Partnership Facilitates DOD 8570.01-M Certification
The AFCEA Educational Foundation, in conjunction with its preferred education provider Cypherpath LLC, soon will offer a solution designed to assist information security experts maintain their U.S. Defense Department 8570.01-M (DOD 8570.01-M) Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) certifications. The first phase of the new continuing education program was launched at WEST 2012. This spring, the foundation will introduce Cypherpath’s Cert24, which will provide access to the majority of the required continuing education units (CEUs) to sustain certifications.
Once fully operational, the Cert24 system will help users address the issues associated with managing and sustaining all activities in the program. It will enable them to develop their skills proactively and continuously.
The Information Assurance Workforce Improvement Program (DOD 8570.01-M) was issued in December 2005. It provides guidance and procedures for training, certification and management of Defense Department information assurance personnel. The directive was significantly updated in January 2012, particularly in the areas of management and metrics. It not only applies to department personnel but also to commercial contractors who support the department’s information security mission.
The AFCEA Educational Foundation’s continuing education program is designed to manage and track relevant cybersecurity DOD 8570.01-M certifications. The foundation currently is prequalifying courses and conference sessions for CompTIA CEUs and soon will offer industry certification continuing education solutions. Information about AFCEA courses and conferences that prequalify for CompTIA CEUs will be available online. Individuals must enroll in the CompTIA Continuing Education program, attend qualified sessions, then obtain and submit documentation for CEUs to be valid for maintaining their CompTIA 8570.01-M certifications.
To obtain the valid submission documents required to submit to CompTIA, professionals must attend or participate in a training course or conference session that has been prequalified for the CEUs required. Once they have completed the specific course/session, they will receive the submission document.
Cert24 will provide the majority of the required CEUs through virtual learning methods, including immersive cloud technologies. It will include the continuing education tokens to meet program requirements as well as provide the specific documentation needed for submissions to CompTIA.
The Cert24 program is tracked in a Web-based system linked to the existing database that CompTIA certification holders use. CEUs are tracked, and their status is available online. The tracking system is tied directly to the certified candidate’s CompTIA Career Identification. Submissions to CompTIA must be in a zip file that is no more than 1 megabyte. The files contained within the zip file can be in .doc, .xls, .pdf, .ppt, .tiff, .bmp, .jpg, .gif and .png formats.
Professionals certified in any version of CompTIA A+, Network+ or Security+ or as a CompTIA advanced security practitioner are eligible to participate in the foundation’s continuing education program. Enrollment in the program is available online.
