Gain in-depth knowledge about CISSP

As the world is witnessing a boom in the number of platforms and applications that are migrating online and to the cloud, the need for experts who could ensure the security of organizations’ web resources has surged like never before.

Cybersecurity is no longer a concern of government and security agencies, as today, all businesses are legally required to safeguard their business information and the personal information of their customers from malicious hackers.

Programming – illustrative photo. Image credit: KeepCoding via Unsplash, free license

Due to the unprecedented demand in the world for cybersecurity experts, many young professionals and fresh graduates, even from non-technical backgrounds, are choosing various certifications to gain entry into this career domain. The most prominent and highly respected certification for cyber experts in the world is the CISSP certification. This certification is primarily meant for working professionals in the network security domain with at least 5 years of prior experience.

A thorough knowledge about CISSP exam format and other requirements is a must for anyone thinking of pursuing a career in cybersecurity. The certification helps them gain recognition as an expert in various network security arenas. However, even entry-level professionals can gain the benefits of this certification if they fulfill certain conditions. In this article, we provide you with in-depth knowledge about CISSP certification exam.

Fundamentals of CISSP Certification

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification ranks consistently as the most valuable IT and information security certification in the world. Holding this credential is proof of your experience and knowledge in cybersecurity.

As of 2020, more than 140,000 information security professionals have earned the CISSP certification. The International Information System Security Certification Consortium, or (ISC)², an international, nonprofit membership association regarded as the most prestigious cybersecurity professional organization in the world, has been offering the Certified Information Security Systems Professional (CISSP) Certification since 1994.

What are the CISSP requirements?

You must have a thorough knowledge about CISSP exam’s prerequisites and eligibility criteria before attempting the certification exam. CISSP certification requires a minimum standard of professional etiquette to be followed by the candidate. These include minimum work experience, adherence to a code of ethics, endorsement from one’s peers, and passing the CISSP exam.

As a prerequisite, candidates require a minimum of five years of full-time direct experience working in the security industry. Exceptions are allowed by which (ISC)² will waive off one year of work experience. For this, the applicant must possess either a bachelor’s degree in computer science from an accredited college or university, a master’s degree in information security, or an equivalent valid certification recognized by (ISC)².

Candidates must attest to the truthfulness of the details submitted in their application assertions about their professional experience and background to build and maintain professionalism within the security industry. The last but certainly not the least important requirement is that another (ISC)2 certification holder who has accepted the CISSP Code of Ethics must attest to the candidate’s qualifications.

Professional’s conduct after Certification

Even after certification, (ISC)² necessitates that the candidates acknowledge and abide by the CISSP Code of Ethics, which requires them to renew their certification periodically after 3 years. 

The validity of an (ISC)2 CISSP certification is for three years, after which the candidates must either retake the course and exam or earn and submit 120 Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs) that they collected by participating in Continuing Professional Education activities during the three years. A minimum of 120 CPE credits are required to maintain the validity of a CISSP certification after 3 years.

We have provided a thorough knowledge about CISSP eligibility requirements and other requisites.

CISSP Exam format

A thorough knowledge about CISSP exam format is a must for anyone starting out their certification exam preparation. The CISSP certification examination is a three-hour test with 150 multiple-choice questions. To pass this test, candidates should earn a minimum score of 700 out of 1000. 

The fee for taking the CISSP exam is USD 699. There are certain preparation courses that include a voucher that covers the examination fee is included. CISSP uses computerized Adaptive Testing to evaluate candidates’ command of the English language (CAT). This is an adaptive form of computer-administered testing in which the difficulty level of the questions to be administered depends on the accuracy of the responses to previous questions. In other words, if the test taker gets more questions right, they will be given more test items. In this manner, the examination tailors itself to the ability level of the examinee.

The 100 to 150 test questions that will be asked in the CISSP exam will be based on information from each of the eight domains that make up the CISSP CBK. However, each CBK domain has a different weightage, as detailed below:

• Five percent goes toward risk and security management, and 10 percent of the total is allocated for asset security.
• 14% of the total weightage is for the Security of Networks and Communications accounts.
• Engineering and security architecture accounts for 13 percent of the total weightage of questions.
• Operation of the security systems has 13% weightage.
• IAM (Identity and Access Management) accounts for 13 percent of all questions.
• Twelve percent of marks fall in the Evaluation and Testing of the Security System account.
• Software development security has a 10 percent weightage.

We believe that we have imparted comprehensive knowledge about CISSP certification requirements and exam details. If you wish to crack the examination with a top score enjoying high chances of placements in top tech companies, click on the link given in the first paragraph.