What is CISSP: Your Ultimate Resource

Are you curious about What is CISSP Certification and how it could shape your career in Cyber Security? Delve into this comprehensive blog to learn all about what CISSP entails, its benefits, and much more.

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is not just a certification; it's a gateway to unparalleled opportunities in the Cyber Security realm. Join us as we explore What is CISSP Certification, benefits and complexities of CISSP Certification in today's ever-evolving Cyber Security landscape.

Table of Contents

1) What is CISSP Certification?

2) What are the benefits of getting the CISSP Certification?

3) Who should apply for the CISSP Certification?

4) What are the requirements for CISSP Certification?

5) What are the domains of CISSP Certification?  

6) How to get a CISSP Certification?

7) What is the cost of CISSP Certification?

8) CISSP Certification salary

9) What after the CISSP Certification?

10) Conclusion

What is CISSP Certification?

The CISSP Certification is offered to Information Security professionals. The International Information System Security Certification Consortium, generally known as (ISC)2, offers a worldwide accepted Information Security Certification.

The certificate confirms a person's ability to effectively manage, develop, and design Cyber Security systems as of July 2022, 156,054 (ISC)2 members in 172 countries. This certificate affirms one's capability to manage, develop and design Cyber Security systems effectively. The certificates offered can confirm your knowledge and skills in several areas of Cyber Security. All of their certificates are based on the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK).

A brief history 

Sometime in the mid-1980s, a few great minds in the Cyber Security domain acknowledged a need for a vendor-neutral standard certification to provide structure and competence in the field. By November 1988, several organisations came together at the request of (SIG-CS). 

Together, they formed a non-profit organisation called the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2 in 1989. The first committee was formed in 1990. They created a Common Body of Knowledge or CBK, with the first edition released in 1992. CISSP was eventually launched in 1994.

Changes in CISSP Certification over the course of time

The US National Security Agency adopted CISSP as a baseline for their ISSEP program. CISSP was accredited under the ANSI ISO/IEC Standard in June 2004. The US Department of Defence also approved CISSP as a requirement for their DoD Directive 8570 Certification. 

The UK National Academic Recognition Information Centre gave the CISSP Certification a Level 7 Award in May 2020. That basically means that the CISSP Certification is equivalent to a Master's degree in the UK! Now, certified Cyber Security professionals can use for earn higher education credits.

In 2017, the English version of CISSP exam was changed to Computerised Adaptive Testing (CAT). This made the exam efficient with shorter sessions and more accurate evaluation. CISSP, along with other (ISC)2 Certifications, got recognised by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) in May 2019. 

Back to CISSP basics

To get the CISSP Certification, you will have to sit through the CISSP exam. The exam has been called difficult as it covers several Information Security topics. You have to take a three-hour long exam with around 150 questions and score a minimum of 70% to pass the exam. 
 

 

What are the Benefits of Getting the CISSP Certification? 

Let’s come back to CISSP. If you’ve been wondering whether you should invest in a CISSP Certification, let us tell you some advantages of becoming CISSP certified - refer to the following list:

1) CISSP is an internationally recognised Certification. It means that you can work in any country of your choice.

2) While preparing for the CISSP exam, you’ll gain in-depth knowledge and skills to produce a comprehensive security program.

3) The CISSP Certification gives you an edge over other candidates for any relevant job vacancy in the market.

4) As a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, you’ll gain access to career resources and get the chance to network with your peers.

5) You can validate all the skills and competence from your years of industry experience.

6) A CISSP credential increases your credibility and promises you a secure job.

7) The CISSP Certification training can help you expand your skillset.

8) Organisations trust a CISSP-certified professional to develop Information Security standards, procedures, and policies.  

9) As a CISSP, you can join local (ISC)2 communities and meet like-minded individuals.

10) After getting your CISSP Certification, you get free subscriptions to Information Security magazines, (ISC)² textbooks, digital badges of expertise, and webinars conducted by (ISC)². 

Who should apply for the CISSP Certification? 

Security Executives, Practitioners, and Managers who want to validate their knowledge of Information Security principles and practices can gain a great deal from the CISSP Certification. Some professionals who should apply for the CISSP Certification include the following: 

A) Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) 

B) Chief Information Officer (CIO) 

C) Director of Security 

D) IT Director/ Manager 

E) Security Systems Engineer 

F) Security Analyst 

G) Security Manager 

H) Security Auditor 

I) Security Architect 

J) Security Consultant 

K) Network Architect 

What are the requirements for CISSP Certification? 

Professionals who want to get a CISSP Certification must successfully complete an examination. However, not everyone has the ability to take the CISSP Certification exam.

Professionals must meet specific eligibility criteria before applying for CISSP Certification. The main requirements for CISSP Certification are as follows:

1) The CISSP Common Book of Knowledge, or the CBK mentions several domains. You need to hold a minimum five years of cumulative full-time work experience. Your work experience should span at least two different domains. 

2) A four-year college degree or an equivalent form the (ISC)² approved list can serve as one year of the required work experience.  

3) If you don’t have the required work experience to begin with, you can start your CISSP journey by becoming an Associate of (ISC)². You’ll need to pass the basic level of the CISSP examination to become an Associate. Once you’re an Associate, you get six years' time to earn the required 5-year work experience. 

