Six Training Myths Exposed

Before you hire a cybersecurity certification training provider, know the facts. Eight out of 10 Fortune 100 companies rely on ISC2-certified professionals to prepare for and recover from cyberattacks. ISC2 certifications are highly regarded in the cybersecurity industry, and countless training companies offer exam prep for them. With so many options – and so much on the line – who do you trust to train your team?

To help protect your investment, we’ve broken down six common misconceptions about cybersecurity certification training.

MYTH 1: All ISC2 certification trainings are endorsed by ISC2.

FACT: Not all training companies who offer ISC2 certification exam prep are affiliated with ISC2. In addition to offering our own training, we partner with leading providers around the world to ensure your organization has convenient access to official training. All instructors are verified security experts, authorized by ISC2 to deliver the most relevant, up-to-date course content developed by ISC2. To confirm a training provider’s official status, look for the Official Training Provider or International Academic Program logos.

MYTH 2: Exam voucher included.

FACT: ISC2 and ISC2 Official Training Providers are the only organizations authorized to offer vouchers for our exams. Since unauthorized companies lack the access required to purchase ISC2 exam vouchers, make sure your employees do not provide their Pearson VUE credentials to an unauthorized party. This violates the terms of the ISC2 Nondisclosure Agreement, which could result in losing their (ISC)² certification, being suspended indefinitely from retaking the exam, and losing the money you’ve paid for the exam. Go through official channels for exam vouchers
to eliminate these risks.

MYTH 3: ISC2 certification exam pass rates are guaranteed.

FACT: Be wary of “90%+ pass rate” claims and pass guarantees. No training provider knows exactly which items and real-world scenarios will be on the exam, so there’s no way to guarantee a pass rate. Our certification exams are rigorous and constantly updated to reflect the ever-changing cyber world. The notion that a single course or company will prepare a candidate for an experience-based exam is impossible. We do not provide pass-rate information to any training providers.

MYTH 4: Your team will learn the latest content, regardless of the training source.

FACT: It’s not guaranteed that unofficial training providers are teaching the latest domains that will be covered on the exam. As trends in cybersecurity evolve, the official ISC2 certification Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) and courseware are updated accordingly. These changes are reflected in the official training materials developed and maintained by ISC2 – and offered only through official channels to help candidates prepare for the exam.

MYTH 5: All instructors are qualified to teach ISC2 certification trainings.

FACT: The quality of instruction varies wildly through unofficial channels. Did you know some instructors teaching unofficial trainings for ISC2 certification exam prep aren’t even certified themselves? ISC2 Authorized Instructors, on the other hand, hold the certifications they are teaching and undergo a rigorous onboarding process. They also average 15–20 years of industry experience.

MYTH 6: Passing the exam is the only thing that matters.

FACT: There’s a lot more at stake. ISC2 certifications are created to measure whether your employees have the experience, knowledge and critical thinking skills to be effective at protecting critical assets. We help candidates prepare for test day, but never lose sight of the bigger picture: inspiring a safe and secure cyber world and developing professionals who can better secure their organizations. When you choose ISC2 or an ISC2 Official Training Provider for training, you set your staff up to become well-rounded and highly effective information security professionals.

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