In today’s world, data is a weapon that companies can use it to their advantage. What will happen if this data is stolen or tampered with? This is what we call cyber attacks. Organizations are prone to cybersecurity attacks globally than ever before. Due to the digitization of the economy, these threats are going to increase and in novel ways. Hence, it is of utmost importance to keep abreast of the latest technological changes. Please read the article on carers in cybersecurity if you like to know more about the roles available in this area. Cybersecurity certification helps us in knowing about the latest changes. There are many more courses available in the area of particular technology like cloud, cisco networking, and advanced courses, etc. However, the discussion on them is beyond the scope of the current article.
- 1. CompTIA Security+ Certification
- 2. SSCP – Systems Security Certified Practitioner
- 3. CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional
- 4. CISA: Certified Information Systems Auditor
- 5. CISM: Certified Information Security Manager
- 6. CEH: Certified Ethical Hacker
- 7. OSCP: Offensive Security Certified Professional
- 8. Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control
- 9. ECSA – EC-Council Certified Security Analyst
- 10. GSEC: GIAC Security Essentials Certification
- To sum up
Following is the list of cybersecurity certifications that are most popular:
1. CompTIA Security+ Certification
CompTIA Security+ certification is for people who have already started their career in IT. Moreover, this cybersecurity certification is globally trusted. Hence, the person who completes this certification will be able to understand and put in place the best practices in the IT security domain.
Requirements:
- Should have a valid degree in Information Technology.
- 2 years of experience in the networking field is ideal but it is not mandatory.
- Good to have Network+ certification before attempting on Security+ certification.
Certification benefits:
Here, the individual will understand the different causes and also the scenarios under which threats and attacks occur. The individual will also get an understanding of the process of mitigation.
To mitigate or to safeguard the existing platform, one will need to explore new technologies and tools that will help one to manage one’s activities.
This section will help you understand the risk management aspect of security. Also, you will get an understanding of the business policies and its application which reduces the risk and the impact.
Helps you to design the security frameworks from scratch.
The basics of cryptography will be introduced
This section will help you get an understanding of the security controls and user access to the resources.
Cost:
- The certification cost for CompTIA Security+ is about $179.
2. SSCP – Systems Security Certified Practitioner
With this course, the individuals will get to know about the security strategies of the business organization. Furthermore, these practices will actually help in safeguarding and managing the critical information of the organization.
Requirements:
- It is good to have some work experience in the area of information systems and more security-related work experience.
- Practical knowledge of information security practices is important.
- Should be working in a full-time position for at least one year in the above-designated areas.
Certification benefits :
- The individual will be able to understand all access control related policies.
- The individual will be at a point to implement security operations.
- Identifies ways to continuously monitor the system access results.
- The individual will be able to define countermeasures for situations like virus attacks, logic bombs, and trojan horses, etc.
Cost:
- The certification cost for SSCP is about $250.
3. CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional
With this certification, the individual will get exposure to security concerns and how to deal in a professional manner. Hence, the individual will be able to put the standard practices into implementation.
Requirements:
- The individuals should have an experience of 5 years full time. The individuals should be in Identity and Access Management or security engineering.
Certification benefits :
- The individual will have a working knowledge of Information security topics.
- With this certification, the individual will stand out from the crowd and will help while attending the interviews.
- It helps in growing your professional network by teaming you up with the people who are in security.
Cost:
- The certification cost for Certified Information systems security Professional certification is about $599.
4. CISA: Certified Information Systems Auditor
The individual who has completed this certification will have the required skillset to completely govern and advise the IT team of an organization. The individual will have the responsibility of acquisition, development, testing, and implementation of information security systems.
Requirements:
- This course is suitable for people who are already working in the information security domain. The certification will prove to be a boon for IT compliance managers, Chief compliance officers.
- The individual should have at least 5+ years of full-time work experience in the field of Information security.
Certification benefits :
- The individual will be able to define the Audit process of Information security systems.
- Will be exposed to scenarios where the individual will be able to govern and control the entire IT environments.
- Will have a better understanding of the Audit process for an organization’s information systems.
- Will be responsible for entire information systems implementation.
Cost:
- The certification cost for Certified Information Systems Auditor is about $595. The price will be lower if you are already a member of ISACA.
5. CISM: Certified Information Security Manager
The certification is offered for the individuals who have expertise in IS Audit, control, and security aspects in the Information security workspace.
Requirements:
- The individual should have at least 5 years of full-time work experience in Information Systems.
