Courseware Now Available for CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner Certification

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Feb 21, 2012, 08:45 ET

Materials support first mastery level credential from leader in vendor-neutral IT certifications

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CompTIA, the leading provider of vendor-neutral skills certification for the world's information technology (IT) workforce, today announced courseware is now available for its new mastery-level credential for advanced security skills.

The CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner certification is intended for information assurance professionals holding technical leadership roles in an IT enterprise environment.

Approved courseware and training materials for the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner exam are available from several publishers, including Element K, uCertify and Wiley, and are available through the CompTIA Marketplace.

"The growing shortage of IT security professionals is among the biggest cybersecurity threats that organizations face," said Terry Erdle, executive vice president, skills certification, CompTIA.

In fact, 40 percent of organizations surveyed for CompTIA's Ninth Annual Information Security Trends Study, published this month, say they face challenges in hiring IT security specialists.

"There is a great and immediate need for IT professionals with the advanced skills necessary to secure data, devices and networks from the rapidly evolving and expanding volume of cybersecurity threats," said Erdle. "With that in mind, CompTIA has created a mastery-level skills certification that targets the highest levels of enterprise security."

CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner certification is intended for IT professionals who have ten years in IT and five-plus years of hands-on, technical experience. This certification exam covers security skills and techniques in enterprise security; risk management; research and analysis; and integration of computing, communications and business disciplines.

The certification is accredited by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under the guidelines of ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024, an international standard governing qualifications and certifications. It is also under consideration as an approved certification option for Department of Defense Directive 8570, which provides guidance and procedures for the training, certification and management of all government employees who conduct information assurance functions.

CompTIA's new study on information security indicates that employers place high value on having a certified security workforce. More than eight in ten organizations formally or informally use security certifications as a means to validate expertise; and 94 percent believe security certifications deliver a positive return on investment.

The CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner certification is the first in a new series of mastery-level credentials CompTIA is developing. CompTIA currently has four series of IT certifications:

Basic – For individuals considering suitability for jobs that involve computers.
Specialty – For business or IT professionals in emerging or niche markets.
Professional – For IT workers with experience in a specific IT discipline.
Mastery – For advanced IT professionals.

With more than 1.5 million certifications awarded worldwide, CompTIA is the largest provider of vendor-neutral certifications for IT professionals. These certifications are the recognized industry standards for a broad range of technology skills, including IT fundamentals, repair and technical support, networking, security, server, storage, Linux, project management, printing and document imaging, convergence technologies, health IT, green IT and cloud computing. Visit CompTIA Certifications to learn more.

About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world's information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy. For more information, visit www.comptia.org or follow CompTIA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/comptia.

SOURCE CompTIA