CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner Climbs Up Infosec Cert Food Chain

At the end of January, 2013, the Defense Information Assurance Program (DIAP) added the CASP to its list of baseline information assurance certifications. This may sound like small potatoes, but is actually a big deal, because that list of certs attaches to IT jobs with the Department of Defense -- and all of its contractors who also handle IT job roles for that Department, and other arms of the US Government -- and essentially defines "must-have" credentials for individuals to hold such positions.

The CASP becomes one of a select list of infosec certs required for DoD IT jobs.

According to updates pending for the DoD 8570.01-M Manual "Information Assurance Workforce Improvement Program" the CASP joins forces with the A+, Network+, and Security+ credentials from CompTIA, the GSEC, GSE, GCIH, GISM, GSLC, and GISF from SANS GIAC, the SSCP, CISSP (and the ISSEP and ISSAP add-ons), and CAP from ISC-squared, the CISA and CISM from ISACA, and the CEH, SCNP and SCNA, and CSIH credentials in the 8570.01-M pantheon. Here's a tablular list of these items excluding the CASP:

A comprehensive, but dated, list of eligible 8570.01 certifications

Here's where the CASP fits into the overall scheme of things:

• IAT Level III (Information Assurance Workforce Technical Level III): A description of job level is available at IA Academy and in the 8570.01-M Manual.
• IAM II (Information Assurance Management Level II): A description of this job level is available at IA Academy and in the 8570.01-M Manual.
• IASAE Level I and II (Information Assurance Workforce System Architect and Engineer, Level I and Level II) IA Academy links for L1 and L2 at left; also covered in the 8570.01-M Manual.

This puts the CASP into play at a pretty senior level, up against the CISSP. It also puts this simpler (80 questions in 150 minutes vs. 250 questions in 360 minutes) and cheaper ($379 versus $599) credential on a more or less equal footing with the CISSP, long among the most popular and sought-after of information security certifications.

Thus, the CASP is bound to become a pretty big deal, and a fairly sought after credential in its own right, thanks to its inclusion in this collection of government-accredited credentials. Check it out: it might be just what you're looking for, cert-wise!