Chris Kosmas

This is my personal blog containing posts about information security topics I find interesting.

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After 5 years, I terminated my ISC2 membership and let my CISSP and CCSP certifications expire. Why would I let go of the “gold-standard” security certification you might ask? Well, there are a few reasons.

Reason #1 - AMFs. Annual maintenance fees (AMFs) add up. $125 dollars a year doesn’t seem like a lot at first, but these fees add up, especially if your employer is not willing to cover the cost.

Reason #2 - CPEs. Like most people, I am busy and spend time recording CPEs that take the least amount of effort. These often have little to nothing to do with my day to day job. That time could be better spent on improving skills related to topics I am interested in learning more about.

Reason #3 - No longer a competitive advantage. Holding a CISSP is no longer a competitive advantage in today’s job market. In my opinion, real, hands-on practical experience goes a lot further.

Reason #4 - Other certifications. Maintaining my GIAC Security Expert (GSE) certification means more to me personally.

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