Cybersecurity is becoming an ever more hot-button issue. It is also an area with a rapidly expanding job sector. Highly skilled cyber professionals are becoming increasingly in demand. It is little wonder why. Cyberattacks, by both individuals and governments, are the new normal. National security aside, hackers are continually trying to get their hands on sensitive information held by companies, registration platforms and government agencies.
All of this together means that there has never been a richer, more diverse market for cybersecurity professionals.
A good starting point for entering this sector is an undergraduate degree. For most cybersecurity roles, your degree should be somewhere within the IT field. For more specialized roles, such as forensic accounting, degrees in other fields and specialized cybersecurity training may be required. Beyond that, you will need a cybersecurity-specific qualification. Here are some of the best ones to have and the areas to which they are applicable.
CompTIA® CySA+
The CompTIA CySA+ is one certification for which a degree in psychology is also useful, as it focuses on behavioral analytics. In short, you will learn to second-guess the hackers. This qualification will teach you how to spot any potential threats and weaknesses in a system. You will then plug these gaps to ensure the system remains watertight.
This qualification is best for those who want to work right on the front lines of cybersecurity, identifying and fighting new threats even before they emerge. There is no set time to complete this qualification. You work through it at your own pace, leading to an exam at the end.
CompTIA® Security+
Recognized worldwide, the CompTIA Security+ covers cybersecurity in general. It makes you an expert in the ever-evolving world of threats, with a focus on building strong security systems and cryptography. As this is a highly technical qualification, a degree in the IT field is recommended.
This certification is best for those who want to specialize in cybersecurity. It opens the door to many opportunities within the field and paves the way for more specialized qualifications further down the line.
EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)™
A certified ethical hacker (CEH) is someone whose principal aim is to hack networks and systems on behalf of companies. This is done to find flaws, faults, and loopholes in their security. This qualification covers digital footprints, firewalls, and vulnerability analysis, among other important aspects of this role.
The EC-Council CEH is best for those who want to become the villain, a sort of digital profiler. A degree in IT is not required, but you do need to be tech-savvy. Once you have some experience, this qualification can pave the way for other specialized qualifications further down the line.
ISACA® CISM
A certified information security manager (CISM) is responsible for overseeing the robustness of a security system. It is, in essence, their job to make an ethical hacker’s job as difficult as possible. This qualification covers all aspects of certified security management and leaves candidates with the highest standards of knowledge in this field.
The ISACA® CISM is broken into four areas: information security governance, information risk management, information security program development and management, and information security incident management.
This qualification is best for those who have some knowledge and experience of management, but are also techy. You do not need to have any specialist IT qualifications, but you do need to have an aptitude for the field.
ISC² CISSP®
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is also ideal for certified information security managers. Unlike the ISACA® CISM, the ISC² CISSP is ideally suited to those with excellent technical knowledge and hands-on experience in the field. It is also ideal for those seeking a more general qualification, as it covers eight areas, compared with ISACA® CISM’s four.
This certification is best suited to those with excellent knowledge and substantial experience in the industry. As it gets fairly technical, an educational background in IT would not necessarily go amiss here.
There has never been a better time to move into the field of cybersecurity. Jobs are plentiful, and it is a rich, varied, and rewarding career. Five of the best qualifications in the field have been detailed in this article. It is up to you to decide which best suits you, your experience, and your career goals.
