180 Days Till I Write My SSCP Exam

Day 5

Photo by Adeolu Eletu on Unsplash

It’s actually day 6 in the countdown but day 5 of my learning so yes, Day 5. Either way, I have 174 days left before the exam.

And yes, I’m still in Chapter 1, working through business case, purpose, business logic, value chain, and financial accounting standards and what all that means for an SSCP.

To be very honest, I had no idea how much responsibility an information security practitioner has, to keep business data and processes safe. You have to understand what the company leaders want to achieve and how the tool supports that.

It reminded me again how right this certification is for me. It’s designed for people like me about a year into their career who are starting to take on more responsibility and need to understand how security connects with business.

I also learned about a business case and how it explains and justifies every proposed change to stakeholders. As an information security practitioner, you can’t just make changes because you think they’re good ideas. You have to show how they’ll benefit the organization and still protect its information.

I also learned about business logic, trade secrets, and patents what they mean to a business and why we need to protect them.

What really surprised me today was learning about financial accounting standards and practices. You’d think an SSCP wouldn’t need to know about GAAP standards, but actually, you do. You need to understand what those policies are and how they affect the business you’re protecting. Without them, a company might not qualify for insurance, could pay higher rates, or even struggle to get bank loans if their record-keeping isn’t safe or compliant. I also went through due diligence, due care, and due process.

The central idea from everything I learned today is this: as an SSCP, I’m a steward. That means I stand in for the business and make sure I’m acting in its best interest which is protecting its values, data, assets, while also helping it grow.

Tomorrow, we look at who owns the business.

Question for whosoever come across this: Do you see yourself as someone who protects and adds value to the place you work not just doing your job, but helping it grow?