Earn CPEs by listening to podcasts!

harwelltx

Looking for a quick and easy way to earn CPEs to maintain your CISSP? Podcasts are the answer. By listening to IT Security related podcasts you can quickly and easily fulfill your continuing education requirements. Each hour you spend listening to a podcast is worth one CPE. Simply maintain a log and keep a copy of each podcast for proof in case of an audit. Maintaining a copy of the podcast archive page with the title, description, and duration is also advisable. A list of IT Security podcasts with links to current shows as well as links to the archive pages for each podcast is available at http://www.getmon.com. Earn CPEs during your commute, while you work, or exercise. You can even earn CPEs by the pool if you choose. Best of all you do it at your own pace, at your convenience.

JDMurray

That's a nice listing of security podcasts, but how the heck can it be verified that you actually listened to any podcast? Podcasts are listed on the (ISC)² Free/Economical CPEs Web page, but I just don't see who the (ISC)² can verify the use of a podcast without using registration and DRM, like with Webinars. Is it required to access podcasts only through www.satoevents.com?

ajs1976

It looks like others have looked into it. Here are a couple of links:

http://didierstevens.wordpress.com/2007/01/22/listening-to-security-podcasts-earns-isc%c2%b2-cpe-credits/

http://www.securitycatalyst.com/2007/01/31/listen-to-the-security-catalyst-and-earn-cpe-credits/

http://www.itcinstitute.com/display.aspx?id=3842

harwelltx

I read that it was possible, but I called to verify. The kind folks at ISC2 informed me that good record keeping was necessary. You have similar issues with volunteer work etc. I keep a log of when I listened to each podcast, when I submitted it, a copy of the podcast, and a copy of the archive page containing a description of each one that I listen to. All have been accepted. They simply expect their members to follow the code of ethics.

JDMurray

I'll be very interested if they add, "maintain a blog about information security issues and topics."

harwelltx

Recently added two new podcasts to the line-up, Radio Free Security and PaulDotCom's Security Weekly. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Please either post them here or send them to podcasts@getmon.com

JDMurray

Some other security-related podcasts that you might consider listing are:

Adventures in Security

Speaking of Security, the RSA Blog and Podcast

RunAs Radio

You should also list the RSS feed URL of each podcast to allow people to conveniently add feeds directly from your Web page.

harwelltx

Thanks!

I had RSA's Speaking of Security in the list initially, but I started using rss feeds to update the links dynamically and their feed is a little funny. The code that I use to parse the xml doesn't work on their feed. From a CPE perspective, their shows are a little short, most being about 10 to 15 minutes. When I spoke to the folks ISC2 they said to round the listening time to the half hour, with 1 hour = 1 CPE. With that in mind, they are a little short on content. That being said their content is solid.

I will be adding the RSS feed URL soon, and will check out the other podcasts that you mentioned.

I appreciate your input.

JDMurray

harwelltx wrote:

From a CPE perspective, their shows are a little short, most being about 10 to 15 minutes. When I spoke to the folks ISC2 they said to round the listening time to the half hour, with 1 hour = 1 CPE. With that in mind, they are a little short on content. That being said their content is solid.

I'd include the podcast with a footnote indicating that it requires listening to four shows to earn 1 CPE. The same would be true for the CNET Security Bites podcast, which is usually only 10-15 minutes per show.

If any podcasts don't appear to have a plain vanilla RSS2 feed, send an email asking where it is.

keatron

Just to clear up a few things here.

Part of the entire ISC2 CPE thing is based on trust (which is why you're put through the wringer to get there in the first place). The same can be said for reading/reviewing a book; No one can actually prove you read the book, but that's still one way to gain CPE for ISC2. Also it should be understood that CPE's are broken down into different classes and categories. With that being said, there's a maximum number of CPE's you can claim for certain types of activities (web casts, and pod casts being one of those). In other words, you won't be able to listen to pod casts every day for 2 weeks, 8 hours per day, then submit 120 CPE's for that. You have to get so many for different types of activities.

This is why it's often said it's harder to keep the CISSP than it is to get it.

Keatron.

harwelltx

New and improved with many more security podcasts to choose from!
If you need CPEs quick or just need something to listen to on the way home tonight, you will find it here.

Schluep

harwelltx wrote:

If you need CPEs quick or just need something to listen to on the way home tonight, you will find it here.

I would hope people don't just listen to podcasts for CPEs alone, but rather for the information required. I would imagine most people who put forth the effort to pass the CISSP exam and meet the experience requirement are doing things such as reading and attending seminars due to being an involved in an industry that requires you to say current or face increased risk. The only difference with the CPE requirement is that they just need to document this time.

I don't think the purpose of CPE's and the certification expiration was for someone to burn through a bunch of podcasts just before their certification expires. This is why the requirements are specific regarding the connection to the domains and why there is a maximum number of CPE's attainable for certain activities, including podcasts.

Lob

I'd like to bump this to ask a question for those listening to Podcasts - what are the limits you've experienced in logging these CPEs?

I'd class most of them as Bs and thus over 3 years the maximum useful number appears to me to be 40. So the question is are there some Podcasts that people have used for Group A CPEs?