Identifying the Certifications at IT Security (Research Paper Sample)

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Summary
In this research paper about IT Security certifications, the top-tier certifications are discussed in depth. These certifications include GIAC, CISSP, CISM, and CompTIA Security+. With the increased advancements in technology, cybercrimes have also increased drastically. As such, there is a need to increase the number of cybersecurity professionals to manage the situation. Various institutions and organizations have realized the significance of incorporating high-quality standard cybersecurity techniques to avoid the collapse of the economy. Most of the involved IT security organizations and companies that offer these forensic certifications started in the U.S and have penetrated other nations, thereby attaining global recognition.
Additionally, the organizations that offer the IT security certifications and credentials offer broad educational as well as training programs of various spans that are online-based and classroom-based too. The GIAC certification exam explores the theory and terminologies on cybersecurity; and examines the practical aspects of security, audit, management tasks, and operations. The GIAC certification exams, on average, have about 180 questions, with a time limit of five hours, and the minimum passing score is 73%. The certification attempt tests are two and are valued at 338 dollars. As for the main exam, it is valued at 1,999 dollars. All GIAC certifications are valid for four years, after which renewal is expected. Professionals with CISSP certification can effectually design, implement, and manage cybersecurity programs within an organization. The CISSP certification contains a single exam that can be taken in English or non-English language. The English-based exam contains about 100 to 150 questions and is to be completed in three hours. The non-English exam contains 250 questions and is to be completed in six hours. The exams are taken as per the concentration area. The general CISSP enrollment and exam are 699 dollars, while each of the CISSP concentrations costing 599 dollars.
CISM certification produces professionals who are conversant with managing, developing, as well as overseeing information security systems in various organizations. The CISM certificate expires after three years. The holders of this certification are subject to an annual maintenance fee of 45 dollars for the ISACA members or 85 dollars for non-members. Like the CISSP credential, CISM credential holders must acquire at least 120 CPE credits over the three years to keep the certificate. Moreover, a minimum of 20 CPEs must be obtained in a single year. The processing fee for the CISM certification is 50 dollars. The CISM certification issues one exam comprising of 150 questions that are to be completed in four hours only. Lastly, the CompTIA Security+ certification is an entry-level certification that equips individuals with a high-class, extensive acquaintance, and proficiency in several IT security-linked areas. The Security+ certification exam is one – the SY0-501 exam, which contains 90 questions. The questions are to be answered within 90 minutes. The pass mark is 750 marks; the highest attainable mark is 900.
IT Security Certifications
With increased globalization, today, people can share the information which exists in various data forms such as e-mail, audio, and video files through the simple action of clicking a button. However, do people ever think about the security of the data sent or received to avoid leakage of information? The answer to this question presently lies in the ideology of cybersecurity. The internet has continued to experience advanced growth in the fastest way possible. New forms of technological advancements influence the lives of people significantly as people are challenged to discover new ways to protect their private information. With emerging forms of technologies, people are forced to adopt new techniques of securing data being shared on the internet because of the increased vulnerability and loopholes. Cybercrimes are on the rise, and currently, more than 70 percent of the overall transactions are completed online. As such, these fields require high levels of security to avoid fraudulent activities as a result of the rampant cybercrimes. Cybersecurity has, therefore, become an area of interest lately, with security being strengthened in the IT industry as well as other related fields.
Technologies such as mobile computing, e-banking, e-commerce, to name a few, have elevated the need to adopt high levels of security because these systems hold vital and private information. A nation's economic wellbeing lies in the ability to secure and protect data for business individuals and companies, and that is why countries have enhanced cybersecurity actions. Nations have strived to make the internet safer, and it has become an integral part of the newly formulated government policies. Besides, governments need to understand that the war against cybercrimes requires a comprehensive as well as a safe approach. Given that, governments need to understand that technical measures are not entirely sufficient to curb cybercrimes. Governments need to investigate cybercrimes and determine the root causes of the crimes accompanied by the prosecution of the culprits squarely. Stringent laws regarding cybersecurity have been enacted to prevent the loss of vital data.
New cybersecurity threats have emerged because of the increased technological advancements, such as the adoption of cloud computing activities in most organizations around the world. Additionally, the number of cyber-attacks can be attributed to the escalated number of attacks via malware in the form of ransomware, and insider threats, among others. All these threats have increased the demand for skilled professionals as well as the need to give more importance to the information security implemented strategies and methods (Gapinski 64), training, and certification. Cybersecurity is "the process of implementing and operating controls and other risk management activities to protect information and systems from security events that could compromise them and, when security events are not prevented, to detect, respond to, mitigate against, and recover from those events promptly" (Stoneburner et al. 2). Cybersecurity certifications and programs play a significant role in preparing individuals for the present job openings. IT security certifications enhance the knowledge of individuals and professionals as they equip people with critical information on current technologies. The certifications are relevant to internet security because they provide an assessment to test people's knowledge in the ever-evolving technology security world we live in today. This research paper covers the certificates in the field of cybersecurity that is offered by the various academic institutions, professional organizations, and other types of entities (both public and private). The types of forensic certifications discussed in the paper include Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), and CompTIA Security+. The certifications will be discussed in detail, considering their tests – discussing the time taken to take the test, the cost to take the test, the recommended years of experience that may be required in order to take the exam certification exam and the locations where the exams can be taken.
Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC)
GIAC has offered more than 20,000 cybersecurity professionals an opportunity to prove their worth regarding their attained skills as well as the chance to encounter tight cybersecurity standards (GIAC Certifications). GIAC not only focuses on examining an individual's knowledge but also examines one's ability to prove their practicality of the knowledge in real-life situations. The GIAC certification is unique compared to other certifications because it does not entirely focus on testing a candidate's knowledge alone. As such, the GIAC certifications presents proof that a candidate has exceeded the minimum requirements of practicing cybersecurity duties and responsibilities. This certification guarantees employers that their prospective employees are up to the task and can comfortably execute the job – it tests an employer's capability.
A study undertaken by the Gartner Group reveals that IT security certifications will become a mandatory requirement for more than 40 percent of the workers tasked with executing daily technical operations in various organizations (GIAC Certifications). Additionally, the study predicts that the GIAC certification will most likely become the most desired credential during the hiring process in the future. The GIAC certification exam explores the theory and terminologies on cybersecurity; and examines the practical aspects of security, audit, management tasks, and operations.
The GIAC certification exams are online-based and can be taken via the SANS or GIAC portal account at the proctored environment. For this certification, there are levels, namely GIAC Silver, GIAC Gold, and GIAC Platinum (GIAC Certifications). The silver level is awarded to the individuals who have completed the certification exam. The gold and platinum levels are more advanced as they are awarded to individuals that have opted to pursue advanced professional validation. Given that, the GIAC Gold requires individuals to submit a practical solution that will help the community and should be presented in a technical report. Individuals undertaking the GIAC Gold are assigned supervisors to advise them with the creation and development of...