ITIL 4P-ISM is a certification that verifies the practical ability to deeply integrate information security management requirements into the entire lifecycle of IT services.

1. Introduction to the ITIL 4 Practitioner Information Security Management (ITIL4P-ISM) certification

ITIL 4 Practitioner Information Security Management (ITIL4P-ISM) is an ITIL 4 intermediate practical service management certification launched by AXELOS in the UK, which belongs to the core cross disciplinary practice certification of the ITIL 4 system.

Different from specialized process certifications such as deployment management and event management, it focuses on deeply integrating information security management requirements into the practical implementation ability of the entire lifecycle of IT services.

The core verification of candidates' professional abilities in embedding security control, balancing security protection and service delivery efficiency, and ensuring the core security attributes of IT services in the ITSM process is the authoritative cross-border practical certificate that connects IT service operation and information security management in the ITSM field.

The core positioning of ITIL 4 Practitioner Information Security Management is "standardized operational capability verification of information security management in IT service scenarios." Unlike pure technical network security certification, this certification does not test the penetration testing ability of underlying security technology development, but focuses on the security integration and implementation throughout the ITSM process. Candidates are required to embed the core principles of information security into the entire process of IT service design, transformation, delivery, and support, achieving "security empowers services rather than hindering services."

The core goal of ITIL4P-ISM is to ensure that validators can standardize and integrate security control requirements into all core practices of ITIL 4, including change empowerment, deployment management, event management, configuration management, etc., and identify and control security risks throughout the entire lifecycle of IT services. Simultaneously balancing the cost of security control with the efficiency of delivering business value, making security the fundamental guarantee for IT services to create business value.

2. Why Earn Your ITIL 4 Practitioner Information Security Management Certification? 

AXELOS' ITIL 4 certification is a universal standard in the global ITSM field. This certification is the only ITIL 4 intermediate certificate that focuses on the practical integration of ITSM and information security. It is different from practitioners who only understand ITSM or pure security. It is the core standard for enterprises to screen talents who are "able to integrate and implement" when recruiting for cross-border positions such as DevSecOps and ITSM security management.

The ITIL4P-ISM certification system teaches standardized integration methods for security requirements throughout the entire ITSM process, helping certificate holders overcome the three major pain points of "poor communication between security teams and IT service teams, rigid security control affecting service efficiency, and security blind spots in IT service processes" in enterprises, and achieving the coordinated development of security and services.

ITIL4P-ISM deeply integrates modern practices such as DevSecOps, zero trust, and cloud native security. Holders can understand the characteristics of IT service security control under digital transformation, build a secure and efficient IT service delivery system for enterprise digital transformation, and avoid security incidents caused by lack of security control during the transformation process.

The certificate holder is able to grasp the principle of "risk controllable" security control, design appropriate security control strategies for IT services of different values, avoid the decrease in service delivery efficiency caused by "excessive security," and ensure that IT service security control complies with global mainstream compliance standards such as ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI DSS, etc., helping enterprises avoid compliance risks.

In the current digital transformation of enterprises, DevSecOps and ITSM security management are scarce cross-border positions. This certification fills the capability gap between pure ITSM practitioners and pure information security practitioners, and provides candidates with a clear cross-border career development path, significantly improving their professional competitiveness and salary levels.

3. Overview of the ITIL4P-ISM Certification

The ITIL 4 Information Security Management Practitioner certification is an intermediate specialized certification in the ITIL 4 system that focuses on effectively integrating information security into service management and daily operations.The core goal of ITIL4P-ISM is to bridge the gap between IT service management and information security, cultivate your ability to translate security policies into executable and measurable control measures in ITSM processes, and ensure that security becomes an enabler of business agility rather than a hindrance.

This certification uses over 70% of scenario analysis questions to thoroughly examine risk identification, decision-making, and cross team collaboration abilities in real ITSM scenarios. The certification content strictly follows the official AXELOS practice guide and has built a complete practical framework from concept to measurement. The core concepts and value modules of information security management establish the connotation of principles such as CIA in the context of service, and clarify its boundary with pure technical security.

The IT service lifecycle security risk assessment and control module provides a methodology for assessing service risks and selecting control measures. The top priority of certification is the integration and implementation module of information security in the entire ITSM process. It requires you to be proficient in how to embed security control into ITIL core processes such as design conversion, delivery support, and service requests, and achieve security "left shift" and blind spot management.

The integration module of information security management with modern practices and technologies expands the scope to DevSecOps, cloud native, zero trust, and data governance, ensuring the modernization of methodology. Finally, the performance evaluation, compliance, and continuous improvement modules guide you in establishing quantitative indicators and continuous optimization mechanisms.

4. What are the requirements to be an ITIL4P-ISM certification holder?

(1) Qualification prerequisites:

The prerequisite for applying for ITIL4P-ISM is that you need to hold a valid ITIL 4 Foundation certification and complete the official training courses of AXELOS authorized ATO institutions. Without an official training certificate, you cannot complete the exam registration.

We recommend that you have 1-2 years of ITSM or information security related work experience, familiar with the basic ITSM processes or information security control requirements of enterprises; understand the fundamental concepts of DevSecOps, cloud security, and data security. 

(2) Training and examinations:

The ITIL4P-ISM exam has 20 Single choice question questions, including 14-16 practical situation analysis questions and a few concept matching multiple-choice questions.

The exam duration for native English speakers is 30 minutes; Non native English speaking candidates can apply for an extension of 75 minutes. The maximum score is 20 points, with a passing score of 13 points or above. The score is globally standardized and there is no fixed pass rate.

The exam fee is approximately $200-250, with slight fluctuations among different institutions, including exam fees and electronic certificate fees. 

(3) Qualification maintenance:

The ITIL4P-ISM certificate is valid for 3 years, and you need to complete 22 AXELOS accredited CPD credits or take the ITIL 4 Advanced Certification for automatic renewal before the certificate expires.

5. Comparable Certifications to ITIL 4 Practitioner Information Security Management Certification

• ITIL 4 Practitioner: Release Management (ITIL4P-RM)
• ITIL 4 Practitioner: Change Enablement (ITIL4P-CE)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400)