As we are moving towards digitalization, businesses worldwide have to deal with several cyber risks and security issues.
In recent years, data breaches and vulnerability threats have become more common. Such data losses can lead to reputational damage for any organization, which is more than dangerous.
If you want to become a security analyst or advance your cybersecurity career, you need the proper certification at the right time. Certifications show your skills and knowledge in that specific area, no matter what industry you want to go into.
If you earn the relevant certificates, you can mark your spot and expect a high-paying job as well. But wait, there are many, many certifications to choose from, and each has its requirements and benefits.
So, which one is best for you?
Read this article and find out if these certifications can be a turning point for your career or not. There is nothing like a one-size-fits-all solution. Some of you may find CompTIA Security+ a game-changer. On the other hand, some of you may consider CRISC a worthwhile certification.
Everyone has their own goals and requirements. So, choose one that is best suited to your certification goals.
How security analyst certification can benefit your career?
Security analyst certification is a way of proving your skills and knowledge in cybersecurity. You can take courses and modules from different organizations and companies that teach you about various aspects of security analysis.
When you finish the courses, you can take a test that checks your understanding of the topics. If you pass the test, you get a certification that shows you are qualified in that area.
You don’t need a certification to work as a security analyst, but it can help you in many ways, such as:
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Learn new skills: Cybersecurity is always changing, so you need to keep learning new things. Certifications can help you do that by showing you the latest techniques, tools, and methods for security analysis.
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Make your profile stand out: Certifications can make your resume more attractive to employers because they show your skills and abilities. They also show that you are willing to learn and grow, which is very important in today’s job market.
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Reach to higher-level positions: Certifications can also help you advance in your career because they show you have specialized skills or tools. This can make you more valuable to your employer and increase your chances of getting promotions and higher salaries.
Consider these security analyst certifications to prove your knowledge and skills
Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP)
The Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) certification is the first on our list and one of the best security analyst certifications you can ever earn. The CISSP certification is an advanced credential for experienced security analysts who aspire to senior or executive positions in cybersecurity, such as CIO, CISO, security systems engineer, senior security consultant, information assurance analyst, or IT director.
The CISSP certification demonstrates your expertise in IT security and your ability to design, implement, and manage a comprehensive cybersecurity program for an organization.
To qualify for the CISSP exam, you need to have at least five years of experience in two or more of the following cybersecurity domains: asset security, communication, and network security, identity and access management, security architecture and engineering, security assessment and testing, security operations, security and risk management, and software development security.
CompTIA's Security+
The CompTIA's Security+ certification from CompTIA is a great way to start your career in cybersecurity. This certification proves you have the basic skills to perform core security functions. It can help you get entry-level cybersecurity analyst jobs.
To take the Security+ certification, you don’t need any prerequisites, but CompTIA suggests that you have at least two years of experience as a systems administrator or a similar role. The certification exam has 90 questions; some are multiple-choice, and some are performance-based.
The performance-based questions test your ability to handle digital attacks, overcome security challenges, and carry out a planned incident response in a simulated environment. The certification is valid for three years, and you can renew it by joining CompTIA’s continuing education program.
Certified Systems Security Practitioner (SSCP)
The Certified Systems Security Practitioner (SSCP) is an intermediate certification from (ISC)2, designed especially for security analysts with experience in enterprise security systems and IT infrastructure. The SSCP certification shows you have the skills and knowledge to design, implement, monitor, and secure IT infrastructure.
The SSCP certification exam tests your knowledge of risk identification and analysis, access controls, cryptography, incident response, security administration, and the security of applications, communications, networks, and systems. You must have at least one year of experience as a security analyst or a similar role to take this certification.
Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)
The Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) certification is offered by ISACA. The CRISC certification program is best suited for security analysts who want to focus on risk management. This certification shows that you are dedicated to risk analysis and management.
The ISACA-CRISC certification helps you identify, measure, and manage an organization's risks. To earn this certification, you need at least three years of work experience in at least two areas: organizational and risk governance, IT risk assessment, risk response and reporting, and information technology and security.
GIAC Network Forensic Analyst (GNFA)
The GIAC Network Forensic Analyst (GNFA) certification is one of the most popular and widely accepted credentials, validating your knowledge and skills in network examinations using forensic analysis. This certification shows you know much about network forensics, network protocols, tools and processes for analyzing system and device logs, and encrypted and wireless communication protocols.
The GIAC Network Forensic Analyst (GNFA) certification is good for you if you want to work in network forensics, network intrusion investigations, incident response, or information security. The final exam is two to three hours long, has 50 to 66 questions, and you must get at least 70% to pass.
The GIAC Network Forensic Analyst (GNFA) certification covers a wide range of exam domains such as network architecture; network analysis and attack visualization; network analysis tools, techniques, and applications; open-source network security proxies; protocol reverse engineering; security event and incident logging; and wireless network analysis.
Cloud Security Engineer (C|CSE)
The loud Security Engineer (C|CSE) certification is offered by the EC-Council and is a course that helps security analysts learn how to protect cloud infrastructure. The C|CSE certification program covers both vendor-neutral and vendor-specific topics.
This certification teaches analysts how to use popular cloud platforms and tools and techniques to find and fix threats and weaknesses in cloud infrastructure. To earn the C|CSE certification, you must pass a four-hour test with 125 multiple-choice questions. The Cloud Security Engineer (C|CSE) certification course focuses on practical skills for security analysts who want to learn more about enterprise cloud systems.
Certified Offensive Security Professional (OSCP)
The Certified Offensive Security Professional (OSCP) certification is one of the best security analyst certifications offered by OffSec. The OSCP certification proves you can attack and penetrate different live machines in a realistic environment.
This certification program is ideal for analysts who want to improve their penetration testing, ethical hacking, or threat research skills. You can take the penetration testing-200 course from OffSec to prepare for this certification. This course teaches you many penetration testing tools, techniques, and methods. You don’t need formal prerequisites to take the OSCP exam, but it can help if you know some networking and scripting.
How to choose the best cybersecurity certification for you
If you want to get a cybersecurity certification, you need to do some research first. You must determine which certification is right for you and your career goals.
Here are some things you should think about when you choose a certification:
Professional experience: Start with a certification that matches your skills. For example, if you are new to cybersecurity, you can start with a basic course and then move on to more advanced ones as you get more experience.
Cost: Think about how much the certification and renewal fees are. Some employers pay for their employees’ education. You can ask your employer if they will pay for the course, exam, and other fees.
Specialization: If you are an IT employee who wants to switch to cybersecurity, a general security analysis certification might be a good option. As you grow in your career, you can get more specialized certifications that will make your resume better.
Job description: Look at the job postings for the employers you want to work for. See what certifications they require. This can help you decide which certification to get based on your career goals.
The bottom line
As they say, security is the backbone of an organization. So, whether you are about to start your career in the IT field, more specifically in the IT security field—these above-mentioned certs can help you stand apart from the crowd.
If your passion is to monitor network infrastructure, execute internal security audits, and analyze the root causes of network vulnerability and data breaches, you are good to go with these certifications.
There, you have it. Until now if you have decided to take one of these security analyst certifications, CBT Proxy can help you in many ways.
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