Certifications in Cybersecurity Workforce Development

Abstract

The workforce demand for cybersecurity professionals has been substantial and fast growing. Qualified cybersecurity professionals with appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities for various tasks and job roles are needed to perform the challenging work of defending the cyber space. The certified information systems security professional (CISSP) certification is a globally recognized premier cybersecurity credential and validation of qualifications. This case study analyzes the CISSP certification requirements, domains and objectives and attempts to map them to the cybersecurity industry competencies and the US national cybersecurity workforce framework (NCWF). This research is an extended study with full mapping of all CISSP domain areas to the knowledge, skills, and abilities in NCWF. The extended study aims to discover the in-depth value and role of reputable certifications such as CISSP in competency development for cybersecurity workforce. This article also discusses the value and implications of the CISSP certification on cybersecurity education and training.