In a world that is rapidly digitizing, cybersecurity is now more than just a back-of-house function. It is now the front-line of an organization’s defense, protecting them from cyberattacks that can disrupt their organization by compromising their data. With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, and regulations tightening, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is growing across all sectors. Getting certified in the industry is one way to differentiate in the crowded field, and this is a way to validate your cybersecurity expertise.
Cybersecurity certifications not only enhance your technical skills and expertise, but they usually lead to new opportunities for networking, and in most cases, a substantially higher base salary. In this article, we explore some of the best cybersecurity certifications available worldwide – what is unique about them, who they are related to, and how they can benefit your career.
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
Though it is not the only certification from (ISC)², the CISSP is acknowledged to be the ubiquitous standard in cybersecurity certifications. Validated around the world, the CISSP demonstrates your in-depth technical knowledge of and management of cybersecurity programs.
✔️Who the certification is for: Mid-level to senior-level security professionals – security managers, security consultants, directors of IT/Information Security- having extensive knowledge of the technical areas in network security, including technical and management skills will fortify the security program in their organization
✔️Key domains: Security and risk management, asset security, security architecture and engineering, communication and network security, identity and access management, etc.
✔️Prerequisites: The CISSP requires five years of cumulative paid work experience in two or more of the eight domains.
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) on the EC-Council organization provides training on malicious techniques hackers use for ethical purposes. CEH certified professionals learn to think like hackers and uncover vulnerabilities before bad actors attempt to exploit them.
✅ Who it’s for: Security analysts, penetration testers, network security professionals, and those who want insight into a hacker’s perspective.
✅ Key topics: Footprinting and reconnaissance, scanning networks, enumeration, system hacking, social engineering, etc.
✅ Why it matters: CEH offers global credibility and a strong foundation for people in offensive security or penetration testing: The CISSP is relevant because many employers will require the CISSP for certain leadership roles in cybersecurity, and it is also very highly regarded for cybersecurity professionals everywhere.
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
The CISM, offered by ISACA, is a certification that covers the management side of cybersecurity – managing and governing an enterprise’s information security program.
✅ Who it’s for: Security Managers, IT auditors, risk managers, and anyone managing information security.
✅ What are the key areas covered: Information security governance, risk management, security program development and management, incident management.
✅ Prerequisite: Five years of information security management experience, including eligibility for Guy types of waivers for education and certifications.
✅ Why it matters: CISM connects your business goals with “security” initiatives so it is a great step if you are experienced or starting to step into Management or leadership roles.
- CompTIA Security+
The CompTIA Security+ certification is a popular and trusted entry-level certification that covers the core principles and concepts of cybersecurity and is a vendor-neutral certification that represents a solid entry point for someone starting a career in this field.
✅ Who it’s for: Entry-level IT practitioners, help desk technicians, or someone transitioning from other areas of your organization into this field.
✅ Key Domains: Threats, attacks and vulnerabilities; architecture and design; implementation; operations and incident response; governance, risk and compliance.
✅ Why it matters: Security+ is often described as a baseline for many IT security roles of varying job complexity, especially with government and defense contracting.
- Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) – certification
The OSCP certification offered by Offensive Security is known as one of the toughest, practical assessment of penetration testing skills. Unlike multiple-choice testing that many certifications offer, it is a practical exam where candidates are required to compromise real-world systems in a 24-hour exam.
✅ Who it is for: Penetration testers, red team members, and security consultants who want evidence of their practical hacking skills.
✅ Key content area: Practical penetration testing techniques, exploit development and simulation of attacks.
✅ Why is it important: OSCP has a great reputation in the penetration community and signals real, demonstrable hacking skills.
- Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
With cloud services now prevalent in virtually every business, securing cloud environments has become a key competency. If you secure data (and provide security to data) in cloud based infrastructure, applications, or data, the CCSP, also from (ISC)², is for you.
Regarding the CCSP credentials:
✅Who it’s for: Cloud architects, security engineers, IT managers and consultants who manage cloud infrastructure and technologies.
✅Topics: Cloud architecture, governance, compliance, data security security, infrastructure security, closure issues in the cloud.
✅Why it matters: There is continual demand for CCSP professionals, since more and more organizations move to the cloud.
- GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC)
The GSEC certification from GIAC (Global Information Assurance Certification) is an intermediate-level certification that certifies practical skills in cybersecurity at a higher level than the foundational level.
✅ Who it’s for: IT professionals, security administrators, and anyone interested in demonstrating hands-on knowledge of information security.
✅ Key topics: Access controls, cryptography, incident response, network security, and much more.
✅ Why it matters: GSEC is most useful to professionals wishing to demonstrate their real-world security skills rather than the theoretical understandings.
- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
The CISA certification from ISACA focuses on control, assurance, and auditing. While it is not strictly a cybersecurity certification, it is closely related to security through risk assessments and the auditing process.
✅ Who it is for: IT auditors, risk managers, and compliance professionals.
✅ What you will cover: The primary domains are information systems auditing, governance, acquisition, development, implementation, and protection.
✅ Why it is important: A lot of security functions require working with the audit teams and the CISA certification provides the link in between.
- Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate
The Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate credential is a good base for professionals who use Cisco products or are working in NOCs (network operations centers) and SOCs (security operations centers).
✅ Who: SOC analysts, network security analysts, and junior members of the security operations team.
✅ What: Monitoring, detection, analysis, and response to security incidents, as you would within a SOC.
✅ Why: It is an excellent entry point for professionals interested in working in a defensive cybersecurity capacity and/or for networks.
- ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer
ISO 27001 is an international standard for information security management systems (ISMS), and the ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer certification enables professionals to establish, implement, and manage an ISMS.
The Bottom Line
Cybersecurity certifications are not just paper—they are demonstrable skills and a great way to further your career. In an industry where trust and experience count, there are multiple advantages to having certifications. They may lead to more opportunities, or possibly increased salaries. Again, do research, get involved in the profession, and consider how much credentials mean to you, to be successful in your cybersecurity career.