IT Security Essential Body of Knowledge (EBK):
A Competency and Functional Framework for IT Security Workforce Development

Overview

The IT Security EBK conceptualizes IT security skill requirements in a new way to address evolving IT security challenges. The EBK characterizes the IT security workforce and provides a national baseline representing the essential knowledge and skills that IT security practitioners should have to perform specific roles and responsibilities. As a single foundation linking competencies to security roles, the IT Security EBK will help ensure that we have the most qualified and appropriately trained IT security workforce possible.

The IT Security EBK was developed as an umbrella document that links competencies and functional perspectives to IT security roles. It reflects the vast contribution of resources and builds directly upon the work of established references and best practices from the public and private sectors, which were used in the development process and are reflected within the content of this document. The EBK is not intended to represent a standard, directive, or policy by DHS. Instead, it further clarifies key IT security terms and concepts for well-defined competencies, identifies notional security roles, defines four primary functional perspectives, and establishes an IT Security role, competency, and functional matrix.

Benefits

Potential benefits of the IT Security EBK for professional development and workforce management initiatives include the following:

• Articulating the functions that professionals within the IT security workforce perform, in a context-neutral format and language.
• Promoting uniform competency guidelines to increase the overall efficiency of IT security education, training, and professional development.
• Providing a content guideline that can be leveraged to facilitate cost-effective professional development of the IT workforce, including future skills training and certifications, academic curricula, or other affiliated human resource activities.

IT Security EBK

Resources