Your new annual membership Fee is now $125! How do you feel about that?

[MD007]

I think this is disgusting.  I dont feel I got value for money when it was $85 now how do you justify $125?

Its extortionate. 

[gthompson]

Financials are available in the annual report which is available on the (ISC)2 website. The 2018 is due soon, but you can view last years which breaks this down.

[wayne]

SamanthaO_isc2 

The fact that I ISC2 leadership has been negligent in maintaining the fee structure for 15 years, does not justify catching up all at once.  As a consultant I evaluate my rates charged to clients annually.  Some years I do not change the rates, and some years I do.  However, I would not be in business very long if I neglected to do this and attempted to catch up and raise my rates to my clients by nearly 50% (they would leave in a hurry)  

As for that Member perks,  I created an account, downloaded the app for my phone.  Looked at it, then deleted it. I get better discounts on those services via my USAA account (which does not cost me anything).

ISC2 has always been very proud $$ of their books and training.  Certification renewals account for only 20% of the total revenue (according to the December 2017 annual report)  I doubt that increasing this by 50% will change the level of services provided to members. The annual report did not separate expenses relative to certification renewal expenses vs other operating expenses.

ISC2 does a good job of promoting itself to it's members, however they do not do a good job of disseminating information to the general public regarding the CISSP and other certifications.  Outside of the .GOV domain, I find myself having to explain what it takes to become a CISSP and the knowledge required.

I am done venting,  I (like many others held captive by ISC2) will cough up the additional $40 annually to maintain my CISSP.  However, my opinion of ISC2 and it's leadership, has changed significantly, and it will be reflected in my discussions with clients and peers.  

[indygeek]

I tend to disagree with that assessment.  The value of the certification received from ISC2 has decreased as the criteria for obtaining the cert has been drastically minimized - so I don't see how the statement of the ROI being worth the dramatic increase is valid.  I didn't get certified to have access to educational resources that are available just about anywhere else - I got certified because it used to be a very real demonstration of your abilities and experience as a Information Security Professional.  Now they are just a dime a dozen (all you have to do now is pass the test).

[rslade]

> AMF_incredulous (Viewer) posted a new reply in Member Support on 01-25-2019

> I would not be surprised if a legal challenge is being considered against
> this price increase and the ISC2 board; possibly crowdfunded by the members.
> Some people will accept the hike, some people will leave ISC2, and some may
> fight it.

For the same reasons I previously noted about our "power," I very much doubt
that anyone will pay to mount a legal challenge.

However, I am seeing a large number of messages from people who are simply
going to drop the cert. I suspect that there will soon be a number of people
claiming "passed the CISSP exam, but didn't maintain the cert" on resumes.

====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade@vcn.bc.ca slade@victoria.tc.ca rslade@computercrime.org
Jack shook his head and staggered backwards, his hand falling on
to the shaft of an axe that was resting in a block of wood. He
knew what had to be done. He hobbled into the shed, rummaged
under the broken wood and found his father's old chainsaw.
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[rslade]

> bobmorning (Viewer) posted a new reply in Member Support on 01-25-2019 08:21 AM

>         Are we going to get free training or just my ISC2 crap
> filling my inbox for conferences I can't afford to go to or that my employer
> would just laugh at?

Which reminds me. I am old enough to recall the days when training really *was*
free: when ISC2 held events (mini-one-day conferences) in various places that
were free for ISC2 members/cert holders to attend. Now, as you say, it is all just
another revenue-generating stream.

(Yes, I know that the Webinars are still free--so far. And I also know how little
value they provide. Other than CPEs.)

====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade@vcn.bc.ca slade@victoria.tc.ca rslade@computercrime.org
No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single
experiment can prove me wrong. - Albert Einstein
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[rslade]

> François (Newcomer I) posted a new reply in Member Support on 01-25-2019 08:26

> Why not openly poll members for their vision on ROI, just to see?

"Poll"? You mean ask the members about anything? Surely you jest ...

====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
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I said that if people tell you your mother is not prime minister
anymore, you just turn around and say, 'So what? How often has
your mother been prime minister?'
- Benazir Bhutto, former Pakistani prime minister, recounting
advice she gave her children.
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[MD007]

CISSP is still a very very difficult test, I would never refer to that as one of those old Microsoft or EC-Council ones where you memorize brain dumps, pass then forget.

The CISSP is critical for a security job these days, both the letters on your resume and the knowledge gained from studying for it.

