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New Federal IT Security Certification Program Announced

The certification program - called the Federal IT Security Professional (FITSP) - was introduced amid growing concern about the security of Federal IT systems. The FITSP certification is managed by the Federal IT Security Institute (FITSI), a nonprofit organization. FITSI is made up of highly experienced IT security professionals with substantial experience in the Federal government sector.

"The goal of the FITSP is to make Federal IT systems more secure by assuring that Federal civilian, military and/or contractor staff who manage and operate them understand and can apply the appropriate Federal IT security standards," said Jim Wiggins, FITSI's executive director. "There are a number of high-quality certifications in the IT security space but until today, none of them were specifically tailored to address the unique security environment mandated for Federal IT systems. The FITSP certification provides a framework within which the holders of other IT security certifications must be able to extend their training and experience to specialize in the Federal IT security space."

"The FITSP certification program is role based and documents the qualifications and specialized Federal IT security understanding of managers, designers, operators and auditors of federal IT systems," Mr. Wiggins said. By earning the FITSP certification credential, candidates will have demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of Federal IT security management, operational and technical control requirements as measured by the standards and guidelines of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), as well as other relevant Federal statutes and regulations.

Candidates for the certification program are required to have at least five years of information security experience. The program consists of a three-hour examination, primarily based on NIST content areas, and is good for three years.

"The world of cyber security is becoming increasingly important to the Federal government," Mr. Wiggins said. "We believe the FITSP certification program meets a growing need to make Federal IT systems more secure, and it does so by requiring a detailed understanding of the security requirements necessary to protect and defend the nation's Federal information systems."

The FITSP certification is aimed at Federal workforce personnel (military, civilian and contractor positions) with significant IT security responsibilities. Mr. Wiggins urged all those interested to check out FITSI's web site at http://www.fitsi.org.

Federal IT Security Institute (FITSI)
Jim Wiggins, 703-828-1196 x701