I took (and passed) the SSCP back at CSI 2000. Generally I stay away
from the "which certification" conversations, but I'll share some
thoughts on why I decided to take it, how I prepared, and would I do it
again.

First, personally I am fairly pragmatic and make a big distinction
between someone who understands the "theory" of security and the
"practical application" of security. In cognitive theory the concept is
called "transfer". That is, the ability to apply what one knows to real
situations.

In *my opinion*, the greatest failure of the CISSP is that it tests
one's ability to spout "theory". It is horribly inaccurate at gauging a
person's ability to apply the concepts. This has resulted in a glut of
"security experts" who have no ability to solve real-world
security-related business problems.

I took the SSCP because it seemed to address this weakness of the CISSP.
I prepared by reviewing the SSCP guide and reviewing McAfee's virus and
malicious code dictionary to brush up on some terms I was confused by. I
believe that if you have been a practitioner in most of the bodies of
knowledge, you should be fine. I found the test to be fairly simple.

Continuing, I think SANS is trying to address the transfer issue with
their requirement for a "paper", however, the reality is that a paper
does not really prove one can apply concepts to a real situation.

What the security field needs is an exam akin to the CCIE exam Cisco
provides. Essentially, an exam that tests book knowledge, but then
requires the examinee to deal with realistic case studies. Let the case
studies be evaluated by a jury of practitioners. Then we may see
certification that is meaningful.

Oh yes, so if I'm so negative towards the CISSP, why am I even on this
list? As I said, I'm pragmatic. The reality is that I will probably take
the darn CISSP because the industry fails to recognize any other
certification. Every single time I work with a customer I get asked what
"SSCP" means...

-Laudon Williams
eldub@pobox.com

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