eLS is Retiring 5 Certifications: Here's What You Need to Know
INE recently announced that five eLearnSecurity certifications were being retired, and our community has responded with valid questions that we want to address. In the hopes of clarifying and easing any concerns, we’ve assembled a list of FAQs.
If after reading the following you still have questions, please reach out to our support team at support@ine.com so that we can ensure you have all the information you need.
What certifications are being retired?
The following ELS certifications are being retired from all INE platforms on October 1, 2023:
eCPTXv2 / PTX v2- Penetration Testing Extreme
eCMAP / Map v1- Malware Analysis Professional
eCXD / XDS v1- Exploit Development Student
eCRE / REP v1- Reverse Engineering Professional
eWDP / PWD v1- Practical Web Defense
What training content is being retired?
The following ELS courses (and their affiliated content) are being retired on the eLearnSecurity website on October 1, 2023. These eLearnSecurity courses are associated with the certifications we are retiring.
- Map v1- Malware Analysis Professional (eCMAP)
- XDS v1- Exploit Development Student (eCXD)
- REP v1- Reverse Engineering Professional (eCRE)
- PWD v1- Practical Web Defense (eWDP)
- PTX v2- Penetration Testing Extreme (eCPTXv2)
* Please note that these ELS courses are available on the INE platform and can be downloaded until October 1st. While these courses will be removed from eLearnSecurity.com, these learning paths will continue to stay active on ine.com after October 1st.
Why are these certifications being retired?
As part of ongoing efforts to closely align our content offerings to the evolving needs of our clients, we periodically identify content that requires either minor or major updates in order for it to continue providing value. Based on a thorough review of our content, we have decided to retire the eCPTXv2, eCMAP, eCXD, eCRE, and eWDP certifications and their related content. While these certifications did an excellent job preparing our clients for job roles within cybersecurity at the time of their creation, we understand that some of the practices, tools, and concepts currently covered in the exams are no longer considered current. As a result, they are no longer aligned with our mission of helping you become an expert at your craft.
While this content is being removed, INE will continue to create new products that address the rapidly evolving cyber landscape. In the meantime, there are hundreds of courses to choose from in our content library that you may find of interest and relate to the skill sets covered in the retiring certifications.Visit ine.com for more information.
Are these certifications being replaced?
At this time, we do not have plans to recreate the certifications that are being retired this year (2023).
It’s our top priority to provide content that is current and relevant; we’ll continue to monitor the market and develop content that meets the needs and expectations of the IT community. If we find that there is a strong need/desire for this content in the future, our team will release content to our audience via new learning paths, certifications and/or labs, and share this update with you all. Despite the retirement of these certifications, we will continue to update and expand on our other courses and certifications in the near future.
When will the certifications no longer be available for purchase?
Certification vouchers will no longer be available for purchase as of May 1, 2023.
If you are an eLearnSecurity client and do not have an INE subscription, you have until October 1, 2023 to download the course content onto your device, allowing permanent access to the training materials even after we remove it from our platform.
* If you are currently an INE Business Subscription holder and have unused certification voucher(s) for any of these exams or wish to apply an unused eLS Business Certification Voucher towards one of the exams, please reach out to your INE contact to arrange to have the exam voucher added to the user’s account by May 1, 2023.
How long do I have to complete the certification exam?
October 1, 2023
If you decide to purchase a certification voucher for one or more of these certifications OR use a certification voucher you already have in your eLearnSecurity account, please be sure to submit your exam for grading by October 1, 2023. After this time, all access to the retiring content and certifications will be removed from the eLearnSecurity platform.
What happens if I’ve already completed the certification?
Your eLearnSecurity certification credential will remain the same and you will maintain your status as a certification holder. You will maintain an eLearnSecurity certification holder status permanently, as you have already passed one or more of these exams and demonstrated your mastery of those affiliated skills.
While you will no longer see these certifications on any INE website after October 1, 2023, you can verify your credential at any time by using our “Verify Certificate” tool.
What happens if I’m an infinity voucher holder?
Our clients who purchased an infinity voucher for one of the certifications that are retiring will be able to swap their current infinity voucher out for another free normal voucher of their choosing. This is a one-time exchange for a normal certification voucher and cannot be swapped for another infinity voucher.
Please note that this offer only applies to clients who purchased an infinity voucher independently and did not receive an infinity voucher as a result of a pre-existing (and expired) INE business subscription. For organizations currently partnering with INE as their training platform, please contact your account manager for assistance in this process.
