WHAT ARE THE BEST CYBER SECURITY CERTIFICATIONS IN 2020? (LIST OF THE TOP 10)
Are you looking for a definitive list of the best Cyber Security Certifications in 2020? We surveyed over 200 cybersecurity professionals and created a list of the top 10. See the results below (and make a note of the discounts we’ve negotiated on some of the related training courses).
WHAT ARE THE BEST CYBER SECURITY CERTIFICATIONS IN 2020? – INTRODUCTION
Cyber security certifications can be a great way of fast tracking your career. The right course can get you that promotion you want. However, they require an investment of both time and money, and you don’t want to waste either of these on the wrong course.
This is why it’s worth taking some time to choose carefully. We surveyed over 200 cyber security professionals and used the results to create a list of the best cybersecurity certifications to get in 2020.
THE TOP 10 CYBERSECURITY CERTIFICATIONS IN 2020 ARE…
1. CISSP – CERTIFIED INFORMATION SYSTEMS SECURITY PROFESSIONAL – FROM ISC2
In 1st place by some distance is the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional). In our survey of over 200 cyber security professionals, this was voted the best cyber security certification to have. A whopping 44.8% of respondents stated that CISSP was the best security course they have completed (see Figure 1.1 below).
Figure 1.1: In response to the question: “What would you rate as the best security certification you have completed?”
This popularity was even higher in the Americas (55.75%), so it seems to be a “must have” course for any serious IT security professionals in North America and South America. It was also the most popular course among the majority of industries, including Energy, Engineering, Investments, Hospitality, Utilities, Wholesale, Legal and Professional Services.
Why do security professionals think CISSP is the best course?
When we asked them this, the majority (a combined total of 31.4% – see Figure 1.2 below) stated that it enabled them to do their job better. This shows that CISSP is relevant in the real world. It does not just teach you theory – it gives you skills which you can actually use in real world scenarios. Other reasons for choosing the course included “It helped me to get my current position” and “It increased my salary”. According to Forbes, the average salary for those holding CISSP certifications in 2019 was $116,900.
Figure 1.2 in response to the question: “Why was it the best course you completed?”
CISSP was also the course which the highest percentage (14.8%) want to take next, which shows that the popularity of the course is likely to continue into 2020.
2. CISM – CERTIFIED INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGER
The second best cyber security certification (according to the survey results) is the CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) course with 9.5% of the votes. This course is particularly popular in Europe (13%) and APEC (12%), as well as in the education (20%) and consulting (18%) industries. Behind CISSP it is also the second most popular course among cyber security professionals earning between $81,000-$150,000.
The course is designed for managers and has a strong focus on strategy and policies. However, this one is not for beginners – a minimum of 5 years experience in Information Security is required before you are permitted to take the course. Plus this cannot be 5 years back in high school – the experience must be relevant from within the last 10 years. But if you meet the criteria, then the rewards (especially financial) are very handsome indeed. According to Global Knowledge, information security professionals with this qualification earned an average of $118,412 per year in 2019.
3. CEH – CERTIFIED ETHICAL HACKER – FROM EC-COUNCIL
In 3rd place is the CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) Course with 7.6% of the votes. This certification is popular among those working in the military, manufacturing, software, and telecommunications sectors. It is also particular popular in MEA (Middle East and Africa) with over 27% of the votes for this region.
The CEH online training course covers 18 of the most up to date and important security domains you will need to consider as an ethical hacker when you are looking to test how well your organization is prepared for attacks, and to improve information security policies through identifying potential weaknesses. Taking you through 18 modules, the course comprehensively covers over 270 attack methods and technologies commonly used by cyber criminals and hackers. According to Forbes, the average salary of those holding the CEH certificate in 2019 was $116,306.
4. COMPTIA SECURITY+
In 4th place is the CompTIA Security+ Course with 7.1% of the votes. Interestingly, it is popular among respondents earning over $175,000 with over 11% of this category stating it was the best cyber security certification they have completed. It was most popular in the Americas (9%) and healthcare sector (8%).
Figure 1.3 showing the most popular security certification among the those earning over $175,000.
For people interested in making their first steps toward a career in cyber security, the CompaTIA Security+ Certification is a great start. It is widely seen as one of the best introductory qualifications and a great way into the cybersecurity sector. By gaining the Security+ certification, you will be qualified to deal with a wide range of considerations that need to be taken into account to implement successful security strategies.
5. OSCP – OFFENSIVE SECURITY CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL – BY OFFENSIVE SECURITY
5. OSCP – OFFENSIVE SECURITY CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL – BY OFFENSIVE SECURITYIn 5th place is the OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) Course with 4.8% of the votes. It is very popular among those in the wage bracket $60-80,000 (16%), in the APAC region (16%), and in the mining (20%) and pharma (16%) sectors.
