Cyber threats are known to one of the fastest growing crimes in the world. They continue to advance in technicalities and are becoming increasingly difficult to be dealt with. This has pushed cybersecurity companies and experts on the edge for discovering suitable tools and methods of keeping threats at bay. There is also a mega opportunity for those looking to make a stunning career in the field by developing the right set of skills and expertise in order to be an ideal candidate for a job position.

There are different certifications which professionals need to have. These certifications allow a person to learn complexities associated with cybersecurity and the skills of defeating threats. Individuals can enroll in boot camp classes offered by various platforms in order to acquire cyber security certifications.

Here is an overview of the top certifications and how can they help:

CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)

It is often said that a cybersecurity expert should be able to think like a hacker in order to defeat one. With such a skill, one can find themselves having all the malicious knowledge of causing damage that criminals usually do. This certification allows a professional hack into systems that are based on cloud computing technologies, mobile applications, or simply operating systems. It provides comprehensive knowledge of system vulnerabilities and the know-how of viruses and malware.

Besides, it allows one to have a clear understanding of security standards that most users employ in their systems. CEH professionals have experience of working in scenarios joined by other hackers where they breach networks and steal information. They know how to scrutinize and hack systems in order to protect them for future attacks. Professionals are capable of doing penetration testing which gives them a complete overview of a network or system’s security level. They work with other professionals like security managers, security offers, site administrators, and auditors. CEH certification would get you a job that pays around $130,000 a year.

CompTIA Security+

This one remains an entry-level certification for every cybersecurity professional. It requires two years of experience working in the IT industry. This certification is also not based on a particular area and is rather a set of general complexities that are beneficial to know. Certified professionals are able to understand and implement the right security policies, work on strategies in defense against attacks, perform a high level of encryption on networks and systems, learn best-in-class security practices, provide with disaster recovery and ultimately, business continuity. This certification is ideal for anyone willing to step into cybersecurity expertise. It allows for a strong foundation which remains a stepping stone for further and advanced certifications.

CISSP (Certified Information System Security Professional)

This is another widely popular certification and it is considered as a fundamental requirement for IT employees in many companies. Certified professionals have the knowledge and skills of working in different domains such as cryptography, networking, telecommunications, and access control. This is also a generic certification model which does not have a specific application. In order to get this certification, individuals are required to have 3-5 years of work experience in IT. Professionals on job roles are usually called Security Architects, earning up to $150,000 a year. It can also allow an in-house employee to seek promotion on the level of CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) where they can enjoy a salary boost as well as a rich experience of working in the environment. Security analysts, consultants, engineers, IT security managers, etc. can look to acquire this certification.

CISM (Certified Information Security Manager)

Know to be one of the best courses out there and it usually requires up to five years of industry experience to be eligible. Certified individuals have a full grasp of information security management and program development, compliance, risk management, and incident management. The difficulty level of this exam is very high and requires top-tier skills and knowledge. However, it is all worth it because such professionals get to directly take positions of CISO, earning up to $160,000 a year. IT employees working in organization security can also look to acquire this certification to increase their pay scale.

CISA (Certified Systems Auditor)

This particular certification allows you to become an expert of information auditing. It is also a direct indication of your extensive audit experience as an IT professional. You are automatically assumed as having managed weaknesses in a system and using controls at an organizational level. Just like CISM, the certification of CISA also requires five years of IT experience before one can qualify for it. Furthermore, a certified professional is also able to conduct the process of auditing information systems, protection of info assets, IT governance, etc. For positions relating to IS audit, control, regulatory, and assurance, this certification of would an integral qualification.

CSSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional)

It is true that traditional cybersecurity practices do not long belong in the cloud era. Cloud security is a different dimension where only the specific model of security would be compatible. Therefore, IT professionals acquire CSSP in order to ensure their experience and fundamental understanding of cloud systems; its operations, design, and services.

To get this certification, a person needs to have rich experiencing working in the cloud, information technology, and web security engineering. The particular certification makes one an expert of cloud data security, regulatory compliance, infrastructure security, cloud operations, cloud design concepts, etc. Systems architects and engineers, security admins, managers, and engineers as well as organization architects can apply for it. Just like CISM and CISA, CSSP also requires five years of experience, specifically in a cloud-computing dimension.

CHFI (Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator)

Just like forensics are required to assess and find clues at a crime site, cybersecurity has its own area of forensic investigation that is required to study a comprised system or network in order to assess necessary findings in working on solutions.

Cyber-attacks occur hundreds of thousands of times on a daily basis in the world. A CHFI expert is required to run investigation with respect to analyzing a breached system and taking out as much information. Besides, they are also tasked with running audits and taking measures to keep future attacks at bay. They run through everything: intellectual property, corporate usage, violations to usage policy, information, etc.

Usually, network security engineers opt for this level of certification as it is an advanced level one. It also allows a professional to collect evidence and prosecute a criminal in a court. Certified experts specialize in restoring file information that was deleted or damaged, run technical analysis and report based on the system, forensics, etc.

The potential in cybersecurity keeps growing as the offenders continue to explore other different ways and avenues to carry out their assignments in a more sophisticated manner. Cybersecurity experts around the world have joined hands in tracking their strategies and reaching to the root of every attack. Becoming a certified professional can be treated as a useful token for a fruitful prospect of your career in cybersecurity.