Practical DevSecOps certifies 1,000 AI security professionals
Practical DevSecOps has surpassed 1,000 certified professionals in its Certified AI Security Professional (CAISP) programme, marking a key milestone in the field of AI security training.
This development comes as enterprises face increasingly sophisticated threats targeting artificial intelligence and machine learning models. Contemporary risks such as prompt injection, data poisoning, and model inversion attacks are evolving more rapidly than existing security measures, raising the demand for professionals with hands-on AI security expertise.
Mohammed A. Imran, Chief Executive Officer at Practical DevSecOps, commented on the achievement, stating, "When we launched Certified AI Security Professional (CAISP), we anticipated the growing importance of AI security, but the pace at which it has become a critical business imperative has been remarkable. Training 1,000 professionals is not merely a number; it represents a growing cohort of defenders equipped with the practical skills needed to identify and mitigate threats that most conventional security tools are not designed to address."
Addressing skills shortages
Traditional cybersecurity curricula have struggled to keep pace with the innovations and vulnerabilities intrinsic to AI systems. The CAISP programme aims to bridge this knowledge gap, focusing on a variety of specialist topics that are now essential in the sector.
The curriculum addresses AI red teaming and defending techniques, referencing the OWASP Top 10 for Large Language Models (LLMs), as well as threat modelling for AI-specific systems and models. Participants also gain experience applying security frameworks such as MITRE ATLAS, mitigating AI supply chain attacks, and securing AI development and deployment pipelines, sometimes referred to as MLOps. Additionally, the programme explores governance and compliance issues, including the NIST AI Risk Management Framework and the requirements of the EU AI Act.
Performance-based certification
The CAISP certification is structured to emphasise practical, hands-on experience, with about 70 percent of the training delivered through laboratory environments. Instead of relying on theoretical or multiple-choice assessments, candidates are required to demonstrate competence in practical scenarios that mirror industry threats.
Skill validation involves a rigorous 6-hour laboratory examination with five distinct challenges. The exam is designed to test applied knowledge across various real-world situations, emphasising proficiency over rote memorisation.
"The difficulty of the exam is a direct reflection of the complexity of the threats our graduates will face," a company spokesperson noted. "A certification's value is tied to its rigor. This program's hands-on validation of attacking and defending AI systems provides the high standard expected from a specialized AI Security Certification, and we are committed to upholding that standard to signify true competence."
Programme features
The CAISP certification includes a comprehensive support structure for participants, with a 60-day lab access period allowing flexible, on-demand practice via browser-based labs. Over 40 practical lab exercises are offered to help learners understand both successful attacks and defensive strategies at a technical level.
Enrolees receive 24/7 support through a dedicated chat channel and must complete the 6-hour, task-based hands-on examination as a requirement to earn certification.
Industry implications
The integration of AI systems in commercial and organisational environments continues to outpace the development and deployment of tailored security measures. Many businesses rely on third-party algorithms and models that may contain vulnerabilities or be lacking in essential security features. Professionals with CAISP certification are trained to identify and mitigate such risks, enhancing security postures beyond the capabilities of traditional defensive tools.
Practical DevSecOps delivers vendor-neutral, hands-on security training. In addition to the CAISP course, its portfolio covers DevSecOps, cloud-native security, container security, threat modelling, API security, and software supply chain security, all requiring candidates to pass practical, extended duration exams without multiple-choice components.
Security professionals globally participate in Practical DevSecOps' courses, aiming to keep pace with the continually shifting threat landscape in artificial intelligence and beyond.
