New Certification rule changes coming April 1, 2023!

[Jason_Tugwell]

New Changes - Effective April 1, 2023

	Current Rule	New Rule	Additional Info
	A CCSA may be extended a maximum of two times by passing two different Infinity exams. (The CCSA must be current, not expired).	A CCSA cannot be extended by passing Infinity Specialist exams. CCSA may be recertified by taking the CCSA exam again.	Each CCSA is a 2-year certification. Recertifying the CCSA will not extend a current or expired CCSA.
	Any R77 or prior CCSE (valid or expired) can qualify for the current CCSE exam.	Any R77 or prior CCSE must restart the certification path with the CCSA exam.	To qualify for the current CCSE, a candidate must have passed an R80/R81+ CCSA or CCSE. A valid or expired cert satisfies the prerequisite.
	No prerequisite for the CCTA exam.	A valid or expired CCSA (R80 or above) is required before attempting the CCTA exam.	A valid or expired R80/R81+ CCSE also satisfies the prerequisite for the CCTA. A previous CCTA or CCTE is not a prerequisite.
	No prerequisite for the CCTE exam.	A valid or expired CCSE (R80 or above) is required before attempting the CCTE exam.	A previous CCTA or CCTE is not a prerequisite.
	A CCSM Elite may only be extended one year by passing an Infinity Specialist exam. (The CCSM Elite must be current, not expired).	A CCSM Elite may be extended multiple times by passing Infinity Specialist exams. One year extension per Specialist exam. (The CCSM Elite must be current, not expired).	By April 1, all active CCSM Elite’s that have passed additional Specialist exams before this announcement, will have 1-year extensions added for each exam passed.

New Certification Paths

Certification FAQ links:

Learning & Training FAQs - sk163417

https://www.checkpoint.com/downloads/training/check-point-certification-faq.pdf 

Regards,

Tug

[the_rock]

Nice slide @Jason_Tugwell  🙂

[Chris_Atkinson]

Nice, thanks for the update Tug!

[LeeBingKang]

Hi @Jason_Tugwell ,

Thanks for your valuable information.

Meanwhile, I have a question which would like to seek your advice:

Recently, I have CCSE and CCTE certificate. If I only renew the CCTE certificate, is the CCSE certificate will be renewed automatically as well?

Thank you.

[Chris_Atkinson]

As above if you pass a specialist exam and your CCSE is valid it will be extended for 1-year.

Personally though, If you have CCSE + CCTE you should sit another specialist exam and become CCSM.

[LeeBingKang]

Hi Chris,

What is the benefit if we get the CCSM?

Thank you.

[the_rock]

Its like with any major vendor...more people you have with highest certs, more contracts you get. Nowdays, more customers may require at least one person to have say CCSM for CP or NSE7 or NSE8 for Fortinet to get the large contract (just as an example).

[Chris_Atkinson]

Previous threads discussing the benefits are available here:

https://community.checkpoint.com/t5/Training-and-Certification/CCSM-Benefits/m-p/52807#M898

https://community.checkpoint.com/t5/Training-and-Certification/What-benefits-do-CCSM-s-get/m-p/10974

https://community.checkpoint.com/t5/Training-and-Certification/Major-Update-to-the-Cyber-Security-Ce...

https://community.checkpoint.com/t5/Training-and-Certification/Check-Point-Certified-Security-Master...

[Jason_Tugwell]

Hi @LeeBingKang 

If you pass the current CCTE R81 exam before your CCSE expires, you will be awarded the CCSM.

It will not renew the CCSE, but you will progress in the Certification path.

Check out the FAQ sk163417 or feel free to email me if you have further questions.

Regards,

Jason

[LeeBingKang]

Dear @Jason_Tugwell ,

Thanks for your feedback.

[Mark_Fabek]

Hey guys,

I'm wondering if I can extend my still valid CCSM Certification with one of the ISA Exams I previously did.
So I've done CCTA and CCTE and got CCSM certified in July 2021. Can I now take the CCTE again in order to maintain my CCSM?

On the one hand it wouldn't really make sense to me (as it may count to CCSM Elite?!?), but I can't find any clear statement on this right now.

My current goal is just to have one more year with CCSM and CCTE being active, as it's counting for Company's Partner Status - and not to get CCSM Elite this year.

If it doesn't extend my CCSM, my CCSE will also expire.

Meaning i would have to retake CCSE + CCTE to keep Partner status and from there, I would get CCSM with another ISA, having then two years where I have to take two new ISAs and afterwards beeing CCSM Elite.

Then I would have to do CCTE and a new ISA exam every year after the first two initial years being CCSM Elite. I think this would be a little much, isn't it?

Don't get me wrong, right now I'm not at this point and maybe I got a misconception with this. But I find it a little bit hard to do one new ISA and CCTE every year after the initial two years being CCSM Elite. (With "new ISA" I mean new to me / not taken until then)

[Chris_Atkinson]

If you sat 156-585 before and will now sit 156-586 latest version of CCTE then this would count to my knowledge but will ask @Jason_Tugwell to confirm.

[the_rock]

Lets see what @Jason_Tugwell aka Tug says : - )

Andy

[Jason_Tugwell]

Hi Mark and all.

I believe the answer from our FAQ sk163417 will help clear this up:

• I passed an ISA exam and it is soon to expire or has expired. Can I take that ISA again to extend my current certification?
  • Yes. You are eligible to retake an ISA for an extension. You may retake an ISA exam up to six months before its expiration date, and it can count towards an extension.

However, the CCTA and CCTE you passed were the R80 versions of the exams.  The current exams are based on R81.10, so they are different exams. 😀 So the next ISA you pass, if taken before your CCSM expires, will extend it for one year.

If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Thanks

Jason

[RS_Daniel]

Hello @Jason_Tugwell ,

Just wanted to confirm if i understood this correctly. In my case i took CCTE and CCME to get CCSM. Both of those ISA exams were for R80 versions. So if i re take the same two ISA exams but for R81.XX, i will get CCSM elite?

Regards

[Jason_Tugwell]

You are correct 👍

Thanks

Jason

[guesstimation]

So it is only possible to renew CCSM Elite for 1year? Comparing to other well-known Security/Network certification tracks it is very short period. Not every working (read busy) professional has ability to sit down for new Check Point Exam every year. 

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to nitpick. However, with present certification plan i would rather delay exams and CCSM Elite Certificate as it means i would need to attend exam every year or possibly lose Check Point certified status all together. CCSM Elite seems to be a difficult spot to be in.

Can CCSM Elite at least be renewed by passing same specialist exam which was passed before? 

[Jason_Tugwell]

I appreciate your feedback.

Keep in mind that the initial CCSM Elite is valid for 2 years. And if you pass a Specialist soon after the CCSM Elite, you will be certified for 3 years. Some of our CCSM Elites have taken advantage and passed multiple exams so that they are certified for several years.  

Your other question is addressed in our Certification FAQ – sk163417

• I passed an ISA exam and it is soon to expire or has expired. Can I take that ISA again to extend my current certification?

Yes. You are eligible to retake an ISA for an extension. You may retake an ISA exam up to six months before its expiration date, and it can count towards an extension.

Best regards,

Jason

[Andreas_Zentsch]

Hi Jason, this year is over again - what is happening now? 

[the_rock]

Lets see what he says...

Andy

[Chris_Atkinson · Accepted solution]

To clarify is your question about CCSM Elite renewal or something else?

A CCSM Elite may be extended multiple times by passing Infinity Specialist exams. One year extension per Specialist exam. (The CCSM Elite must be current, not expired).