Security Experts Debunk CISSP vs CCSP Debate Based on Future Work Environment
News fromCourierPR · 2 min read
COLUMBIA, MD - October 03, 2026 - Security professionals choosing between the CISSP and the CCSP are often asking the wrong question, according to LEXX, a cybersecurity and information technology training provider. The order in which these credentials are pursued depends on the candidate's future work environment, not their relative value in the abstract, the company asserts.
LEXX Training, based in Columbia, Maryland, advises that the decision hinges on whether a candidate's employer operates a mixed estate or has moved entirely to cloud infrastructure. For those supporting on-premises systems, network security, and identity across an enterprise, the CISSP, the broad security credential, is more relevant. Conversely, for practitioners whose entire environment is cloud-hosted, the CCSP, the cloud security specialization, is the better choice.
Ben Tchoubineh, CEO of LEXX, encourages candidates to consult their managers to determine the direction of their team's systems over the next year.
The CISSP, issued by ISC2, covers eight domains and requires five years of paid work experience. The CCSP, also issued by ISC2, is a specialization in cloud security. Both certifications are accredited to ISO/IEC Standard 17024 and approved under U.S. Department of Defense Manual 8140, making them suitable for federal roles where a general credential would not suffice.
For candidates who already hold the CISSP, LEXX offers three concentrations: ISSAP for security architecture, ISSEP for systems security engineering, and ISSMP for security management. Each requires a CISSP plus two years of relevant experience or seven years of cumulative experience. These concentrations are accredited to ISO/IEC Standard 17024 and approved under U.S. Department of Defense Manual 8140.
LEXX Live, the instructor-led arm of LEXX, provides these concentrations as five-day courses, totaling 40 hours and priced at $3,995 each. Each course carries 33 NASBA continuing professional education credits.
The global cybersecurity workforce gap has reached 4.8 million unfilled positions, according to ISC2's 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. This shortage underscores the importance of choosing the right credential based on one's career path. Candidates who expect to hold both the CISSP and the CCSP should still choose a starting point, as the first credential shapes which roles are open while the second is being earned.
LEXX also notes that neither credential substitutes for the other over a career. The CISSP remains the credential most senior security job descriptions name, while the CCSP is the specialization employers ask for when an environment has consolidated onto cloud infrastructure.