Northcross Group
Speciality: Compliance-Focused Penetration Testing
Cybersecurity consulting firm based in Portland, Maine, United States; specializes in penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and cybersecurity assessments; offers tailored security solutions to clients.
PMP Certification Overview
Origin and Background
The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification was created by the Project Management Institute (PMI), a non-profit professional organization founded in 1969. PMI introduced the PMP certification in 1984 to establish a standardized credential for project management professionals across all industries. The certification was developed to validate practitioners' knowledge of project management principles, methodologies, and best practices as outlined in PMI's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). While PMP is not specifically a cybersecurity or IT certification, it is widely pursued by professionals in these fields who manage technology projects.
Industry Value and Importance
The PMP certification is highly valued because it demonstrates a professional's ability to manage complex projects, lead teams, and deliver results on time and within budget. In the IT and cybersecurity sectors, where projects often involve multiple stakeholders, tight deadlines, and significant technical challenges, the PMP credential signals competency in essential project management skills including scope management, risk mitigation, and resource allocation. Many organizations prefer or require PMP certification for project management roles, and studies have shown that PMP-certified professionals often command higher salaries than their non-certified peers. The certification's global recognition and PMI's requirement for continuing education also ensure that holders maintain current, relevant project management expertise.
CISSP Certification Overview
Origin
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) was created by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, commonly known as (ISC)², in 1994. The certification was developed in response to the growing need for a standardized, vendor-neutral credential that could validate the expertise of information security professionals. (ISC)² designed the CISSP to establish a common body of knowledge for the cybersecurity field and provide a benchmark for measuring professional competence in information security.
Industry Value
The CISSP is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and recognized certifications in cybersecurity, often required or preferred for senior-level security positions. Its value stems from its comprehensive coverage of eight security domains, including security operations, asset security, and security architecture, which demonstrates a candidate's broad expertise across the entire security landscape. The certification is accredited to ISO/IEC Standard 17024 and meets U.S. Department of Defense Directive 8570 requirements, making it particularly valuable for government contractors and enterprise organizations. Employers value CISSP-certified professionals because the rigorous examination process and experience requirements (minimum five years) ensure holders possess both theoretical knowledge and practical experience in managing and implementing security programs.
ITIL Certification Overview
Origins
ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) was created by the UK government's Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), now part of the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), in the 1980s. It was developed to standardize IT service management practices across government agencies, addressing the need for more efficient and cost-effective IT service delivery. While ITIL itself is an IT service management framework rather than specifically a cybersecurity certification, it has evolved through multiple versions (currently ITIL 4) and includes modules addressing security management as part of comprehensive IT service delivery.
Industry Value
ITIL certification is highly valued in the IT industry because it provides a globally recognized framework for aligning IT services with business needs and improving service quality. Organizations implementing ITIL practices typically experience reduced costs, improved customer satisfaction, and more efficient incident and problem management. For IT professionals, ITIL certification demonstrates knowledge of best practices in service management, making them more competitive in the job market. The framework's emphasis on continual service improvement and risk management makes it particularly relevant for organizations seeking to maintain robust, secure, and reliable IT operations.
CMMI Cybersecurity/IT Certification
Origin
The Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) was originally developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with initial sponsorship from the U.S. Department of Defense. The model was created to help organizations improve their software development and system engineering processes by providing a structured framework for process improvement. The cybersecurity component, CMMI Cybermaturity Platform (formerly called CMMI for Cybersecurity), was introduced in 2018 to specifically address the growing need for organizations to assess and improve their cybersecurity practices through a maturity-based approach.
Industry Value
CMMI certifications are highly valued in the cybersecurity and IT industries because they demonstrate an organization's commitment to process excellence and continuous improvement in managing security risks. Organizations with CMMI certification often have competitive advantages when bidding for government contracts, particularly with the Department of Defense and other federal agencies that prioritize working with mature, process-driven vendors. The framework provides measurable benchmarks that help organizations identify vulnerabilities, standardize best practices, and build stakeholder confidence by showing a systematic approach to cybersecurity governance, risk management, and resilience.
- Stonewall Kitchen
- MaineHealth
- Cianbro
- City of Portland
- Franklin Community Health Network
- Cayuga Medical Center
- State of Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulations
- State of Maine Office of MaineCare Services