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February 4, 2025
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5 Best Cybersecurity Certifications to Begin Your Career
The digital world is constantly under threat. From ransomware attacks crippling businesses to data breaches exposing sensitive personal information, the need for skilled cybersecurity professionals has never been greater. If you're looking to break into this exciting and vital field, earning a cybersecurity certification is a fantastic first step. But with so many options available, where do you even begin?
This blog post will guide you through five of the best cybersecurity certifications for beginners, offering a clear roadmap for launching your career and equipping you with the fundamental skills to protect our digital world. We'll consider everything from cost and time commitment to career paths and real-world applicability. Let's dive in.
Why Cybersecurity Certifications Matter
In today's competitive job market, a degree alone isn't always enough. Cybersecurity certifications provide tangible proof of your skills and knowledge, demonstrating to potential employers that you're serious about your career and possess the specific abilities they need.
Validation: Certifications validate your expertise, confirming that you've mastered essential cybersecurity concepts and practices.
Job Market Advantage: The demand for cybersecurity professionals is soaring. Certifications help you stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of landing a job.
Earning Potential: Certified professionals often command higher salaries. Investing in a certification is an investment in your future earning potential.
Staying Current: Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field. Many certifications require ongoing education to stay current with the latest threats and technologies.
DoD Compliance: Certain certifications, like CompTIA Security+, meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) 8570, which can open doors to government and military-related roles.
Our Selection Criteria: What Makes a Good Beginner Certification?
With countless cybersecurity certifications available, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We've carefully selected these five certifications based on the following criteria:
Beginner-Friendliness: They're designed for individuals with little to no prior cybersecurity experience.
Cost-Effectiveness: They offer a good balance between value and cost, making them accessible to those on a budget.
Industry Recognition: They're widely recognized and respected by employers.
Foundational Knowledge: They provide a solid foundation of cybersecurity concepts that can be built upon in the future.
Clear Career Paths: They lead to specific entry-level job roles.
The Top 5 Cybersecurity Certifications for Beginners
Here are our top five recommendations, with details on what they cover, why they're great for beginners, and what you can expect to gain:
1. CompTIA Security+
The CompTIA Security+ is arguably the gold standard for entry-level cybersecurity certifications. It covers a broad range of cybersecurity topics, making it an excellent foundation for a variety of career paths.
What it Covers: This certification validates your knowledge of essential security concepts, including network security, cryptography, identity management, risk management, and security threats. It dives into the core concepts needed to operate in the security landscape of today.
Why It's Great for Beginners: The Security+ is designed for individuals with some IT experience (CompTIA recommends having Network+ certification first, but it’s not mandatory). It offers a comprehensive overview of cybersecurity, making it a perfect starting point for those new to the field. It's broadly applicable to many roles.
Cost: The exam voucher costs around \$392 USD.
Exam Details: The exam consists of a maximum of 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions, and you have 90 minutes to complete it. A score of 750 (on a scale of 100-900) is required to pass.
Career Paths: IT Auditor, Junior Penetration Tester, Security Administrator, DevOps Engineer (with a security focus), and more.
The CompTIA Security+ is a highly sought-after certification. Obtaining this credential can be a game changer for your career. Let's explore ethical hacking for a better career path.
2. (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
Offered by ISC, a well-respected non-profit security professional organization, the CC certification demonstrates that you have a broad understanding of fundamental security principles. The (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) is another great option.
What it Covers: The CC focuses on five key domains: Security Principles, Incident Response, Access Control, Network Security, and Security Operations. It is great at proving skills in incident response and data recovery.
Why It's Great for Beginners: It has no experience requirements, making it truly accessible to anyone looking to enter the field. It provides a solid foundation of knowledge that can be built upon with further certifications and experience.
Cost: Usually around \$199 USD.
Exam Details: 100 multiple-choice questions, 2 hours to complete. Passing mark is 700 out of 1000 points.
Career Paths: Entry-level cybersecurity roles, such as Security Analyst, Security Specialist, or IT Support with security responsibilities.
This certification is a strong step towards becoming a competent security practitioner. It also showcases practical security management skills. If you are planning to understand the components of Splunk platform , this will greatly help you in your career.
3. Google Cybersecurity Certificate
Offered on Coursera, the Google Cybersecurity Certificate is a popular option for those seeking a structured learning path and a recognized credential.
What it Covers: This certificate covers a wide range of foundational cybersecurity topics, including network security, system administration, endpoint security, and incident response. It's designed to equip you with the skills needed to pursue entry-level cybersecurity roles.
Why It's Great for Beginners: No prior experience is required. The program is self-paced, allowing you to learn at your own speed. The course provides access to discounted CompTIA Security+ exam.
Cost: Approximately \$50 USD per month on Coursera (free trial available). The course can usually be completed within 6 months.
