Security Certification to Help Fill IT Infrastructure Gaps

The certification-which will address firewalls, viruses, user authentication and encryption, among other topics-will give employers a distinctive means of verifying security knowledge when hiring and promoting candidates, and will give IT professionals a globally accepted validation of security issue knowledge and experience.

CompTIA is working with industry and government leaders to develop the security certification exam, ensuring that it meets the needs of the many organizations whose IT infrastructures face increasing security threats from cyber-terrorists and computer hackers. As the developer of A+ certification for computer service technicians and eight other IT certifications, CompTIA is the leading provider of vendor-neutral technical certifications, having issued over 450,000 certifications to IT professionals worldwide. Several CompTIA certifications, such as Network+ and i-Net+, already contain a foundation in security as a critical component of today's networking job roles.

"There is no greater need in the IT industry than bulletproof security. We must protect invaluable company and customer data from criminal, terrorist and other threats that disrupt businesses and put people and companies in harm's way," said Fran Linhart, director of certifications at CompTIA. "Working hand in hand with a number of security-related companies and government agencies, especially those involved in homeland security issues, CompTIA has placed the highest priority on the development of this certification. The resulting global standard gives companies the necessary tool to measure job candidates for critical IT support positions."

CompTIA certifications are based on a thorough job task analysis, extensive exam question development and a comprehensive test delivery and customer support infrastructure. The vendor-neutral nature of CompTIA certifications allows them to be used as a foundation for higher level vendor-specific certifications and degree programs, and as a path to industry-accepted job roles and titles that may have previously existed only in specific areas and companies.

"We're committed to developing a valid, robust security certification as quickly as possible in response to industry, employer and candidate need," added Linhart. "CompTIA develops its certifications in partnership with companies that provide subject-matter experts and funding to create a vendor-neutral, industry accepted global certification standard," she said.