Sadly, ISC2 know this, which is why they can charge anything they want. Its amusement park tactics.
I HAVE to keep my CISSP, so I HAVE to pay whatever they want. I cant NOT renew.

Its a disgusting way to treat members who are basically hostages to their greed.
That Sarah Sanders-like justification just makes me cringe reading it

[rslade]

> bobmorning (Viewer) posted a new reply in Member Support on 01-25-2019 08:41 AM

> I want a copy of the organizations by-laws and articles of incorporation.

Ask notice@isc2.org

By-laws: https://www.isc2.org/About/Board-of-Directors/Bylaws
Elections: https://www.isc2.org/About/Board-of-Directors/Board-Elections

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rslade@vcn.bc.ca slade@victoria.tc.ca rslade@computercrime.org
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empiricists trying to describe things of unimaginable wonder.
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http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/author/p1/
https://is.gd/RotlWB

[smham2]

I know someone mentioned that this might cause people to jump to SANS.  However, let's consider that the cost to train and certify is not getting any cheaper and will keep increasing, including SANS, (ISC)2 and ISACA.  

I have 3 SANS certifications and the price to renew has been increasing steadily since I got them over 10 years ago. The one option to avoid taken an exam - CPE's is more in SANS favor than it is in mine. But like everyone else, I will keep renewing. Same with my certification with (ISC)2 considering that where I work, they verify that I renewed in order to keep me hired and not consider me "lacking" the training need.  

Funny I need to do everything possible to renew my certification, but try getting them to pay for training to help in this regard. 

[Shannon]

@SamanthaO_isc2, your clarification doesn't provide much justification for most of us here, and if there is an ROI, I hope I'll live to see it...

You spoke of (ISC)2 having maintained a low AMF for the past 15 years, but like @wayne stated, a gradual increase in the AMF during that time would've been better than this sudden hike which is hitting everyone like a whirlwind.

With regards to member benefits --- for which you may have accidentally provided a link to the AMF overview page on the site --- I don't know if all the members really reap them; I trust (ISC)2 at least conducted a survey to gauge this.

Anyway, I see it like this:

Courses:  There aren't many of these yet, and having only taken 3, I can't complain that much, except in the case of the one related to GDPR, whose flaws I already pointed out elsewhere on this community. (I thought  they were just offered to us for free to gauge our opinion, before being tailored and then charged for --- but if they're all going to be free, they should be properly designed & scrutinized before being advertised.)

Exclusive member pricing for Congress & Secure Summits: I can't comment here, as I've never been to them yet. In any case, I'm not likely to fly halfway around the world to attend one, unless it's on the schedule of a holiday or sponsored by my employer. (Neither has happened so far)

50% off on official (ISC)2 textbooks: This might appeal to those who are enthusiastic about reading them and pursuing other certifications on (ISC)2 --- but I'm not one of them.

Member perks benefits: None of them are offered where I reside --- and I don't intend to travel to the UK to avail of them. (Then again, if (ISC)2 will sponsor my trip and stay there, I might give it a try)

Member discounts: To avail of this, you have to be able / willing to use the service --- but I don't meet either of those requirements right now, and I don't know if I will in the future.

Webinars: While I do enjoy these, there are many sources out there, so this isn't much of a member benefit.

Magazine: I've already expressed my view in an earlier & another user also voiced an opinion. The magazine isn't too focused on technology, compared to promoting (ISC)2 --- & the quiz also seems to include the latter! (Nowadays, I only read the magazine when I'm having trouble falling asleep)

Awards programs: I don't foresee myself ever qualifying for one of these, so I can't comment. (However, If venting out frustrations about the AMF entitles us to this, we all have a winning chance)

Online Community: I don't know what to say --- except that I'll soon be joining the CISSP Forum. 

Member benefits don't appeal to me; it's all about the certification --- as it was when I took the exam. It's like travelling by air: I won't buy a business class ticket for the privilege of using an airline's lounge at the airport.

The fact that the CPE portal's enhancement was so badly managed hasn't softened the blow of this. It would have been helpful if (ISC)2 sent all members a notification, announcing the planned change, the prospective duration, potential issues, and how to get around them. We've been seeing corrective actions --- members putting up posts about issues they're facing, and (ISC)2 then fixing them or offering condolences.

Before pushing out a system, you want to be sure its devoid of flaws and will be acceptable to the majority of its users...