IBM Certified Specialist - Rational AppScan Standard Edition

Vendor: IBM

Certification Overview

The IBM Certified Specialist - Security AppScan Standard Edition v8.7 is one of those certifications that centers its aim on introducing individuals to security in web application. The certification presents the most critical vulnerabilities in today’s web application security, and principles for solutions and secure coding for fixing these kind of vulnerabilities. It introduces some of the best practices that take into account the security in web applications during SDLC (software development life-cycle). The individual should be able to use extensions framework and AppScan SDK  when customizing AppScan.   

Who can do this Certification?

The IBM Certified Specialist - Rational AppScan Standard Edition certification is for specialists in the intermediate level. The certification targets specialists experienced in the use of IBM rational appscan standard edition.   

Benefits

An individual who achieves this certification becomes a specialist in appscan standard edition. He or She leverages the tool enhancing him or her perform web application vulnerability assessments. Those possessing this certification become capable of creating security scans of web services and web applications as well as prioritizing and reviewing scan results while creating reports. They are also able to optimize scans so that the scan performs accurately, effectively and efficiently and be able to use even more advanced techniques in scanning applications. The professional will be working with build managers, application developers, penetration testers, quality assurance teams, senior management and senior auditors.

Associated Exam

This certification is makes up of one exam which makes up the 2^nd step in the certification path. This is the C2150-199: IBM security Appscan standard edition Implementation v8.7 test. The candidate is required to pass the test in order to move on in the certification.

Prerequisites

This test requires the following as the recommended prerequisites: be familiar with the basic concepts and functionality with reliance on documentation assistance or assistance from other resources, a working experience and knowledge of concepts and functionality- explaining products and using product with little if no assistance, have worked for a number of years with concepts or functionality and has the ability to teach others on how to explain concepts or use functionality, comprehensive and extensive experience with concepts and functionality  creating or customizing code, processes or architecture.

Examination Overview

The C2150-199: IBM security Appscan standard edition Implementation v8.7 test

1. Installation (4%)
2. Scan Setup (covers 50%)
3. Exploring and Manual Exploration of the Application (Coverage 13%)
4. Application Testing (9%)
5. Analyzing Results (16%)

This exam requires previous knowledge and training in security policies of web service, view of raw transaction data and cookies, security analysis, security research, Java and JavaScript analysis. Knowledge of this kind is useful in passing this test and act as a prerequisite in other IBM advanced certifications. The full list of eligibility requirements and the exam sections in details are provided by the vendor in the vendor’s website.

The test goes for a duration of two hours or 120 minutes. The individual sitting for this test is supposed to answer the 56 questions in the test. For him or her to be declared that he has passed the exam, he has to attain a passing score of 65%.

Validity of the Certification

The validity period of this certification can be extended by renewal once it expires.

Steps Involved in this Certification

The three steps involved in this certification process are:

1. Training: Essentials of Web Application Security or Essentials of IBM Rational AppScan Standard Edition v7.9 or hands on lab: IBM security appscan standard fundamentals  
2. Exam: The C2150-199: IBM security Appscan standard edition Implementation v8.7 test
3. Form : Submit the fully completed form

Expert Review

The most convenient way that can enable you stay ahead of security of applications is building the software securely, right from the foundation. But there is a challenge to this, we do not have enough security experts among the many developers we have. Security coding is beyond their level of know-how therefore they don’t identify it as a priority. This results to non-web-based and web-based applications continuing to be deployed while the vulnerabilities become exposed to exploitation, this way sensitive data is in a risk of being breached. The most efficient way of engaging development in application security is providing fitting tools into the workflow and environment and this will with no doubt generate the required results in understandable language. The IBM Certified Specialist - Security AppScan Standard Edition v8.7 certification provides all these skills, take the certification now.

Nicolas, NM Ltd.

Kabul, Afghanistan