Check Point Certified Security Principles Associate (CCSPA)

What do you guys think? anyone taken it? what courseware would i use?

I'm thinking about this next as i am in the security field currently or possibly my CCNA as that will help with my cisco knowledge (though i am not really in contact with cisco products ALL too often). I cant get the CISSP yet as i only have 2 years exp and i dont think sec+ and TICSA would count to them as another 2 years. any ideas suggestions?

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Comments

Munck

I haven't any exprience with Check Point, so can't help you with that one.

The CCNA will look good on your resume, and it is a requirement before doing Cisco's security track (CCSP). It is pretty hot, and you'll get a letter of approval from the NSA when you have passed 4 out of the total 5 tests. Personally I think that is very cool

Have you looked into the SANS GIAC line of certs.?
- very technical, vendor neutral and highly respected in the industry.

The most important thing is what is in demand in your area. Look at the job ads, which certifications are required in your "dream job".

ja5983

ive looked @ the sans certifications, they will be great for the future, but my company isnt going to pay for certs for another 6 months (probation) and $800 is PRETTY expensive...anyone know of any other good security certs that i might want to look into?

Ten9t6

ja5983 wrote:

ive looked @ the sans certifications, they will be great for the future, but my company isnt going to pay for certs for another 6 months (probation) and $800 is PRETTY expensive...anyone know of any other good security certs that i might want to look into?

If you want a fun one, I would study for the CEH. I would get the self study kit from EcCouncil.. (about 200). I am thinking about going back through everything just to mess around. It was a lot of fun to prepare for. ..Much more so than your other typical question and answer tests.

The SANs certs are great....but you need to be ready to devote a lot of time towards them.

Oh yeah...the Check Point certs..I looked at one a little while back, but never followed through with it. I can tell you by taking some practice tests...if you plan on taking it, you need to have quite a bit of experience with the product. In the practice questions, I was getting questions on specifice tab / button names / placement. So, I would get a lot of hands on time with the product first.

Hope this helps..

ja5983

what comes in the self study kit?

buulam

This is such an old thread... but its how I found this site as it has been made a requirement at my job that I get a bunch of CheckPoint certs.

Those of you who haven't looked into this particular cert... its not vendor specific. It is just fundamentals and you don't do anything with Check Point's products. I have just received the courseware that I ordered on the Check Point webpage. I tried to find the instructor led course but could not find it offered anywhere. I was getting desparate enough that I'd fly anywhere in North America and it just isn't normally offered. Some places will do it if you get together a few people but that was not an option.

Anybody have any experience with this cert? I need to write it asap

buulam

I just wrote and passed the CCSPA today.

I got the Security+ CBT Nugget thinking it would parralel the CCSPA. Unfortunately, I was wrong. CCSPA deals a lot more with procedural, managerial type concepts.

A good read through the book will get you through it but I don't think the studying and exam was worth it... unless your boss is making you do it.

I do plan on taking Security+ even though it is not a requirement by my boss. It looks like it will be a bit more worth while.

Webmaster

Congrats!

I would never expected someone to find Security+ more worthwhile than a CheckPoint certification.

How would you rate the Checkpoint courseware you got for this exam?

buulam

Well, this is probably the only CheckPoint certification that can be found to be less worthwhile than Security+

The courseware was a pretty dry. Mostly because this exam is not very technical. The answers are definitely all in the book but you will be struggling to not fall asleep while reading it!

I don't know of any other materials that would help in studying for this exam and I wouldn't recommend applying other learnings (like the Security+ CBT Nuggets I got) for this exam because it could throw you off. I will have to see but I think some of the concepts taught in the courseware and that are tested on the exam will only be found in those two places

If anyone else needs to write this exam and wants to ask me any questions feel free to contact me

victorou

what do you think of SSCP comparing to CCSPA? I'm thinking of getting into the IS field, but not sure which one I should get. I'm wondering what made you choose to get CCSPA instead of SSCP. Could you give me some advices? Thanks.

buulam

victorou wrote:

what do you think of SSCP comparing to CCSPA? I'm thinking of getting into the IS field, but not sure which one I should get. I'm wondering what made you choose to get CCSPA instead of SSCP. Could you give me some advices? Thanks.

I was instructed to get the CCSPA by my boss. I didn't even know the cert existed

nisti2

I've been looking on this but I don't see any passing score or anything even on their web page.

Is this more easy than Security+?

I'm planning to take Sec+ (again) and this may be.