Two decades ago, people would hardly pay attention to installing antiviruses or think about data security. There were no websites or mobile applications that would ask about your personal details to offer you different online services. Fast forward to today, your data is stored online and shared with many companies like your address, banking details, mobile number, contacts, and so on. Companies that are storing such data of millions of users across the world are quite vulnerable to cyberattacks these days. This should be a cause of worry for you as well as companies – Hackers attack every 39 seconds, on average 2244 times a day!
News regarding a huge increase in hacked and breached data must be flashing on your screen every now and then. So, what is it that can help companies prevent such crimes? The answer is simple – hiring skilled cyber security professionals. Cyber security refers to all the practices followed to secure an organization’s systems, edge devices, networks, and sensitive data from possible intrusion and data breaches. Over the years, organizations have realized the need to follow security best practices and invest more in cyber security. As such, professionals are willing to explore their skills in this domain and often gain the necessary skills through a reliable Cyber Security Bootcamp.
This article is best suited for aspiring cyber security professionals to understand what are the top certifications in this field and how one can prepare to achieve them.
Cyber Security Certifications
Cyber security is one of the most promising careers in this digital age. With such massive data being generated daily, the need to protect them from hackers has become the need of the hour and cyber security professionals are working tooth and nail to deal with them. There are a few organizations that have committed to inspiring a safe and secure cyber world, namely:
- The EC-Council
- The International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)²
- Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA)
- Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA CySA + Certification in Frankfurt)
All these institutes offer globally recognized certifications that help individuals to learn, grow, and thrive in the world of cyber security.
Some of the top certifications offered by them include:
CompTIA Security+
This certification is ideal for entry-level professionals in cyber security. It demonstrates that an individual has the core knowledge required to assess the security posture of an organization, monitor and secure hybrid environments, and identify, analyze, and respond to security threats. The skills that you gain through this certification are applicable across multiple cyber security job roles.
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
Offered by the EC-Council, this certification is designed to help professionals become capable of beating malicious hackers in their own game. You’ll learn about the latest commercial-grade hacking tools, techniques, and methodologies that help prevent cyberattacks. This credential is valuable when applying for any security role like security analyst, cyber defense analyst, security consultant, penetration tester, and information security manager.
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
CISSP is the world’s premier cyber security certification offered by (ISC)². The certification proves one’s ability to design, implement, and manage a best-in-class cyber security program effectively. This certification is designed for experienced security professionals who want to validate their knowledge of different security practices and principles. The CISSP exam would test your expertise in eight domains.
Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
Provided by ISACA, the CISA certification is suitable for those professionals who audit, control, monitor and assess the information technology and business systems of an organization. There are over 151K certification holders across countries and with CISA, you can gain instant credibility in your communication with stakeholders, regulators, as well as customers. Professionals with mid-level experience can apply for it and experience a successful IT career.
Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
Established by the experts at (ISC)², this certification validates your technical skills and knowledge in designing, managing and securing data, applications, and infrastructure in the cloud. This credential adds value for those security leaders who apply best practices to cloud security architecture, design, operations, and service orchestration. The CCSP exam checks your knowledge in a total of six domains. You can visit the (ISC)² website to get more details.
Apart from the ones mentioned here, there are other reputed certifications also which you can explore and select based on your interests.
Preparing for a Cyber Security Certification
There are many benefits of achieving cyber security certifications including decent pay boost, on-the-job performance, and better career growth. The above-mentioned certifications should not be missed if you are serious about a cyber security career. The next concern you may have is how to prepare for these certifications. All of the above certifications can be achieved only after passing the associated exam. And given the global recognition of these certifications, the exams are definitely not easy in any way.
So, aspirants like you prefer taking an online course to prepare for these cyber security certifications. There are some reputed online training providers that have bridged the gap between learners and what companies seek from them. There are two kinds of courses offered by online learning platforms, one that offers separate courses for the certifications covered above, and the other is a master’s program or post-graduate program which helps you learn everything from scratch. The master’s programs are usually long-term specializations and their syllabus is divided into individual courses that prepare you to pass different certification exams.
Now what kind of learning mode you choose depends entirely on your learning needs and interests. If you cannot spare time for a long-term course, you can focus on any one certification and take an individual course to prepare for it. So, what are you waiting for? Don’t forget to grab this opportunity and take your career ahead.
