Best Security Certifications in 2018

Cybersecurity has become the most common issue for businesses all over the world. It’s a huge trend to hit the IT world yet. These issues majorly being hacking and breaching of company data by devices as simple as mobiles phones and IOT devices. 2017 saw many companies as part of this unfortunate trend, for example, one of the companies is a renowned American site Friendfinder’s which was hacked and had over 400 million accounts stolen; Equifax too was hit, there was a breach of the security and over 140 million consumers were hit and affected.

Consequently, security certifications have become a must-have certification in the IT world in order to secure the information and prevent its leakage. A variety of security certifications are available nowadays, one might wonder how to choose which one is best for him or her.

Well, here are but a few of the best certifications out there:

    CompTIA Security+

    Certifies Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

    GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC)

    Certified Ethical Hacking Certificate (CEH)

    GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)

CompTIA Security +

This is a rudimentary certification in the field of IT that provides acceptable knowledge of security in theory but not in practical lab work form. CompTIA Security+ is globally acknowledged as a validation of the basic skills and knowledge of data securing. It has been referred to as the best standard point of reference in the IT field. This certification is the best for beginners in the field of information security as it covers all the basic principles of risk management as well as network security.

Prerequisites:

    Mandatory recommendation of 2 years’ worth of experience in the IT administration field.

Exam details:

    Exam code: SY0-501 (updated after SY0-401 retired)

    Number of questions: 90

    Type of questions: multiple-choice

    Passing score needed: 75%

    Time: 90 minutes

    Languages: English, Japanese and Portuguese.

Job Opportunities:

    Cybersecurity Analyst

    System Engineer

    Network Administrator

Approximate salary awarded after certification is $70,000 annually.

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

This is a top-level information security certification. It is best suited for individuals with better-proven skills in IT, especially in managing the overall performance of the security program, creativity in designs and engineering. It is globally acknowledged. It is the first security to meet the stubborn needs of ISO-IEC standard 17024.

Prerequisites and requirements:

    A minimum of 5 years’ experience in relevant expertise

    Mastery of at least two out of the ten domains in (ISC)2CISSP CBK

Exam details:

    Number of questions: 250

    Time awarded to the exam: 6 hours

Job opportunities available:

    System engineer

    System analyst

    System consultant

GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC)

This is best for those intending to demonstrate skills regarding IT security. This certification is also globally acknowledged and is recognized by the government as well as the military when it comes to cybersecurity effectiveness.

Prerequisite and requirements:

    No prerequisites are required here

Exam details:

    Number of questions: 180

    Time allocated for the examination: 5 hours

Job opportunities:

    Information Security Manager

    IT Security Consultant

    Web Developer

Approximate salary awarded is $77,000

Certified Ethical Hacking Certificate (CEH)

This is a hacker who is hired to understand, discover and protect a business from attacks by unauthorized personnel. There are limitations put in place by the law for this practice. Certified ethical hackers have widely been embraced by renowned companies to beat hackers at their game.

Prerequisites:

    A mandatory two year or more of experience in information security

    Training is greatly recommended

Exam details:

    Exam code: 312-50

    Exam cost: $950

    The number of questions in the exams: 125

    Amount of time allocated to this exam: 5 \6 hours

Job Opportunities:

    White Hat Hacker

    Server Administrator

    Kali Linux Developer

Approximate salary paid is $96,000

GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)

This certification concentrates majorly on computer systems and network vulnerabilities. The certified professionals possess the utmost knowledge on the identification of network threats and the general performance metrics of the system.

Exam details:

    GPEN exams are 115 questions for certification

    Questions type: multiple-choice

Approximate salary paid is $ 72,000.

CISM: Certified Information Security Manager

This is also a top level certification. It is for IT professionals responsible for developing and overseeing as well as managing information security systems. This certification is intended for professionals looking to acquire the highest quality standards and skills in auditing and controlling security systems. These are professionals who advanced and proven skills in program development, security risk management, and incident management.

Prerequisites and requirements:

    At least five years of experience in security

    Agree to ISACA code of ethics

    CISM certification

    Agree to CISM continuity policy

Exam details:

    Only one exam

    Cost is about $710

    There are 200 questions

    Approximate time allocated is 4 hours

    ISACA USES a 200-800 marking scale with pass score is 450 or higher

There are still many more certifications out there and even more information on the certifications I’ve described above so keep your eyes peeled to learn more. There are the top certifications in IT security field that suit from beginners to professionals who are already experienced in their field but seeking to advance their skills by learning info security like the Certified System Security Professional (CISSP). There are vast job opportunities for certified info security professionals and the pay is enviable.

Conclusion

If you are truly interested in advancing your career in IT and have an interest in data securing, the certifications described above are what you really need. It is the mark of your skill level and of you as a top professional, with profound knowledge and experience. Security certifications are definitely of great help for those, who are seeking for better career prospects and higher salary. What needs from you-passion for this field and hunger for knowledge.