Top Checkpoint Certifications

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. is a leading company that provides global governments and corporate enterprises with the best cybersecurity solutions. It knows how to protect its customers from the 5th generation cyberattacks with an industry leading catch rate of ransomware malware, as well as other types of attacks. That is why the vendor also offers the whole certification program to help you become a seasoned professional in this sector and be able to use these solutions wisely. There are also additional training courses that can validate the specific skills that are not covered by the main program.

Check Point Certification Program Overview

The Check Point certification program is available on the official website of the company and enhances and proves the skills of any individual interested in supporting and securing Check Point products. To be able to use all the benefits of the organization, you will need an account on the official platform and an account on Pearson VUE, as well as an active email address. Thus, you will be able to connect to UserCenter or PartnerMap and obtain all the advantages. If you do so, you will be able to take the training courses, pass the exams, get certified, and so on.

All in all, the Check Point certification program contains the following tracks and paths:

1. Core certifications

This is a track with the options that are most popular among the potential candidates and are suitable for those individuals who want to validate their understanding of the basic concepts and skills or an in-depth knowledge of the Check Point technology. Thus, you can obtain the following certificates from this track:

• Check Point Certified Security Administrator

  This certification can be considered the perfect starting point, so you can begin your journey with this path to be sure that you will have all the needed skills eventually. Those individuals who hold this certificate have an understanding of the basic concepts as well as skills that are necessary to be able to configure and manage Check Point Security Gateways and Check Point Security Management Software Blades. Check Point 156-215.80 is a prerequisite exam that you need to pass in order to earn the certification. To be ready for the qualification test, it is recommended that you have some basic knowledge of networking and at least 6 months of experience with Check Point products.

• Check Point Certified Security Expert

  This is a more advanced option, which is mainly taken by the security engineers. It provides the interested candidates with an in-depth understanding of the Check Point technology and helps them gain the skills necessary to effectively design, optimize, protect, and maintain their enterprise network from cyber threats. To be eligible for this path, you should have the CCSA certification and possess the skills in working with UNIX and Windows Server, some networking skills, and working experience with TCP/IP. The qualification exam required for this certificate is known as Check Point 156-315.80. If you want to complete it successfully, you will also need some experience in the system administration.

2. Security Master certifications

As for this track, it includes the paths that recognize and validate your technical mastery of Check Point architecture. Thus, if you want to verify your broad knowledge and set of skills and get certified, you can go for the following certificates:

• Check Point Certified Security Master

  This certification verifies your technical knowledge of Check Point Infinity architecture. It is intended for the cybersecurity professionals who possess the advanced knowledge and expertise in the area. This means that they know how to configure, deploy, manage, as well as troubleshoot various Check Point products and services. There are no qualification exams in this path, so you don’t need to take any. You will automatically earn CCSM if you have the active CCSE certificate and two subsequent Infinity Specialist ones.

• Check Point Certified Security Master Elite

  This is the highest level of the whole certification program that you can go for. It validates your technical mastery as well as consists of a Check Point Certified Security Masters elite club. If you are a security expert who has the active CCSM certification and two Infinity Specialist ones, you will automatically be given the CCSM Elite certificate. Besides that, you don’t need to pass any other additional exam.

Preparation Options

Preparing wisely for a certification exam is the goal of every potential candidate. To help you prepare for your qualification test and earn the certificate you want, Check Point offers various training courses. You can find them all over the world and select the location and time that are ideal for you. The courses are available on certain dates and usually last for 3 days in a row. They can be taken as a virtual instructor-led training or at a classroom in a training center near you. Some of them even offer you free 180 days of lab access as a bonus.

Besides the training courses, the students can use other resources, including the following materials:

• Exam dumps;
• Study guides;
• Practice tests;
• Video lectures.

You can even find whole communities on the forums where all the interested individuals discuss the best prep options as well as some tips useful for using during the preparation phase. You can combine different tools offered on the official website or third-party platforms.

Career Opportunities

Having a certification is a good way to boost your career and get a maximum of benefits from it. Thus, if you pass one of the Check Point exams and obtain a certificate that will validate your skillset and knowledge base, you will be able to ask for a promotion, or your employer will gladly increase your income. It all depends on the level of expertise you possess and the tasks that you are able to perform. Holding one of the Check Point certifications grant you the possibility to become a Network Engineer, a Network Security Engineer, a Security Analyst, a Security Consultant, an Information Technology Director, a Systems Engineer, a Security Administrator, or even a Senior Principal Architect. If talking about your income, the average salary that you can earn will be from about $76,000 to $118,000 per year.