Is the CompTIA CASP+ Certification Worth It?

[This post was last updated on 4/19/2019.]

Today, internal security of enterprises is essential. The CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) certification is designed to protect organizations from internal and external threats. There are certifications in every industry that can be looked at as useless in place of years of skills and knowledge. Does this certification fall into that category? This blog post will help you determine if the CASP+ certification is worth it for you.

CASP+ Certification Overview

CompTIA CASP+ is for IT professionals who have at least 10 years of experience in IT administration, with five years of hands-on technical security. The certification validates a candidates’ IT security knowledge, skills and ability to make well-informed snap decisions in security situations. The KSAs are evaluated across a wide range of security subsets. Above all, earning CASP+ certification means demonstrating the ability to execute straightforward solutions in intricate environments.

6 Benefits That Make CASP+ Worth It

CASP+ certification has several benefits that include:

1. Global recognition: Today, CompTIA has enormous credibility and is recognized globally as the leading IT nonprofit trade association. Considering cyber security threats have no boundaries, CASP+ certification is welcomed worldwide by innumerable organizations.
2. Job benefits: Due to the fact that CompTIA certifications are recognized across the globe, your CASP+ certification is valid in many countries.  Therefore, it opens the doors to many advanced-level cyber security jobs. Many popular organizations today highly demand and are eager to hire CASP+ certified professionals. Some of those organizations include the U.S Navy, U.S Army, Verizon Telematics, Network Solutions, and Booz Allen Hamilton.
3. Salary Benefits: According to a report by ITCareerFinder.com, the average salary package for CASP+ certified IT professionals is $85,000.
4. ANSI approval: CASP+ certification is accredited by ANSI to meet the ISO17024 standard. Additionally, it has also been approved by the U.S Department of Defense (USDoD). Besides, the CASP+ also complies with the rules and regulations of the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), the U.S legislation that provides comprehensive guidelines to protect government assets, operations, and information against natural and cyber security threats.
5. CompTIA support: Unlike many other information security certifications, CASP+ was developed and maintained by the leading IT professionals in the IT industry.
6. U.S Department of Defense (USDOD) positions: CASP+ is required for some U.S. Department of Defense positions as mandated by 8570.01M baseline certification levels.  The following levels contain job roles in which CASP+ certification is required:

• IA Architect and Engineer Level I
• IA Architect and Engineer Level II
• IA Manager Level II
• IA Technical Level III

Possible Disadvantage of CASP+

Although CASP+ has several advantages, it has some disadvantages that include:

Hard requirements: CASP+ certification requires 10 years of experience in IT administration, including 5 years of hands-on technical experience. These are tough requirements compared to some other information security certifications. For example, the CISSP only needs at least a five (5) years of cumulative and paid work experience. Additionally, CRISC certification requires three (3) years of experience.

CASP+ Job Roles

Since CASP+ is a well-known information security certification, there are various job roles that make it worthwhile:

• IT Specialist, Cybersecurity
• IT Specialist INFOSEC
• Security Architect
• Information Security Analyst
• Cyber Security / IS Professional

The CASP+ Exam – CAS-003

CASP+ certification takes time and preparation. In addition to possessing at least 10 years of experience, you have to pass the exam. The certification exam is not as long or contain as many questions as other expert-level IT security certifications. However, this does not mean that the exam is easier. The exam consists of a maximum of 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions. Furthermore, there is only a 165-minute time period in which to complete the exam. Upon completion of the exam you will receive pass/fail notification and will not be issued a numeric score.

As a result, it has been acknowledged that the CASP+ is a certification for individuals who are seeking for jobs to protect enterprises against potential cyber security threats. The certification offers high salaries, reliability, and has skyrocketing demand across the world.

As of April 2, 2018 the CASP+ exam was updated to the CASP+ CAS-003 exam.