CWSP ( wi-fi Security )
CWNP CWSP Certification
The Certified Wireless Security Professional (CWSP) which appears after the CWNA certification in CWNP’s certification path. The CWSP certification provides advanced skills required to provide security and efficiently secure enterprise Wi-Fi networks from hacking exploits, regardless of the brand of equipment that is implemented in the WLAN of an organization.
The annual salary survey conducted by The Certification Magazine in relation to the average salary being earned by a CWSP shows a constant increase since 2005. The survey shows that a CWSP in the United States who was earning $83,000 in 2005 had progressed to $95,120 in 2008. These statistics shows the high quality of the certification and its demand in the industry.
Exam Requirements
In January of 2010 a newer version released after the CWSP exam PW0-200 was updated to exam PW0-204 and the current exam PW0-200 was retired on April 30, 2010.
To achieve the Certified Wireless Security Professional (CWSP) certification, the candidates have to pass 2 exams in total the Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) certification exam PW0-104 and the updated second exam PW0-204 of CWSP.
The exams for the CWSP can be attempted at the all Pearson VUE testing centers worldwide and the cost for the exam is $225. The exam duration is 90 minutes and consists of 60 multiple choice/multiple answer type questions. Passing score of the CWSP exam is 70 percent. However candidates who are CWNT certified instructors require a passing score of 80 percent in order for them to be qualified and authorized to give CWSP training classes. Currently the exam is available in the English language version only.
During the exam the candidates don’t have the option to mark a question and then return to that question later on, also candidates cannot review or reattempt any previously answered question in the exam.
The CWSP certification has a validity of three years after which it can either be renewed by retaking the CWSP exam or by attempting an advanced level exam of the certification path i.e. CWNE.
Familiarity with the CWNP exam terminology is recommended for the candidates before taking the CWNA or the CWSP exams. The CWNP terminologies are also common to the CWTS, CWNA, CWSP, and CWNE exams.
A wide number of subject domains are covered by the CWSP including:
- Techniques of WLAN Discovery
- Techniques of WLAN Intrusion and Attack
- Analysis of the 802.11 Protocol
- Implementation of Wireless Intrusion Prevention Systems (WIPS)
- Layer 2 and 3 Virtual Private Networks (VPN) used over 802.11 networks
- Network Security design models for the Enterprise/SMB/SOHO/Public
- Managed Endpoint Security Systems 802.11 Authentication and Key Management Protocols
- Network Security Solution Implementation in Enterprise/SMB/SOHO/Public environments
- Building Robust Security Networks from the ground up
- Fast BSS Transition Techniques
- Detailed coverage of all 802.1X/EAP types used in WLANs
- Wireless LAN Management Systems (WNMS)
- Authentication Infrastructure Design Models
- Secure Applications usage
- Design Architectures of the 802.11 protocol
- Implementing a comprehensive Wireless Security Policy
Exam Objectives
The PW0-204 exam, covering the updated 2010 objectives, certifies the abilities of a successful candidate in understanding the security weaknesses which are present in WLANs, the solutions to prevent such weaknesses, and performing the necessary steps for the implementation of a secure and manageable WLAN. The main exam objectives are:
- WLAN Attacks and Threat Assessment
- Monitoring and Management of WLANs
- WLAN Security Design and Architecture
- Security Policy
- Fast and Secure Wireless Roaming