Certified: The CISSP Prepcast

Welcome to The Bare Metal Cyber CISSP Prepcast. This series helps you prepare for the ISC squared CISSP exam with focused explanations and practical context.
In this episode, we will compare the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification with other major cybersecurity certifications. One of the most common questions students ask is whether the CISSP is the right choice for them, especially when other certifications like Security Plus, Certified Information Security Manager, or cloud-based certifications are also available. Understanding how the CISSP compares to these options can help you plan your certification path with confidence. We will walk through what each certification offers, who it is best suited for, and how they fit together into a meaningful cybersecurity career plan.
Let us begin by comparing the CISSP with Security Plus, which is one of the most well-known entry-level cybersecurity certifications. Security Plus is offered by Comp T I A, and it is often the first certification that people pursue when they begin their journey into cybersecurity. It is designed to cover the basic skills and concepts needed for junior-level positions in the field. Topics include access controls, cryptography fundamentals, basic risk management, and security operations. The exam does not require professional experience, and many students prepare for and pass it before landing their first job in security.
By contrast, the CISSP is a much more advanced certification. It is designed for professionals who already have significant experience in the cybersecurity field. While Security Plus focuses on hands-on, technical tasks, the CISSP covers strategic planning, policy development, architecture design, and governance. The CISSP expects you to understand not only how to configure systems securely, but also how to manage entire security programs at an organizational level. If you are new to cybersecurity and just getting started, Security Plus is a fantastic first step. However, if you are looking to advance into mid-level or senior positions that involve oversight and decision-making, the CISSP becomes the essential next step. Many professionals start with Security Plus, gain a few years of experience, and then pursue the CISSP as their careers evolve and their responsibilities expand.
Now let us move on to a comparison between the CISSP and the Certified Information Security Manager certification, which is often called C I S M. This certification is offered by I S A C A, and it is designed for experienced professionals working in information security management roles. Like the C I S S P, the C I S M is not intended for beginners. It is a managerial certification with a strong focus on risk management, governance, compliance, and the development of organizational security policies.
The difference lies in the scope of content. The C I S M leans more toward high-level oversight and is tightly focused on leadership functions within a security team. It assumes that you are making decisions about policy and risk, but not necessarily that you are hands-on with technical controls or deeply familiar with implementation details. On the other hand, the CISSP spans both technical and strategic topics. It includes deep dives into areas like cryptography, network architecture, and secure software design, as well as policy and governance. This means the CISSP can serve both as a technical credential and as a leadership credential, depending on your role.
If your goal is to work at the intersection of strategy and technology—to understand and lead both sides of the equation—the CISSP is a better fit. If your main focus is on governance, compliance, and managing security policy from a purely organizational perspective, then the C I S M may be a better match. Some professionals earn both certifications to show strength across the entire spectrum of responsibilities. But if you are only choosing one and want both breadth and depth, the CISSP gives you a more comprehensive foundation.
Let us now compare the CISSP with the Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control certification, known as C R ISC. This certification is also offered by I S A C A and is specifically designed for professionals whose primary responsibility is managing risk. The C R ISC focuses narrowly on identifying, assessing, and controlling risk within information systems. It is a great certification for roles that involve enterprise risk management, auditing, and compliance assurance.
The C I S S P, once again, takes a broader approach. While it does include important content on risk management, it also spans many other topics, such as incident response, identity and access management, asset security, and software development security. If your role is strictly about enterprise risk—evaluating how risk affects business processes and advising executives on risk posture—the C R ISC might be ideal. But if your responsibilities include both identifying risk and implementing the technical controls to reduce it, the CISSP is more appropriate.
Some professionals choose to pursue the C R ISC after earning the C I S S P, using it to specialize further in risk once they have a strong foundation in broader cybersecurity principles. For students and mid-career professionals looking to build a career in security leadership, the CISSP remains the foundational certification that opens the most doors.
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Now let us talk about vendor-specific certifications. These include credentials from cloud providers and software companies such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Cisco. Some popular examples are the A W S Certified Security Specialty, the Microsoft Certified Security Operations Analyst, and the Cisco Certified CyberOps Professional. These certifications are tied to specific products or ecosystems. They are useful when a job requires deep knowledge of a particular tool set or platform.
For example, if you are working in an organization that uses Amazon Web Services for its cloud infrastructure, an A W S security certification can help you understand how to secure that environment effectively. Similarly, if your team uses Microsoft Defender or Azure, a Microsoft certification can help you navigate and secure those systems. These certifications are valuable for specialists and technical implementers who work closely with these platforms.
The C I S S P, by contrast, is vendor-neutral. It does not focus on any specific product. Instead, it covers universal security principles, frameworks, and best practices that apply across all technology environments. The advantage of the CISSP is that it prepares you to make informed security decisions no matter what tools or platforms your organization uses. It is especially valuable for team leads, architects, and managers who need to guide strategy and evaluate tools without being tied to any one vendor.
Many professionals choose to combine the CISSP with vendor certifications. For example, someone might hold the CISSP for strategic oversight and also earn a certification in A W S or Microsoft to demonstrate specific skills in their environment. This combination of broad strategy and deep specialization is very attractive to employers and can position you as a well-rounded security professional.
Finally, let us talk about how to decide which certification is best for you. This decision depends on a few important factors. First, think about your career goals. Are you looking to specialize in a specific technology, or do you want to move into a leadership role with broad responsibilities? Are you just beginning your career, or do you already have years of experience and want to move up the ladder? These questions will help shape your path.
Second, be honest about your current experience level. The CISSP requires at least five years of full-time work experience in at least two of the eight CISSP domains. If you do not yet have that experience, it may make more sense to start with a foundational certification like Security Plus or a vendor-specific credential. You can always build toward the CISSP later.
Third, consider what employers in your target industry are looking for. In government, healthcare, finance, and other regulated industries, the CISSP is often considered a standard requirement. It is widely respected and accepted across sectors. Even if you hold other certifications, you may find that employers specifically ask for the CISSP when hiring for senior positions.
Finally, think about your short-term and long-term objectives. In the short term, you may need a certification that helps you land a job or gain a new skill. In the long term, you want to build a career that offers growth, flexibility, and leadership opportunities. The CISSP is not just a test of your knowledge—it is a milestone that shows you are ready to lead, make decisions, and contribute at a high level in your organization.
Thanks for joining us for this episode of The Bare Metal Cyber CISSP Prepcast. For more episodes, tools, and study support, visit us at Bare Metal Cyber dot com.
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