CompTIA Security+ Certification in Computer Security Available Beginning Today

Business Wire, Dec 2, 2002

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 2, 2002

First Global Vendor-Neutral Standard Developed to Counter the Growing

Threat To Information Systems Security

The new CompTIA Security certification, available today, represents the first global standard for training and certifying the frontline troops of computer security -- those individuals with two years of computer networking experience. The certification examination is now offered at testing centers throughout the world.

There are thousands of public and private organizations implementing barriers to computer crime and terrorist threat. At the highest levels within these organizations there are well trained and certified professionals with years of experience. At frontline postings, however, until today there was no global standard for training and certification.

Security is designed to close the gap between staffing needs and the number of trained and certified men and women available to fill frontline security-related positions. To earn Security certification, information technology professionals must pass a comprehensive examination which tests them on a wide range of security concepts, including access control, authentication, and external attack. They must have also mastered such areas as operational and organizational security and the basics of cryptography. International hardware and software companies and security associations have indicated they will use the CompTIA's Security certification as an elective or prerequisite to their more senior-level security certification programs. A comprehensive description of the Security examination is available at www.comptia.org.

"Development of the exam was well underway prior to 9/11, but the development (typically 18 to 24 months for a major certification) was ramped up because of sudden and heightened awareness that organizations large and small must rapidly train and hire certified security professionals," said John Venator, president and CEO, CompTIA. "Companies simply cannot ignore the increasing incidence of computer crime and acts of vandalism."

In a survey by the Computer Security Institute and the FBI (2002 CSI/FBI Computer Crime and Security Survey) 90 percent of respondents reported detecting information security breaches within a 12 month period. Eighty percent acknowledged financial losses due to security breaches.

Representatives from the United States government were among the founding organizations of the CompTIA committee, which guided development of the Security certification examination. Founding organizations from government included: the FBI, Secret Service, Cybersmuggling Center - U.S. Customs, National Institute of Standards Technology, and Argonne National Laboratory.

Founding organizations representing leading corporations and security associations included: Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, IBM/Tivoli Software, Novell, Motorola, Olympus Security Group, RSA Security, VeriSign, Entrust, Information Systems Security Association, and Information Systems Audit and Control Association.

Academic institutions and training and courseware providers on the committee included: Virginia Community College System - Institute of Excellence for Information Technology, Course Technology, Marcraft International, Sybex, Ascendant Learning, ElementK, New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, Tech-Connect, and Intense School.

Courseware companies are developing textbooks and study-based software for exam preparation. Materials passing quality guidelines will be referenced on the CompTIA website. Academic as well as commercial training organizations are developing curricula to prepare certification candidates for the Security examination.

More information on the Security certification, including examination registration information, is available at http://www.comptia.org/certification/Security/default.asp.> About CompTIA

CompTIA is a global trade association representing the business interests of the information technology industry. For more than 20 years, CompTIA has provided research, networking and partnering opportunities to its members, developing standards and best practices and influencing the political, economic and educational arenas that impact IT worldwide. More information is available at www.comptia.org.