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What are the domains of CISSP Certification? 

There are a few domains that you need to master to do well on your CISSP certification exam. 

They are as follows: 

1) Security and Risk Management 

2) Asset Security 

3) Security Architecture and Engineering 

4) Communication and Network Security 

5) Identity and Access Management 

6) Security Assessment and Testing 

7) Security Operations 

8) Software Development Security 

How to Get a CISSP Certification? 

Once you’ve decided that you want to get a CISSP Certification and made sure that you are eligible, the next step is to start preparing for the CISSP exam. But first, let’s talk about the exam format.

The CISSP Exam Format 

The CISSP exam outline is available on (ISC) website. It provides a detailed overview of all the domains that are covered in the exam. Let’s look at the CISSP exam format and scoring. 

The exam also contains questions based on scenarios that could have more than one answer. Candidates need to get score a minimum of 700 points from a maximum of 1,000 points to pass the CISSP exam.  

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What is the Cost of CISSP Certification? 

To appear for the CISSP Certification exam, you are required to pay a fee. The cost of obtaining CISSP – ISSAP, ISSEP, and ISSMP certifications can vary depending on several factors, including training expenses, exam fees, and study materials. 

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is a globally recognised Certification, and the concentrations— Information Systems Security Architecture Professional (ISSAP), Information Systems Security Engineering Professional (ISSEP), and Information Systems Security Management Professional (ISSMP)—add specialised expertise in different domains.

Let’s take a look at the cost of CISSP Certification according to your region:

The cost of getting a CISSP Certification varies by region and type of exam. 

In the Asia Pacific region, standard registration for the CISSP exam is £585, while the cost for the CISSP-ISSAP/ISSEP/ISSMP exams is £479. Similarly, in Europe, standard registration for the CISSP exam is £668, with the CISSP-ISSAP/ISSEP/ISSMP exams costing £555.

The United Kingdom follows the same pattern as the Asia Pacific region, with standard registration fees of £585 for the CISSP exam and £479 for the CISSP-ISSAP/ISSEP/ISSMP exams. In the Middle East and Africa, standard registration for the CISSP exam is £598, while the CISSP-ISSAP/ISSEP/ISSMP exams cost £479. Other regions also have comparable registration fees for both types of exams. 

The fee is as follows:

A) Rescheduling the CISSP exam: £35 

B) Cancelling the CISSP exam: £70 

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How to Prepare for the CISSP Certification Exam? 

Now that you know what is the CISSP exam format will be like, it’s time to start preparing for the CISSP Certification. Preparing for the exam could seem intimidating. That’s all the more reason why you need to prepare well. You want to walk into the exam hall feeling confident. There are two basic ways you can prepare for the CISSP Certification exam: 

A) CISSP training: There are various online training platforms that provide a comprehensive CISSP training program. The Knowledge Academy offers a CISSP Training program that will take you through each domain of CISSP and prepare you for the CISSP exam. It has been curated by training experts to make sure you are well-prepared for your CISSP exam. 

B) Self-Study: (ISC)² has published self-study books and resources for professionals who are preparing to give the CISSP exam.  

CISSP Certification Salary

The (ISC)² conducts the (ISC)² Cyber  Security Workforce Study every year. This study also reveals the Average CISSP Salaries around the world.  Let’s take a look at CISSP salaries based on the region. 

                                                                                                                             Source: Glassdoor
Let’s look at the average annual CISSP salary from different countries. 

                                                                                                                                Source: Glassdoor

Now, let’s look at the average salaries according to the different CISSP job roles in each of these countries: 

CISSP salary in the UK 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles.

                                                                                                                        Source: Glassdoor

United States of America 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles.

                                                                                                                         Source: Glassdoor

Canada

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles. 

                                                                                                                          Source: Glassdoor

Australia 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles. 

                                                                                                                            Source: Glassdoor

Singapore 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles.

                                                                                                                              Source: Glassdoor

UAE 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles. 

                                                                                                                               Source: Glassdoor
India 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles. 

                                                                                                                                 Source: Glassdoor

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What after the CISSP Certification? 

Once you’ve got your CISSP Certification, you can further validate your expertise in any of the three domains offered: 

A) Architecture (CISSP – ISSAP): This ISSAP Training & Certification validates your knowledge of designing security programs and managing risks to achieve organisational goals. 

B) Engineering (CISSP – ISSEP): This Certification validates your practical skills in incorporating secure business operations for an organisation. 

C) Management (CISSP – ISSMP): This Certification validates that you can successfully create and manage Information Security programs for an organisation. 

These are advanced CISSP Certifications that can help you gain in-depth knowledge in your chosen domain. In order to be eligible for these Certifications, you need to have at least two years of cumulative work experience in a relevant domain.

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Conclusion 

We hope that after reading this blog you have understood everything about What is CISSP Certification. It is a valuable and prestigious credential that demonstrates a high level of knowledge and skills in Information Security. It can help you boost your career, increase your earning potential, gain recognition and credibility, and join a global network of Cyber Security leaders.

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