

In 2019, cybersecurity engineers will be the best-paid, most recruited tech professionals as organizations struggle to fill vacant cybersecurity positions. The average salary for the position is now $140,000, according to job-finding website Scout Exchange. While this is good news for cybersecurity professionals, it shows how much of a challenge organizations are facing to fill the position. The intensity and damage caused by cyber attacks continues to increase, and as cybercriminals continuously refine their methods, it gets harder and harder to find skilled candidates to build cybersecurity teams to fend off the threat. (ISC)2 estimates there is currently a cybersecurity... Read more →

CISSP-ISSAP Members: Your Feedback is Requested

(ISC)² regularly conducts Job Task Analysis (JTA) studies to review and update the content outline of its credentialing examinations. A JTA is the methodical process used to determine tasks that are performed by credential holders and knowledge and skills required to perform those tasks successfully. Results of the JTA study link a candidate’s examination score directly to the domain knowledge being tested. A JTA Study Workshop for CISSP-ISSAP has tentatively been scheduled toward the end of March 2019. In preparation for the upcoming study, we would like to hear from our CISSP-ISSAP members. Please comment on any new content and... Read more →

CISSP and (ISC)² Membership Recognized by the NCSC

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has outlined new rules of the road for earning its Certified Cyber Professional (CCP) specialist certification. The new pilot program for the certification commences in 2019 and focuses on assessing two main areas of specialism: risk management and security architecture. Why is this of interest to you? The NCSC has outlined three ways in which candidates can demonstrate foundational cybersecurity knowledge in order to qualify for the scheme. One of those ways is to hold a CISSP certification and a full (ISC)2 membership. This is yet another signpost that highlights the industry recognition of... Read more →

Deep Dive into CISSP Salary Data

(ISC)² is most widely known for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification. Holding your CISSP certification means something. It means you are experienced, well-trained, dedicated and constantly working to stay up to speed on the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity. There are more than 125,000 certified CISSPs around the world working at Fortune 100 companies, start-ups and as independent contractors. Certification Magazine surveyed a group of CISSPs and discovered they remain among the highest compensated security professionals, with an average U.S. salary of $131,030. To learn more about CISSP salary information, including job satisfaction and experience levels, read the... Read more →

So You Think You Can Cyber?

The 2018 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, recently released by (ISC)2, reveals that 63% of organizations currently don’t have enough cybersecurity staff. The number is hardly surprising considering the worldwide cybersecurity workforce shortage is nearly 3 million. Employers have an acute need to build their cyber teams with the requisite skills and experience. Their priorities in looking for candidates include: relevant work experience – 49% understanding of advanced cybersecurity concepts – 47% cybersecurity certifications – 43% extensive cybersecurity work experience – 40% strong non-technical/soft skills – 39% If you’re seeking employment in a cybersecurity role, keep these priorities in mind. They provide... Read more →

SSCP Creates Point of Entry to Cyber Career

If you’re looking to break into the field of cybersecurity – and workforce research shows, we need you to join us – (ISC)²’s SSCP certification may be the way to go. Certification Magazine recently wrote about the SSCP certification as a solid point of entry for aspiring security professionals. The certification is ideal for those in “boots on the ground” positions within security operations. The SSCP exam is highly technical and focused on hands-on knowledge skills. The certification is ideal for security analysts, systems engineers, database administrators and others responsible for the day-to-day operations of securing their organizations critical assets.... Read more →

HCISPP Spotlight: Ana Ferreira

Name: Ana Ferreira Title: Doctor Employer: Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto Location: Porto, Portugal Education: BSc in Computer Science, MSc in Information Security, PhD in Computer Science Years in IT: 20 Years in cybersecurity and/or privacy: 16 Cybersecurity certifications: CISSP, HCISPP How did you decide upon a career in healthcare security and/or privacy? After I graduated in 1998, I went to work for a healthcare education institution as a researcher and IT specialist. After a few years, I realized that security and privacy, especially in the domain of healthcare, were crucial... Read more →

Now Available: CISSP-ISSAP and CISSP-ISSEP Training

You asked – we listened! We are excited to announce new Online Self-Paced Training for the CISSP-ISSAP and CISSP-ISSEP concentrations. These courses are available in the recently updated (ISC)² Learning Management System. Both self-paced courses include online access for 134 days, as well as flash cards, a post-course assessment, case studies, quizzes, videos and other learning activities. The ISSAP concentration is ideal for a CISSP who specializes in designing security solutions and providing management with risk-based guidance to meet organizational goals. The Official (ISC)² ISSAP Self-Paced Training covers the six domains of the CISSP-ISSAP CBK®: Identity and Access Management Architecture... Read more →

