The Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) is the ideal certification for those with proven technical skills and practical, hands-on security knowledge in operational IT roles. It provides confirmation of a practitioner’s ability to implement, monitor and administer IT infrastructure in accordance with information security policies and procedures that ensure data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The test is comprised of 125 items and the testing time allowed is three hours. It is a computer-based test (CBT). Items in the exam are four-option multiple choice items with one correct key. At the end of the exam administration, candidates receive their pass/fail decision. Failing candidates receive feedback on their exam performance by domains; however, candidates who pass the exam receive their congratulatory letter describing their next step in acquiring the credential.
SSCP exam is updated on a regular basis by conducting job task analysis in every three years and by writing and pretesting many items throughout the year to maintain a robust item bank.
The SSCP exam requires candidates to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities: Security Operations and Administration (16%); Access Controls (15%); Risk Identification, Monitoring and Analysis (15%); Incident Response and Recovery (14%); Cryptography (9%); Network and Communications Security (16%); and Systems and Application Security (15%).