In-Depth
Hitting The Books for Security+
First study guide available for new security certification
Publisher Sybex Inc. announced the first study guide for the Security+ certification, a program recently unveiled by the Computing Technology Industry Association Inc. (CompTIA). CompTIA is an IT trade association with 13,000 members in 89 countries that offers a range of what it calls “vendor-neutral certifications.” The organization says Security+ was designed in consultation with the private sector, government, and academia as a global standard for security professionals. Sponsors include IBM, Microsoft, Motorola, IBM, and Sun.
The goal of Security+ ( http://www.comptia.org/certification/security/default.asp) is to guarantee that companies have well-trained security personnel, and for individuals to demonstrate their knowledge and advance their careers as IT security professionals. The prerequisite for taking the Security+ test is two years of computer network experience and a thorough knowledge of TCP/IP. Once certification is achieved, no retesting is necessary.
“Companies understand that they can't afford to ignore the rising occurrence of computer security incidents,” says Neil Edde, associate publisher at Sybex.
Security+ tests a range of knowledge, including: access control, authentication, intrusion detection, malicious code, cryptography, physical security, disaster recovery, policies and procedures.
“Security concerns cut across all industries and all sizes of organization,” says John Venator, president and CEO of CompTIA, when Security+ was first announced. “Human error, not lack of technology, is most often to blame for cyber-breaches. Having an informed and knowledgeable workforce means cyber-incidences will be fewer in number, and less severe in nature.”
CompTIA has also tested and endorsed the Sybex Security+ “Essential Study Guide” ($50). The guide includes exam preparation software, electronic flashcards, and a copy of the entire book in PDF format. Sample chapters are available online at www.sybex.com.
About the Author
Mathew Schwartz is a Contributing Editor for Enterprise Systems and is its Security Strategies column, as well as being a long-time contributor to the company's print publications. Mr. Schwartz is also a security and technology freelance writer.