[kanmoodi]

The new Cisco® Information Security Specialist certification is now available. This certification is designed for the entry level security technologist. Candidates who achieve this certification demonstrate the foundational knowledge and skills required to install and support a Cisco Self-Defending Network. Candidates who achieve this certification also meet the National Security Agency's CNSS 4011 training standard.

Comprehensive updates to the Securing Network Devices (SND) curriculum form the foundation of the new Information Security Specialist certification. The SND exam is also required for those pursuing the professional-level Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) certification and the current portfolio of Cisco Specialist certifications, including Firewall, IPS, and VPN. Skills validated in the new SND exam include implementing basic authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA), Cisco Intrusion Detection System/Intrusion Protection System (IDS/IPS) sensors, Cisco VPN 3000 Series Concentrators, and employing access control lists (ACLs) to avert router, network, and common Layer 2 attacks.