Exam Details: This certification doesn't require to pass a particular exam, but rather complete the coursework through Coursera.
Career Paths: Security Analyst, Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst, IT Security Specialist, and other entry-level roles.
Google's brand recognition adds weight to this certification. Also the hands-on exercises makes learning engaging. You might be interested in how AI can help cybersecurity.
4. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
While not exclusively a cybersecurity certification, the CCNA is a valuable asset for anyone pursuing a career in network security.
What it Covers: The CCNA focuses on networking fundamentals, including IP addressing, routing, switching, and network security concepts.
Why It's Great for Beginners: A solid understanding of networking is essential for any cybersecurity professional. The CCNA provides a comprehensive foundation in networking principles, which are crucial for understanding and mitigating network-based threats. It offers a thorough introduction to IT security and networking fundamentals.
Cost: The exam voucher costs around \$300 USD.
Exam Details: The exam covers networking, security fundamentals, and automation.
Career Paths: Network Technician, Network Administrator, Network Security Engineer (entry-level), and other networking-related roles with security responsibilities.
Having a solid grounding in networking is crucial for cyber security. This makes the CCNA a good choice to kickstart your network security career path. You should know about essential files and directories in Linux.
5. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification from EC-Council is a more specialized option that focuses on ethical hacking techniques. While it is on the more expensive side, it provides a deep dive into the world of offensive security.
What it Covers: The CEH covers the five phases of ethical hacking: reconnaissance, scanning, gaining access, maintaining access, and covering tracks. You'll learn how to think like a hacker and identify vulnerabilities in systems and networks.
Why It's Great for Beginners (with a caveat): While CEH requires 2 years of security experience, it can be a great option if you're dedicated and willing to learn. The CEH has comprehensive training in network security and ethical hacking.
Cost: The exam fee is around \$1,199 USD.
Exam Details: The exam is a 4-hour exam with 125 multiple-choice questions.
Career Paths: Penetration Tester, Security Analyst, Ethical Hacker, and other offensive security roles.
It’s a great option if you want to learn to think like a hacker. Focuses on malware and social engineering. Also, you should learn terminal to be more efficient.
CEH vs. CompTIA: Which Path is Right for You?
One common question among aspiring cybersecurity professionals is whether to pursue the CEH or focus on a broader certification like CompTIA Security+. Here's a breakdown to help you decide:
CompTIA Security+: A broader foundation, covering a wider range of cybersecurity topics. It's a great starting point for those unsure of which area of cybersecurity they want to specialize in. More affordable.
CEH: A more specialized certification focused on ethical hacking and offensive security. It's a good choice if you're specifically interested in penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. However, it's more expensive and may be too specialized for beginners.
For most beginners, the CompTIA Security+ is the recommended starting point. It provides a solid foundation of knowledge and opens doors to a wider range of career paths. If you later decide to specialize in ethical hacking, you can then pursue the CEH. Knowledge of what is the MITRE ATT&CK framework also help in career.
What About the CISSP for Beginners?
You might have noticed the CISSP was mentioned elsewhere. While the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is an amazing credential, it requires at least five years of cumulative paid work experience in two or more of the eight domains of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). It's in-depth knowledge of security topics such as software development security, communication and network security and identity and access management (IAM). Because of this experience requirement, it's not really a beginner certification.
Beyond Certifications: Essential Skills and Experience
While certifications are valuable, they're not the only thing you need to succeed in cybersecurity. Employers also look for:
Hands-on experience: Participate in capture-the-flag (CTF) competitions, build a home lab, or contribute to open-source security projects.
Networking: Attend cybersecurity conferences and meetups, join online communities, and connect with professionals in the field.
Soft skills: Communication, problem-solving, and teamwork are essential for success in any cybersecurity role.
Continuous learning: Stay up-to-date on the latest threats and technologies by reading industry blogs, following cybersecurity experts on social media, and taking online courses.
Final Thoughts: Your Cybersecurity Journey Begins Now
Earning a cybersecurity certification is a significant step towards launching your career in this exciting and in-demand field. By carefully considering your goals, budget, and interests, you can choose the right certification to set you on the path to success. Understanding indicator of compromise is also essential.
Remember that certifications are just one piece of the puzzle. Combine your certifications with hands-on experience, networking, and a commitment to continuous learning, and you'll be well on your way to a rewarding career in cybersecurity. The world needs your skills – get certified and start making a difference today!
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Arun KL
Arun KL is a cybersecurity professional with 15+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, cloud security, vulnerability management, Penetration Testing, security operations, and incident response. He is adept at designing and implementing robust security solutions to safeguard systems and data. Arun holds multiple industry certifications including CCNA, CCNA Security, RHCE, CEH, and AWS Security.
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