CISSP vs. CASP

CiscoKidd

Greetings all and Happy Belated 4th...

I apologize if this question has already been asked, I searched for it and didn't find anything. I currently have my Security+ cert and I am just curious which security cert I should go for. I know the CISSP is the grand daddy of all security certs and the CASP is the new kid on the block, but I am more curious about which cert I would get more out of. From what I have read about them, CISSP is more policy based while CASP is designed for the more hands on type of professional. From reading that, the CASP seems more appealing to me, at least right now. I was just wondering for anybody that has taken either both exams or just one, what are you thought?

Thank you in advance for your insight!!

afcyung

Well they aren't really comparable certs as you said one is more technical and one is more management. If you want a technical cert I would look into SANS training. You could also look into any number of pen testing certs out there.

JDMurray

The CISSP will give you the best recognition of your InfoSec knowledge and experience to employers, if that's what you are going for. Unless your career would benefit more from having a highly-specialized InfoSec cert, the CISSP is the best you can do.

ptilsen

Look at SSCP if you're not sure about the CISSP yet. Ultimately you will want the CISSP. I can't really recommend getting CASP for any reason. Pretty much no one is asking for it.

the_hutch

Unfortunately, CompTIA really made a name for themselves as the go-to-company for entry level IT certifications. I think establishing this reputation really hurt their chances of developing a successful advanced certification. They just recently rolled out CASP and it doesn't really seem like people are taking them seriously. If you are looking for the best return on investment for a security cert, CISSP is the way to go.

CiscoKidd

Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my thread. I kind of figured that most people would recommend the CISSP which makes sense, it already has a name for itself and is very respected. I am almost done with the CCNP and I have two more exams for the CCNP Security so i was just wanted to start thinking about the next step. I do want to eventually get the CISSP so maybe I'll just go for it now...I can't lie, that Shon Harris book is kind of intimidating.

Thanks Again folks!!

the_hutch

I personally used the Shon Harris book, but I've heard a lot of people say that the book is overkill and includes a lot more information than you really need to learn for the test. But I've also had people tell me its the only way to go. I'm sure you could do well if your familiar with the subject matter and decided to grab a not-so-heavy book. I can tell you that if you go the Shon Harris route, you will waste plenty of time shaking your head at her desperate and often very sad attempts at humor....really, really bad humor.

I'm scheduled to take the test next month, so I won't be able to say until then how I really feel about the Harris book compared to my other resources (that will be provided in my one week bootcamp).

CiscoKidd

Thanks for you opinion. Good Luck on your exam!!