- The individual should be in a managerial position. They should be managing the entire information security processes.
Certification benefits :
- With this certification, the individual will be considered as a skilled resource in the area of Information security.
- The certification will be recognized worldwide.
- It shows that the individual is really passionate about the information security area.
- Idea generation and exchange can happen between like-minded individuals.
Cost:
- CISM exam certification cost varies from $575 – $760 ..The fee will be higher if you are not a registered member.
6. CEH: Certified Ethical Hacker
The course is designed in such a way that the individual will gain knowledge in the area of Ethical hacking. They will be able to write code to tackle the virus and reverse engineer any particular program. Further, the individual will be able to understand the concepts like advanced network packet analysis.
Requirements:
- Should have a valid degree in the Information security field.
- Should have valid work experience in networking, Security analysis.
- Should be aware of the industry standards for safeguarding the data.
- The individual should have knowledge of TCP/IP
- This course is best for an individual who wants to enhance their career and move towards Ethical hacking as a full-time role. People who are into Security Auditors, Network consultants, Security Managers will be a good fit for this certification. This part is not mandatory but it is beneficial.
Certification benefits :
- This certification will provide you with an in-depth working knowledge of Information security aspects.
- Opens up a wide choice for career growth. As this is in real demand right now.
- This certification will also cover requirements for Computer Network Defense (CND) analyst and CND Auditor.
Cost:
- The certification cost for Certified Ethical Hacker is about $500.
7. OSCP: Offensive Security Certified Professional
This certification is used for penetration testing. The use of this certification will enable the individual to express and prove the working knowledge of Penetration concepts and explain the life cycle of the same.
Requirements:
- The individual should have coding experience.
- Working knowledge of penetration testing.
- Should be able to understand and articulate networking concepts.
Certification benefits:
- The person will be able to identify existing defects and also execute cyber attacks to test the system or the process.
- He will be in a stage to modify the existing code and check the system reaction.
- The certification shows that the individual is dedicated and determined to add value to the security aspect of the organization.
Cost:
- The certification cost varies somewhere between $200 to $400. The cost varies because of the different levels of the certification.
8. Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control
By doing this course, the individual will be able to completely design, put in place, execute, watch, and reevaluate Information security controls for the organizations. Topics like risk management, assessment, and control monitoring are clarified.
Requirements:
- The individual should have a valid 10 years of full-time work experience.
- Out of which 3 years should be specific in CRISC domains.
Certification benefits:
- This certification is globally recognized and adds an extra weight while attending interviews.
- The individual will be in a good position to design, implement, monitor, and maintain Information security controls in an organization.
Cost:
- The certification cost for CRISC is about $615.
9. ECSA – EC-Council Certified Security Analyst
This cybersecurity certification is an extension of a certified Ethical Hacker course. Within this certification, the individual will be exposed to real-time conditions. Here, they will get their hands on penetration testing and gain exposure towards it.
Requirements:
- The individual should have a valid degree in the Information security field.
- Should have valid work experience in networking, Security analysis.
- Should be aware of the industry standards for safeguarding the data.
- The individual should have knowledge of TCP/IP
- Should have completed the Certified Ethical Hacking course.
Certification benefits :
- The individual will be able to apply his knowledge and experience gained in the Ethical hacking course. They will be able to apply the same in real-time scenarios and provide a penetration report.
- The certification itself is hard to get through, so it adds uniqueness to the individual who has completed the certification.
Cost:
- The certification cost for ECSA is about $300.
10. GSEC: GIAC Security Essentials Certification
This certification is suitable for individuals who are looking for career growth in the cybersecurity area. Through this certification, they will be able to show their abilities to handle security tasks. The individuals should be responsible for showing different concepts in the information security arena.
Requirements:
- The individual should be aware of the topics like security, understanding of networking, and security aspects.
- For individuals who are completely new to this sector, then they are advised to go through Introduction to Information Security.
Certification benefits:
- The user will be able to design and build a network architecture using different technologies, i.e. NAC, VLAN’s
- Will be able to run a lot of command-line tools to analyze the system.
- He will gain practical knowledge of Threat management, Windows Security, Linux Security, etc.
Cost:
- The certification cost for GSEC $2,400.
To sum up
There are multiple cybersecurity certifications available for security professionals who are in the different stages of their careers. Above is the list of most popular and basics certification courses in the cybersecurity arena. I hope this list exhaustive and the people will benefit from it.
What is red teaming? What is the role of cybersecurity experts in red teaming? Read our blog here.
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