At (ISC)² we are committed to positively impacting the cybersecurity industry in a big way. The board of directors and (ISC)² leadership is pleased to announce that we will provide free entry-level cybersecurity certification exams and self-paced educational program courses to one million new professionals starting a career in cybersecurity.

The One Million Certified in Cybersecurity pledge is our global commitment that expands on the (ISC)² ‘100K in the UK’ initiative, which promised 100,000 free exams and course enrollments for U.K. residents earlier this year. 

(ISC)² CEO Clar Rosso attended the Cyber Workforce and Education Summit at the White House on July 19, 2022 advocating for the expansion of the cybersecurity workforce to close the gap of 2.7 million cybersecurity professionals needed globally, according to the (ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Study. This new initiative will continue our mission to inspire a safe and secure cyber world by providing a path for more entrants into the field. 

Research also suggests organizations that focus on recruiting and developing entry-level cybersecurity staff – including those with little or no technical experience – accelerates the invaluable hands-on work experience the next generation of professionals needs to build successful cybersecurity careers. 

Those who earn the (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity certification – currently in the final stages of a global pilot program – will demonstrate to employers that they have the foundational knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for an entry-level cybersecurity role. 

How the Program will Work 

Beginning this September, we will announce how qualified individuals can participate. Much like our ‘100K in the UK’ program (which already has 10,000 interested applicants), participants will receive a free exam, as well as access to the (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity online self-paced education course. The course provides a review of the subject matter published in the Certified in Cybersecurity exam outline, which shares the security domains on which certification candidates will be evaluated: 

• Security Principles 
• Business Continuity (BC), Disaster Recovery (DR) and Incident Response Concepts 
• Access Controls Concepts  
• Network Security  
• Security Operations 

University students, recent graduates, career changers and other professionals wishing to expand their skills and opportunities are encouraged to participate, especially individuals employed or seeking employment within small and midsized businesses. 

(ISC)² will work closely with new and existing partner organizations to reach populations that have been under-represented in cybersecurity to encourage greater diversity within the workforce. (ISC)² has pledged that half of the expanded commitment – 500,000 course enrollments and exams – will be directed toward students of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), minority-serving institutions (MSIs), tribal organizations and women’s organizations across the globe. 

After successfully completing the exam, candidates will become certified (ISC)² members with access to a wide array of professional development resources to help them throughout their careers. The (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity certification is the first step on a career-long journey that will help cybersecurity professionals gain experience and work toward advanced qualifications such as the (ISC)² CISSP and (ISC)² CCSP. 

For more information on the (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity, please visit: www.isc2.org/certified-in-cybersecurity . Connect and network with others pursuing the (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity Study Group on the (ISC)² Community.