HCISPP Spotlight: Rema Deo

Name: Rema Deo Title: Managing Director Employer: 24By7Security, Inc. Location: Coral Springs, Florida Education: MBA Years in IT: 25+ Years in Cybersecurity: 5+ Cybersecurity Certifications: HCISPP How did you decide upon a career in healthcare security and/or privacy? I have been in risk management technology and compliance technology career for banking for several years, so when it was time for a change, Cybersecurity and Compliance related work was a logical next choice. 24By7Security has a client portfolio consisting of healthcare organizations as well as several other industries. Healthcare security and privacy work is still more nascent compared to financial technology,... Read more →

A First-Hand Experience with CISSP CAT

Patrick Strijkers is a 43-year-old information risk security officer at a pension funds firm in the Netherlands. He works in the IT security department in security incident management. Patrick’s employer runs a job rotation program, allowing him to gain experience in a variety of roles, with his next position coming invulnerability management this September. He holds the following security certifications: CompTIA Security+ CompTIA Network+ EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker v8 EC-Council Certified Security Analyst v8 EC-Council Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator v8 Rapid7 Nexpose Rapid7 Metasploit Pro Patrick’s goal last year was to earn his CISSP certification. He attended a five-day boot... Read more →

Make a lasting impact while in New Orleans during (ISC)² Security Congress

Data breaches are happening far too often. Stories about personal information being compromised are part of the daily news cycle. But even after the fact, many people are still not taking internet safety seriously. Let’s not forget that human error causes 90 percent of security incidents. Training employees about cybersecurity is essential but educating younger generations from the moment they gain access to the internet, should be a priority. This year, at (ISC)² Security Congress in New Orleans, cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals will learn about cyber safety education thanks to the Center for Cyber Safety and Education,... Read more →

Attacks Happen. Be Ready.

A data breach hits headquarters at 3 a.m. Are your critical assets secure? Hire (ISC)²-certified cybersecurity professionals to prepare for, prevent and recover from attacks. Read more →

CISSP Spotlight: Paul Bryant

Name: Paul Bryant Title: CIO Employer: phew! Cyber Security Location: Auckland, New Zealand Education: MCom (Hons), LLB (Hons) Years in IT: 20 Years in cybersecurity: 15 Cybersecurity certifications: CISSP How did you decide upon a career in cybersecurity? In my roles designing and managing financial services technology infrastructures and leading technology teams I had a good deal of both technical and non-technical exposure to information security considerations and solutions. It is a complex and ever-changing area that bridges business and technology, and requires both technical and commercial engagement. It is also an area that is under-served in industry. Why did... Read more →

ENABLE: (ISC)² Members Can Access Cloud Security Training from A Cloud Guru

(ISC)²’s theme for 2018 is Enrich. Enable. Excel. In an effort to enable our members to be the best in their field, we have partnered with A Cloud Guru to offer a one-month free membership to A Cloud Guru. This benefit allows members exclusive access to cloud security education from A Cloud Guru, which delivers an array of cloud security courses to enable cybersecurity professionals to better defend their data in the cloud. Cloud security was identified as the number one skill security professionals needed to acquire or strengthen to advance their career, according our 2017 Global Information Security Workforce... Read more →

(ISC)² Item Writing Explained

To ensure the CISSP exam remains up-to-date and relevant to the industry, we are constantly working on the exam items (aka “questions”), and that process is 100% member-driven! (ISC)² spoke with Lisa Vaughan, CISSP, about her experience in a recent Item Writing Workshop. Lisa is the Chief Information Officer for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and it was her first-time volunteering as an item writer. She was a participant in a CISSP Item Writing Workshop that took place in Tampa, Florida. The workshop spans three days, taking these dedicated member volunteers away from their jobs and family for a... Read more →

HCISPP Spotlight: Debi Carr

Name: Debi Carr Title: CEO and Consultant Employer: D. K. Carr and Associates, LLC Location: Christmas, FL, U.S.A. Years in IT: 28 years Years in cybersecurity and/or privacy: 20 years Cybersecurity certifications: HCISPP, CAHIMS How did you decide upon a career in healthcare security and/or privacy? As a practice manager of a healthcare practice, I was appointed the “Privacy and Security” Officer when HIPAA went into effect. I was also responsible for overseeing the technology in the practice through the years. As a result, I began educating myself on security and privacy protocols. Why did you decide to pursue your... Read more →

What Does CISSP CAT Mean for You?

By now, you’ve heard that the CISSP exam format has changed from linear to Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT). This change to the English language exam started in December of 2017. If have questions about what this change means for you, as you’re preparing for your CISSP, we’ve got answers in our latest video: Looking for even more information? Check out our CISSP CAT FAQs. Read more →