The Department of Defense (DoD) requires information assurance specialists, cybersecurity service providers and other technical professionals to obtain certain certifications referred to as information assurance baseline certifications.
If you work with the Army/DoD, the AKO/DKO portal provides a list of certificates you can download and install to alleviate certificate warnings on browsers.
DoD 8570 Certifications
DoD 8570 Certification is an integral component for IT professionals working at the Department of Defense. The directive’s goal is to uphold high standards of cybersecurity and information assurance within government, and all employees responsible for handling sensitive information or performing cybersecurity functions must meet specific requirements based on their job roles. DoD 8570 is divided into various levels such as Information Assurance Technician (IAT). Each level comes with its own set of regulations.
DoD 8570 was passed in 2005 with an aim of providing training, certification, and management of government employees who perform information assurance or cybersecurity functions in their assigned duties. This directive applies to any full or part-time military service member, civilian employee, contractor, local national fund employee with access to any DoD information system who are performing information assurance (security) functions regardless of job title or occupational series.
DoD 8570 mandates that security professionals meet specific certification standards in order to comply with its mandates, such as CompTIA A+, Security+, and Network+ certifications that demonstrate they possess the skills needed for troubleshooting various technological platforms and systems. In addition, other certifications that must be obtained include CCNA Security, CISA, CSSLP, and CISSP credentials to prove they possess both knowledge and experience of protecting department data.
IT security professionals seeking DoD 8570 compliance should consult their Information Assurance Manager regarding suitable certification programs and training organizations for certification exams. These experts may also suggest how best to prepare for these examinations.
DoD 8570 certifications can be attained easily through registration with the Defense Workforce Registry, getting approved for and passing an IT certification exam, and then providing proof to their Information Assurance Manager of their success. Taking training courses prior to taking the exam may increase one’s odds of passing and meeting compliance with DoD 8570 regulations.
DoD 8140 Certifications
The Department of Defense (DoD) requires all information assurance (IA) personnel working within its ranks to be certified in one or more cybersecurity certifications approved by them, specifically any position with privileged access. Furthermore, those using specific hardware or software must hold at least one additional certification specific to it as part of its DCWF framework ensuring they possess skilled workers for its critical IA functions.
The DoD 8140 directive and DCWF create requirements that align with industry standards for IA personnel. These standards include a taxonomy of DoD work roles as well as an evaluation process that considers knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) when assessing candidates for certain roles. In addition to KSAs they stipulate a minimum level of security certification required before being considered qualified for particular roles – EC-Council provides multiple DoD approved baseline certifications that help IA professionals meet this standard.
To become eligible for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification (CISSP), candidates must attend training offered by an approved provider that conforms with DoD 8140 guidelines. To take the CISSP exam successfully, individuals must pass an intensive and challenging examination that measures their ability to design, implement, maintain or evaluate information systems within their overall job role and environment. N2K offers many DoD 8140 compliant courses that offer students an immersive learning environment while offering hands-on practical approaches to education.
N2K is an authorized partner for many of the certification vendors listed in DoD 8140 guidelines, such as EC-Council. Our courses covering various information security topics are approved under DoD 8140 guidelines and offer online self-paced learning formats – individuals interested can click on any certification name in the table below to view course titles, schedules and learning options for that certification name.
N2K’s CISSP courses meet the criteria set forth by Virginia Values Veterans (V3), an initiative of the Department of Veteran Services that promotes recruitment, hiring and retention of military veterans in Virginia companies. To qualify as V3-Certified companies must complete a training program, demonstrate commitment by setting an annual hiring goal, and report quarterly hiring numbers back to V3. N2K is proud to be part of V3 and work alongside government agencies and companies across Virginia.
DoD ECA Certificates
DoD contractors who need access to government information systems will find that an ECA certificate may be the ideal way to do so. An ECA medium assurance identity and encryption certificate allows users to log onto DoD sites without using physical tokens, and may even be issued by approved DoD ECA vendors as required for authenticating themselves against government systems using PKI authentication methods.
DoD ECA certificates can be used to sign documents that require digital signatures and guarantee the integrity of email communications. You can find more information on this type of certificate by visiting its homepage; here you’ll also find links to additional documentation, including ECA Certificate Policies and DoD-related resources.
If your organization needs DoD ECA certificates, please be aware of the complex procurement process. It requires passing through government vetting procedures and obtaining an CAC from them before purchasing an ECA from an approved vendor – steps which could take months to complete and should be planned for accordingly.
IdenTrust provides a straightforward and cost-effective approach for procuring DoD ECA certificates. Our online ordering system streamlines the entire process, and our team of experts offer unparalleled support – including technical assistance as well as understanding DoD ECA certificate policies.
DoD ECA certificates are issued by some of the largest and most trusted Certificate Authorities, giving your organization peace of mind. In addition, we also offer other DoD-related products and services such as security software solutions and hardware solutions, and would be more than happy to answer any inquiries that arise.
If you are having any difficulties with your ECA certificates, please visit our ECA Certificate Troubleshooting page for assistance. The most frequently reported problems involve Verisign or Symantec root certificate issues which can be solved by following the instructions found here. For any other inquiries please reach out to our help desk directly.
DoD TrustID Certificates
TrustID digital certificates are identity-based digital certificates issued to individuals or companies, offering high assurance security measures that can authenticate websites, web applications and email messages. TrustID certificates can be purchased from trusted third-parties for secure transactions – perfect for organizations needing more comprehensive security than just an email address alone. TrustID certificates come in various formats that can easily be installed onto computers using certificate management tools.
When visiting websites using secure communication, your browser will check their certificate to see if it is valid and display a warning if necessary. To avoid this hassle altogether, consider installing DoD certificates so your computer recognizes these sites as trustworthy.
DoD root certificates will vary depending on your system. On Windows computers, for instance, certificates will typically be downloaded using InstallRoot 5.5 NIPR Non-Administrator 32-bit Windows installer and then followed the prompts for installing them successfully. Once complete, a summary screen will display to verify this action was successful.
If you’re using Linux, download and install certificates from MilitaryCAC’s Linux Information page before accessing U-SMART website. Right-click the downloaded file, save it on desktop computer and choose “Run as Administrator.”
View Certificates on Your Windows SystemYou can also view certificates on your Windows system by selecting “View CA Certificates” from the AKO/DKO Home Page and navigating to Step 3: DoD Root Certificates. When clicking on Step 3, follow instructions and install them onto your computer – for additional help regarding CAC support please see AKO/DKO Portal or Contact our Help Desk directly for assistance with installing them onto your computer system.