CISSP : Certified Information Systems Security Professional

HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE CISSP

Security professionals who study for the CISSP should be able to explain issues such as architecture and access control for protecting information system assets. In being able to explain these issues to clients and other stakeholders, the analyst must know how to assess the business or organization’s current operations policies for incident response and make recommendations to those concerned for improvements to business or organization security. Knowing how to explain the importance of disaster recovery policies and demonstrate multiple and effective strategies to clients and stakeholders is a key skill tested in the CISSP. As part of the communication process, security analysts must compare and contrast different cryptographic protocols and be able to make recommendations based on this analysis of security needs. Creating systems of policies, standards, procedures, and guidelines with clients and stakeholders in mind should be the end goal of a CISSP analyst who earns certification.

In terms of technical knowledge, CISSP analysts must demonstrate proficiency in a number of areas. Proficiency in network architecture and design, being able to implement network architecture to anticipate threats and best use given sometimes limited resources. This includes demonstrating clear understanding software security applications life cycle effectiveness. CISSP analysts also should have the ability to collect digital forensic evidence while maintaining the integrity of the evidence gathered. They also must demonstrate knowledge of physical security systems and how they add value to network security systems.