The CompTIA Certification for an Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) is a specialized, international IT certification that ensures an IT specialist has the knowledge the handle any possible technical security issue for a company. The certificate is widely recognized as qualifying the holder to “conceptualize, design, and engineer secure solutions across complex enterprise environments.” (http://certification.comptia.org/getCertified/certifications/casp.aspx)
What Advanced Security Practitioners Do?
An Advanced Security Practitioner will be a member of a company’s IT department. They may be the only specialist of their qualification on the team or they may work alongside other practitioners. They will be responsible for designing and maintaining the security features of the company’s computer network. This may involve software engineering or coding. Practitioners may create security features for network access including passwords, firewalls and backup systems. The practitioner will research respond to the changing needs of the company including upgrades to technology and growth of the company. For example, if a company expands to new site, the practitioner will need to establish a secure access to the new network.
A practitioner will need to work closely with the business professionals at their company. They will be expected to demonstrate some business knowledge. Security professionals may also need to figure out legal details. Especially in terms of possible security breaches, the practitioner would become an important part of the company’s legal team to resolve the issue.
What Should Candidates Know Before Taking the CASP Exam?
There are no formal prerequisites to CASP certification. However, the exam goals and objectives recommend a professional have at least ten years administrative IT experience and at least five years of hands-on technical security experience before seeking certification. Obtaining a position to provide that experience will require at least a bachelor’s degree in an IT field. It would be very helpful for candidates seeking CASP certification to specialize in IT security when gaining their degree. Since CASP includes a blended knowledge-base with both IT and business information candidates will be best prepared if they have worked in an enterprise environment or have some understanding of business practices.
Candidates are also encouraged to be familiar with the vendor-specific tools and technology software that applies to their position. Some of these items include virtualized appliances, servers, routers and load balancers. A full list of the recommended items can be found at the end of the CASP exam goals and objectives document found via a link on this page: (http://certification.comptia.org/getCertified/certifications/casp.aspx).
Who Would Be Interested in Gaining CASP?
IT professionals looking to maximize their qualifications in IT security are the best candidates for CASP certification. For those seeking to have a varied range of CompTIA certifications, the CASP certification is designed to follow the CompTIA Security+ certificate. It is a worthwhile addition to any IT professional resume and will qualify the candidate for upper-level IT positions at the enterprise level. This is likely to move the professional into a higher pay-grade with greater responsibilities and position within a company. It will expand that individual’s IT role to include some business and legal aspects as they relate to IT.
CASP also blends the IT profession with the business profession. Gaining CASP certification could be a worthy long-term goal for anyone in a business or enterprise field who wishes to transition into IT work.
The CASP Exam Details:
The CASP exam is a pass/fail test. There is no scaled score provided. The test has a maximum of 80 possible questions. Candidates will have 150 minutes to complete the test. The following general areas are covered under the exam:
Enterprise Security
Risk Management, Policies Procedures and Legal Issues
Technical Research and Analysis
Integration of Computing, Communication and Business Disciplines
This is a guest post by Megan Horner of trainAce.