POPULAR CYBERSECURITY CERTIFICATIONS.
Cybersecurity also called as computer security or information security is the process of protecting computers, networks, and data from theft, damage or unauthorized access.
Cybersecurity certifications companies are looking for
While the majority of cybersecurity professionals have a bachelor’s degree, most companies give preference to candidates who also have a certification, so having one or more certifications is highly recommended.
There are a number of certifications available in the market, entry-level to advanced.
Before you spend your money and time on a certification, make sure it will help you advance in your career.
1. Certified Ethical Hacker(CEH)
Ethical hackers or white hat hackers do not intend to harm the system or organization, but they do it officially, to penetrate and locate the vulnerabilities, then they will submit a report on their findings to the organizations, which will help the organization to fix vulnerabilities before they get exploited.
The CEH exam is a 4-hour exam with 125 multiple choice questions. This knowledge-based exam will test your skills in Information Security Threats and Attack Vectors, Attack Detection, Attack Prevention, Procedures, Methodologies and more!
COST: Refer to the official website, may vary from location to location.
2. Security+
CompTIA Security+ is the first security certification IT professionals should earn. It establishes the core knowledge required of any cybersecurity role and provides a basic to intermediate-level cybersecurity jobs. Successful candidates will have the following skills, understand penetration testing and vulnerability scanning concepts etc.
The exam is 90 minutes exam with 90 multiple choice questions, passing score is 750 out of 900.
COST: Refer to the official website, may vary from location to location.
3. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
The World’s Premier Cybersecurity Certification, earning your CISSP shows that you have experience in IT security and can design, implement, and monitor a cybersecurity program.
To take the CISSP exam, you must have five years of cumulative work experience in at least two of the eight cybersecurity domains. These include Security and Risk Management, Security Architecture and Engineering, Network Security, Identity and Access Management, Security Assessment and Testing, and Software Development Security.
CISSP Exam consists of 250 multiple choice questions out of which 25 are pre-test questions. The passing score for CISSP Exam is 700 out of 1000 and CISSP Exam duration is 6 hours.
COST: Refer to the official website, may vary from location to location.
4. GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC)
This Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) is an entry-level security credential for those with a background in information systems and networking. Earning this certificate validates your knowledge of security tasks such as active defense, network security, cryptography, incident response, and cloud security.
There are no specific requirements to take the GSEC exam, this includes 2 practical tests.
COST: Refer to the official website, may vary from location to location.
5. Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
SSCP certification demonstrates you have the advanced technical skills and knowledge to implement, monitor and administer IT infrastructure using security best practices, policies, and procedures established by the cybersecurity experts at (ISC)².
Candidates for the SSCP need at least one year of paid work experience in one or more of the testing areas.
SSCP Exam consists of 125 questions out of which The passing score for SSCP Exam is 700 out of 1000 and exam duration is 180 minutes.
COST: Refer to the official website, may vary from location to location.
6. Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
The Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) certification, which teaches penetration testing methodologies and how to use the tools included with the Kali Linux distribution. The OSCP is a hands-on penetration testing certification that requires holders to successfully attack and penetrate various live machines in a secure lab setting. It is regarded as more technical than other ethical hacking certifications, and it is one of the few that requires evidence of practical penetration testing skills.
The OSCP certification exam simulates a live network in a private VPN, which contains a few vulnerable machines. You have 23 hours and 45 minutes to complete the exam. Once the exam is completed, you will have another 24 hours to upload your report.
COST: Refer to the official website, may vary from location to location.
FREE CERTIFICATIONS FOR BEGINNERS
1) Introduction to IT and Cybersecurity
Offered by Cybrary IT
This free IT and Cybersecurity training course is four hours and 21 minutes long, is designed for beginners. Students are introduced to the industry through four disciplines: IT and Cybersecurity, systems administration, network engineering, incident response and forensics, offensive security, and penetration testing.
2) Introduction to Cybersecurity
Offered by Cisco
3) Cybersecurity Essentials
Offered by Cisco
4) IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate
Offered by Coursera
Provides a free certification and a badge from IBM.
5) IT Fundamentals for Cybersecurity Specialization
Offered by Coursera
6) 100W Cybersecurity Practices for Industrial Control Systems
Offered by US Department of Homeland Security
There are many more free and paid certifications in this domain, these are some of the certifications I know.
Thanks for reading!
If there is anything more to be added, please feel free to reach out and let me know at chittuluri19@gmail.com.