One of the fastest growing areas of the enterprise is cybersecurity. Every year, more attacks are carried out meaning more of the IT budget is allocated for bolstering security, ultimately leading to the need to hire more cybersecurity experts to protect the organization.
According to cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which recently published a casebook with takeaways and insights into the frontlines of incident response (IR) cases spanning 2018, organizations are not making substantive progress to detect intruders and stop breaches overall.
The study also found that commodity malware was often observed as a precursor to larger, more disruptive attacks, and that there has been a dramatic rise in the number of attacks that leveraged social engineering and phishing.
With 82% of IT and cybersecurity professionals claiming they don’t have the right amount of necessary talent within their organization, many are no resorting to in-house training to bring their employees up to scratch.
Certifications are often the best way to ensure the people you work with have the right knowledge and skills to excel in their job. It provides recommendations based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) framework and has developed a stringent process for local vendors that includes a comprehensive evaluation of all qualifications.
The Importance of Security+ certification
For those who are already in the IT security field, or are looking to enhance their career, there is a range of certifications and training options available for those who want to learn about IT security and demonstrate that knowledge to current and potential employers. However, a lot of the more advanced IT security certifications require a level of knowledge, experience, and commitment that might be outside of the range of many newer IT professionals.
A good certification to demonstrate basic security knowledge is the CompTIA Security+ certification. Unlike other certifications, such as the CISSP or the CISM, the Security+ doesn’t have any mandatory experience or prerequisites, though CompTIA does recommend that candidates have at least two years of experience with networking in general and security in particular. CompTIA also suggests that Security+ candidates obtain the CompTIA Network+ certification, but they don’t require it.
CompTIA Security+ is an internationally recognized, vendor-neutral certification from CompTIA that demonstrates competency in the baseline skills needed for a career in IT security industry. Earning this certification verifies your skills in the following areas based on the exam objectives:
Threats, attacks and vulnerabilities: You can detect various kinds of compromise and have knowledge of penetration testing and vulnerability scanning.
Technologies and tools: You can deploy various network components, as well as assess and troubleshoot problems to support operational and information security technology.
Architecture and design: You know how to implement a secure network architecture, cloud computing, virtualization technology and systems design.
Identity and access management: You can implement access controls and identity management and access services, as well as management control.
Risk management: You understand risk management and data security best practices and their business impact.
Cryptography and PKI: You can install and configure settings for wireless security and implement public key infrastructure (PKI).
Benefits of CompTIA Security+ Certification
This certification is ideal for IT security professionals who are relatively new to the field or have never taken a security certification exam before. It’s also useful if you’re looking to switch to cybersecurity from a related field. It is recommended as the first security certification you should earn, as it deals with the core skills needed for any job in cyber security and can help you to move into an intermediate-level cybersecurity position. If you consider getting this CompTIA certification, the benefits listed below will help you make the right decision.
- Vendor-Neutral Certification
The certification is vendor-neutral, which indicates that you do not have to center on technology and security of a precise vendor. Thus, you can incorporate the common components of cybersecurity. The extensive skills and knowledge accumulated while achieving the certification make security professionals and network administrators become very much in demand in the IT marketplace. This imparts you the skill to prospect several opportunities in the field.
- Prerequisites and Required Experience
Since it is an entry-level certification, it is not expected to have much experience. This is one of the main benefits of the certification why many people entering the security industry choose to obtain CompTIA Security+ certification to improve their career potentials considerably. Unlike other cybersecurity certifications, this one doesn’t have any requirements. It is only suggested that the professionals appearing for the certification exam should have at least two years of working experience in security and networking fields to raise their possibilities of passing the exam and being hired in time.
- Globally Accepted Certification
The CompTIA Security+ certification is globally acknowledged to be one of the fundamental security certifications in the field of cybersecurity. Presented by CompTIA (Computing Technology Industry Association), the Security+ certification is also approved by ANSI and is created to demonstrate the understanding of an individual to employ the knowledge, skills, and features required to be compliant with ISO 17024 standard.
- High Career Opportunity
The professionals in the field of cybersecurity are desired by organizations in the private and public areas. The CompTIA Security+ certification provides you an advantage to handle security and network administration responsibilities. With this certification, you can take up a broad range of jobs with various services, such as Compliance and Operational Security, Cryptography, Threats and Vulnerabilities, Data and Host Security, Access Control and Identity Management, and Application.
- Higher Pay Scale
The professionals with the Security+ certification have greater opportunities of receiving higher salaries than their non-certified co-workers. With this certification to your resume, you can expect to receive an average salary of between $42,130 and $95,830 as a network engineer. It is necessary to mention that there are other factors that determine how much you earn, and these factors involve your level of experience and accreditation. Within a few years, the professional with the CompTIA Security+ certification can earn about $66,890 per year.
- Opportunity to Take up Government Work
If you aspire to get a cybersecurity or networking job in any government agency, obtaining the CompTIA Security+ certification is an ideal starting point for you. The certification satisfies the DoD 8570 standard. It is perceived as a compliance standard that is employed for citing many prerequisites required for government employees and contractors at various levels of work in the IT area. The certification meets the DoD 8570 compliance standards that are required for both Technical Level Two and Management Level One positions.
- Opportunity to Learn and Develop
Before you can achieve the certification, you will be expected to study the exam objectives and contents. After significant preparation, you have to clear the exam. In the course of preparing for the exam, you will learn many things about cybersecurity. Moreover, you will acquire skills and knowledge that will benefit you become a greater security professional. This is why hiring managers always look after for the professionals with this CompTIA certification. The certification is evidence of your expertise and skills in the job field.
- Opportunity to Work Anywhere in the World
One notable benefit of achieving the CompTIA Security+ certification is that it is universally recognized, trusted, and accepted all over the globe. Wherever you want to work, this certification can open the door for you. If you aspire to work in the USA, Security+ will make it possible for you. For example, it is recognized by the United States Department of Defence and can work as an icebreaker for any government agency job. If you wish to work as a network cybersecurity professional, this Security+ certification is essential for you.
Earning the CompTIA Security+ certification can help you land job roles that are in high demand and command a good salary, such as security architect, security engineer, security or systems administrator, security analyst, network administrator, security consultant, and junior IT auditor. Although certification isn’t typically a requirement for these positions, it can provide a career advantage.
The U.S. Department of Defense has approved the CompTIA Security+ credential to meet Directive 8140/8570.01-M requirements. The certification also complies with ISO 17024.
Check out ASM's Cyber Security Program
If you are looking to re-skill or get your feet wet on cyber security, ASM offers training classes available both on-site and online. ASM's training program includes Exam Voucher, Extensive Hands-on Labs, Lunch, Refreshments, Indoor Garage Parking Voucher, Practice Exam, and One Year Free Re-take Policy at ASM HQ Facility.