The OSCP course has been described as a difficult certification to obtain, but one which will give you the necessary skills to understand the penetration testing process and life-cycle. Offered by Offensive Security as an ethical hacking certification, they ask candidates to sit a 24 hour certification based on real world situations, which they argue offers real world benefits. These benefits include the ability to identify vulnerabilities in security systems, write simple Bash/Python scrips, compromise vulnerable PHD scrips, and carry out controlled attacks.
A prerequisite for this course is the Penetration Testing with Kali Linux training course, also offered by Offensive Security.
6. CCSP – CERTIFIED CLOUD SECURITY PROFESSIONAL
6. CCSP – CERTIFIED CLOUD SECURITY PROFESSIONALIn 6th place was the CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional) certification program with 1.9% of the votes. It also seems to be a sought after course for 2020 with 13.8% of respondents planning to take it as their next certification.
CCSP from ISC2 is becoming more popular with the spread of cloud computing systems. It is specifically designed for information security professionals with a minimum of 5 years work experience, including a minimum of 1 year of cloud security experience and 3 years of information security experience.
This certification program is suitable for mid to advanced-level professionals involved with information security, IT architecture, governance, web and cloud security engineering, risk and compliance, as well as IT auditing. CCSP credential holders are competent in the 6 CCSP domains mentioned below:
● Architectural Concepts and Design Requirements
● Cloud Data Security
● Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security
● Cloud Application Security
● Operations
● Legal and Compliance
The average annual salary for CCSP certificate holders is currently $81, 374.
7. ISO27001 LEAD IMPLEMENTER
7. ISO27001 LEAD IMPLEMENTERIn 7th place is the ISO27001 Lead Implementor course with 1.4% of the votes. It was most popular in Europe (4%) and APAC (4%) and 4.3% of all respondents state that it is the security certification they would like to take next.
This course equips you with the knowledge necessary to implement and maintain an Information Security Management System (ISMS) which is compliant with ISO27001. This course is relevant and useful for anyone involved in a company’s (or organization’s) ISMS, including managers, consultants, those responsible for maintaining ISO27001 compliance, and ISMS team members. There are several different providers of this course, some offering it as an in-person course, others offering it online, so be sure to explore which version is the best fit for your specific needs and circumstances.
8. APT – ADVANCED PENETRATION TESTING – BY EC-COUNCIL
8. APT – ADVANCED PENETRATION TESTING – BY EC-COUNCILIn 8th place is the APT (Advanced Penetration Testing) Course with 1% of the votes. It was most popular in Europe (2%), in particular in the computer hardware (14%) and consulting (3%) sectors and among those earning between $81,000-$100,000.
Similar to OSCP and OSCE, the APT course prepares ethical hackers for real world scenarios. Students have to overcome defenses as well as discover targets, similar to situations you may encounter in ‘the real world’. Not only does the course teach you how to perform a professional security test, but it also shows you how to then present your findings in reports. For IT professionals who are serious about a career in information security, this course is a valuable addition to your skills and qualifications.
The course includes invaluable training about real world penetration issues, including:
- Exploitation
- Post Exploitation
- Advanced Techniques
- Data Analysis
- Reporting
9. OSCE – OFFENSIVE SECURITY CERTIFIED EXPERT – BY OFFENSIVE SECURITY
9. OSCE – OFFENSIVE SECURITY CERTIFIED EXPERT – BY OFFENSIVE SECURITYIn 9th place is the OSCE (Offensive Security Certified Expert) with 1% of the votes. It also looks like a popular course for the future with 3.8% of respondents stating that they intend to take it as their next cyber security certification.
The OSCE course is another ethical hacking certification offered by Offensive Security. As with OSCP, the OSCE course is designed for professional penetration testers. The exam itself involves a vulnerable network which has been designed to be penetrated within a 48 hour (yes, this exam is 48 hours long!) period. Their are a variety of hosts and points are awarded for each one compromised. Passing this exam demonstrates the candidate’s ability to think laterally and penetrate information security systems in real world scenarios.
A prerequisite is the Cracking the Perimeter (CTP) exam.
10. GSEC – GIAC SECURITY ESSENTIAL – BY SANS (AND OTHER PROVIDERS)
10. GSEC – GIAC SECURITY ESSENTIAL – BY SANS (AND OTHER PROVIDERS)In 10th place is the GSEC-GIAC Security Essential course, also with 1% of the votes.It was most popular in the Americas, in particular in the banking sector (5%).
The GSEC course is a good option for entry level information security professionals. It is considered to be a good “all-rounder” demonstrating not just theoretical knowledge about information security, but also hands on practical skills. These include the ability to prevent common wireless attacks, password management, DNS, and cryptography fundamentals among others.
The exam itself takes 5 hours and has 180 questions.
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