Easiest Cert for DOD IAT level 3

gettinold

Just looking to check the box as usual. Which of these are the easiest? I hear that some of these are pretty easy but exceptionally expensive. CASP is appealing to keep my IAT 1 and 2 certs intact but I hear that the exam is in reality more difficult than CISSP and loaded with ambiguities in the questions being asked. In my current environment it isn't required to have an IAT 3 but when my contract ends I'd like to just have it on the never ending laundry list where people making one third of my pay decide whether or not I am worthy of doing a job. What a joke.

Here are the certs. Any thoughts on which is easiest? The question is subjective, dynamic, and a moving target but still would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

CASP+ CE
CCNP Security
CISA
CISSP (or Associate)
GCED
GCIH

balance

Don't worry about which one is easy .  Get the one that will add the most value to your personal/ professional career.  

But to answer your question  for me I would rank  CASP+ and CISA as rather "Easy" but like everything  ..... " it depends...."  

gettinold

Thanks. I have no way of knowing which will add the most value but I will look further into both.

balance

gettinold said:

Thanks. I have no way of knowing which will add the most value but I will look further into both.

Sure you do ,  

Research each cert and their target audience .  Determine which target audience you would like to fit in now or in the next 36 months.  Where do you want to work and why?  What do you want to do at work?  Do you like interacting with business leadership, or would you prefer to work only with the engineer type....  Which cert is more respected in the field you want to go into ?  Which one can you afford the time and money investment into? 

I hope that helps. 

JDMurray

The easiest cert for you will be the the one you already know the most about the exam's objectives. For example, if you are an IT auditor the CISA would likely be the easiest. CASP+ is easiest if you have lots of security operations/administrator experience. CCNP Security obviously requires a lot of experience with Cisco networking and security equipment. The CISSP requires the widest range of InfoSec knowledge and is not recommended as a "quick cert" for anybody.

On the other hand, if your employer will send you to a SANS training class to be force-fed concentrated certification-specific information, the GCED or GCIH would be the best way to go. 

yoba222

I'd bet on CISA. I wouldn't bet much though because I haven't actually taken it. But from what I've read, for that one people just do several hundred exam bank questions and then go take the exam after a few weeks. All the other ones are more in depth.

If they're paying, it might be more fun to do the GCIH / GCED as of those, their content is the most interesting and rewarding, but more work involved too.

gettinold

balance said:

gettinold said:

Thanks. I have no way of knowing which will add the most value but I will look further into both.

Sure you do ,  

Research each cert and their target audience .  Determine which target audience you would like to fit in now or in the next 36 months.  Where do you want to work and why?  What do you want to do at work?  Do you like interacting with business leadership, or would you prefer to work only with the engineer type....  Which cert is more respected in the field you want to go into ?  Which one can you afford the time and money investment into? 

I hope that helps. 

It does. I like the slowest pace possible and I am in an R&D environment so I am happy. I am doing just fine where I am. Just want to secure the job where I am at and when contracts end have the potential to do similar work. Working 100% remotely even after Covid ends and making great money doing next to nothing. These types of jobs are hard enough to get so I never pursue them. When I do, I get lowballed so I just wait for similar things to fall in my lap or prepare to make mega commutes if necessary. I am prepared to do either and try not to dwell on the negativity of a commute because that is usually just the nature of the beast.

gettinold

JDMurray said:

The easiest cert for you will be the the one you already know the most about the exam's objectives. For example, if you are an IT auditor the CISA would likely be the easiest. CASP+ is easiest if you have lots of security operations/administrator experience. CCNP Security obviously requires a lot of experience with Cisco networking and security equipment. The CISSP requires the widest range of InfoSec knowledge and is not recommended as a "quick cert" for anybody.

On the other hand, if your employer will send you to a SANS training class to be force-fed concentrated certification-specific information, the GCED or GCIH would be the best way to go. 

Makes sense. I think that CASP would most cleanly fall into that vertical. I am self employed but I am fortunate enough to have the person who I am subbing to pay for certs within limits. I definitely do not want to test their good graces and have seldom been in situations where someone will pay for certs for an independent contractor. CASP seems to be the most economical and I feel guilty about giving away free money when it is gifted to me like that. 

gettinold

yoba222 said:

I'd bet on CISA. I wouldn't bet much though because I haven't actually taken it. But from what I've read, for that one people just do several hundred exam bank questions and then go take the exam after a few weeks. All the other ones are more in depth.

If they're paying, it might be more fun to do the GCIH / GCED as of those, their content is the most interesting and rewarding, but more work involved too.

Thanks for this.

DatabaseHead

A friend of mine in security did the CASP (He was required to do a cert out of I think 7 different ones), said it wasn't that hard.  Of course it all depends on the individual.  He failed the CISSP several times and gave up on it.....

gettinold

DatabaseHead said:

A friend of mine in security did the CASP (He was required to do a cert out of I think 7 different ones), said it wasn't that hard.  Of course it all depends on the individual.  He failed the CISSP several times and gave up on it.....

