ISSO Certification Training Program

With the complexity and rate of change in modern information technologies and systems and the ever-increasing number of Cyber threats and attacks, the Information System Security Officer (ISSO) serves a critical role within Federal Government agencies. The ISSO must work with the Business, IT, and Security functions of the agency to ensure that Federal information systems maintain proper security, privacy, and compliance. Moreover, the ISSO must ensure that proper risk management, incident response, remediation and reporting plans are established and adhered to for the same systems.

In short, the ISSO has become a critical but challenging multi-disciplinary role in Federal agencies.   The demands on the ISSO role have evolved so rapidly over the past decade that most ISSOs, whether experienced or new, lack the full set of technical skills required, nor do they have an up-to-date understanding of Federal security standards and compliance regulations and their application to complex systems and processes. For Federal agencies and their ISSOs to close this gap and meet Federal mandates in place today, a comprehensive but highly tailored ISSO training program is needed.

UMBC Training Centers created the ISSO Certification Training Program in response to this critical need. Our ISSO Certification Training Program consists of four (4) to six (6) weeks of training that empowers students with the diverse skills and knowledge base necessary to function effectively in the ISSO role.

The ISSO Certification Training Program focuses on the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) most essential to the ISSO work role.

Our standard ISSO Certification Program consists of the following courses:

1. Software and Systems Engineering for ISSOs (3 days)
2. Information Systems Security for ISSOs (5 days)
3. Cybersecurity Operations for ISSOs (3 days)
4. Cybersecurity Risk Management and Compliance for ISSOs (5 days)
5. Leadership, Management and Communication Skills for ISSOs (4 days)

Customization of UMBC Training Centers’ ISSO Certification Training Program

The topics listed in the previous section are all modular learning components. This allows UMBC Training Centers to customize the program to meet the unique requirements of a specific Federal agency. Moreover, each module has flexibility in the level of content depth (i.e. the amount of time) that is spent on that topic.

Agencies can include one of the major information security certification preparation courses (Security+ or CISSP), as well as an optional Capstone exercise. Finally, our Center for Leadership and Innovation (CLI) can supplement the program with coaching, mentoring and facilitation sessions to reinforce concepts and help ISSOs work through real world challenges when applying the skills on the job.

ISSO Certification Training Program Schedule

The ISSO program typically involves anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks of training once the customization decisions are made. The schedule of the learning program is quite flexible. Agencies can elect to run the program bootcamp style, Monday through Friday, over consecutive weeks. Or they can space the training over several months or a year to allow for students to apply a block of skills before returning to the classroom to learn new skills.

Program Costs and Funding

UMBC Training Centers prides itself on maximizing both the quality and value of our training programs. The costs for the ISSO Certification program depend on the final program design, factoring in customizations to the program content and schedule.

UMBC Training Centers supports many different funding and procurement processes and vehicles.

Contact your UMBC Training Centers Account Executive for more information on the program, including pricing and scheduling.

Program Prerequisites

Students should have the following education and/or experience:

• Education or experience with modern information technology and computing concepts
• Experience performing basic computer and file management tasks on a modern operating system such as Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux
• Good problem solving and logical thinking skills.
• Good communication and writing skills.
• At least one year of IT work experience, preferably in the Federal Government

Upon completing all five courses, the student will be awarded UMBC Training Centers’ ISSO Certification.

Topics covered in UMBC Training Centers’ ISSO Certification Training Program include:

• Computer Network Fundamentals
• Cybersecurity Fundamentals
• Cloud Computing Fundamentals & Security
• Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) Fundamentals
• Agile Methods
• System Quality Assurance, Testing and Audit
• End User Security Awareness
• Operational Cybersecurity
• Cyber Insider Threat
• Risk Management Framework
• FISMA/NIST Compliance
• FedRAMP
• Network Security Monitoring
• Data Analytics for Security (using tools such as Splunk)
• Incident Response
• Malware Triage
• Disaster Recovery & Contingency/Availability Planning
• Project Management for ISSOs
• Communication & Facilitation

Register 21 days before class start date and save 10%! Enter discount code EARLY10 during registration.

Register 21 days before class start date and save $250! Enter discount code EARLY250 during registration.

Is there a discount available for current students?

UMBC students and alumni, as well as students who have previously taken a public training course with UMBC Training Centers are eligible for a 10% discount, capped at $250. Please provide a copy of your UMBC student ID or an unofficial transcript or the name of the UMBC Training Centers course you have completed. Asynchronous courses are excluded from this offer.

What is the cancellation and refund policy?

Student will receive a refund of paid registration fees only if UMBC Training Centers receives a notice of cancellation at least 10 business days prior to the class start date for classes or the exam date for exams.