Great info. Was that recently? I was reading something on Reddit...maybe about a year ago mentioning that CASP was in actuality harder than CISSP and that the guy failed it several times. I think he ended up passing CISSP instead. I am pretty convinced CASP is the best for me though.

JDMurray

What is "difficult" or "hard" varies depending upon the individual exam candidate. CASP+ is a cert that specializes in security operations and administration topics. If you don't have a lot of knowledge and experience in these areas then the topics on the CASP+ exam will seem very confusing and much more difficult to you than a exams with a much broader range of InfoSec topics like the Security+ and CISSP.

To make an accurate judgement of what's best for you, you really need to understand your own baseline of knowledge, skills, and experience rather than relying primarily on the (very) subjective opinions of other exam candidates and how they perceived their own exam experience.

gettinold

JDMurray said:

What is "difficult" or "hard" varies depending upon the individual exam candidate. CASP+ is a cert that specializes in security operations and administration topics. If you don't have a lot of knowledge and experience in these areas then the topics on the CASP+ exam will seem very confusing and much more difficult to you than a exams with a much broader range of InfoSec topics like the Security+ and CISSP.

To make an accurate judgement of what's best for you, you really need to understand your own baseline of knowledge, skills, and experience rather than relying primarily on the (very) subjective opinions of other exam candidates and how they perceived their own exam experience.

I appreciate the take. I think CASP will bring me the closest to my current background. 

DatabaseHead

gettinold said:

DatabaseHead said:

A friend of mine in security did the CASP (He was required to do a cert out of I think 7 different ones), said it wasn't that hard.  Of course it all depends on the individual.  He failed the CISSP several times and gave up on it.....

Great info. Was that recently? I was reading something on Reddit...maybe about a year ago mentioning that CASP was in actuality harder than CISSP and that the guy failed it several times. I think he ended up passing CISSP instead. I am pretty convinced CASP is the best for me though.

Just to give you a background on my friend.  Typical help desk employee worked at a company for a number of year not much motivation.  Was finally offered a security analyst role and kind of moved up that way.  Learned on the job.  No degree, some college....    0 certifications, actually he might of had security + can't remember (If he did it was forced lol).  Was highly encouraged to get a certification for more advanced roles.  After chatting with his peers was convinced to go for the CASP after bombing the CISSP.

I know 0 about the CASP nor am I endorsing you to do either or.  Just providing one guys path and how/what he did.  He was in security ops so that makes sense he could pass the exam easier if that is the case.....

HTH 

gettinold

DatabaseHead said:

gettinold said:

DatabaseHead said:

A friend of mine in security did the CASP (He was required to do a cert out of I think 7 different ones), said it wasn't that hard.  Of course it all depends on the individual.  He failed the CISSP several times and gave up on it.....

Great info. Was that recently? I was reading something on Reddit...maybe about a year ago mentioning that CASP was in actuality harder than CISSP and that the guy failed it several times. I think he ended up passing CISSP instead. I am pretty convinced CASP is the best for me though.

Just to give you a background on my friend.  Typical help desk employee worked at a company for a number of year not much motivation.  Was finally offered a security analyst role and kind of moved up that way.  Learned on the job.  No degree, some college....    0 certifications, actually he might of had security + can't remember (If he did it was forced lol).  Was highly encouraged to get a certification for more advanced roles.  After chatting with his peers was convinced to go for the CASP after bombing the CISSP.

I know 0 about the CASP nor am I endorsing you to do either or.  Just providing one guys path and how/what he did.  He was in security ops so that makes sense he could pass the exam easier if that is the case.....

HTH 

Thanks for this.

fitzlopez

Maybe a bit late but I passed both the CISA and the CASP last year so they're still fresh. I'd say the CASP was easier, bit more technical and I think it's cheaper to take and mantain.The CISA I find it more useful because it let's you branch out into audit, risk and all those ISACA fields.

balance

For sure CISA was an interesting exam .   CRSIC  also 

DatabaseHead

gettinold said:

DatabaseHead said:

gettinold said:

DatabaseHead said:

A friend of mine in security did the CASP (He was required to do a cert out of I think 7 different ones), said it wasn't that hard.  Of course it all depends on the individual.  He failed the CISSP several times and gave up on it.....

Great info. Was that recently? I was reading something on Reddit...maybe about a year ago mentioning that CASP was in actuality harder than CISSP and that the guy failed it several times. I think he ended up passing CISSP instead. I am pretty convinced CASP is the best for me though.

Just to give you a background on my friend.  Typical help desk employee worked at a company for a number of year not much motivation.  Was finally offered a security analyst role and kind of moved up that way.  Learned on the job.  No degree, some college....    0 certifications, actually he might of had security + can't remember (If he did it was forced lol).  Was highly encouraged to get a certification for more advanced roles.  After chatting with his peers was convinced to go for the CASP after bombing the CISSP.

I know 0 about the CASP nor am I endorsing you to do either or.  Just providing one guys path and how/what he did.  He was in security ops so that makes sense he could pass the exam easier if that is the case.....

HTH 

Thanks for this.

Let us know how it goes once you complete it.