IT teams everywhere have been busy over the last year and a half helping their organization transition to remote work, and then back to a hybrid work environment as the COVID-19 pandemic began to subside earlier this year.
As organizations were scrambling to adopt new technologies and solutions to accommodate those work models, cybercriminals seized, making 2020 and the first half of 2021 some of the most stressful months to be in the IT field.
Most IT professionals have a working knowledge of basic cybersecurity principles, but the attacks we’ve seen over the last few months have been sophisticated and far beyond your generic, easy-to-spot phishing attack.
For in-house IT teams looking to scale up their cyber chops, here is a list of entry-level certifications you should consider pursuing, per the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s recently released Cybersecurity Workforce Training Guide.
Some of these certifications require prerequisites, so be sure to check out each individual offering for more information.
Associate of (ISC)2
This certification from the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2 is compatible for O&M NICE categories and covers these topics:
- Security and risk management
- Asset security
- Security engineering
- Communications and network security
- Identity and access management
- Security Assessment and Testing
- Security Operations
- Software Development Security
Certificate Authorized Professional (CAP)
This certificate, also from (ISC)2, measures these skill and proficiency in:
- Authorizing and maintaining information systems
- Assessing risk
- Establishing security requirements
- Documentation
Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
According to (ISC)2, this certification will validate an IT pro’s technical abilities and experience using security policies and procedures to:
- Implement IT infrastructure
- Monitor networks
- Administer IT
- Ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data
For more information on (ISC)2 certifications, visit https://www.isc2.org/Certifications.
Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP)
This certification from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) will provide an understanding of global concepts of privacy and data protection law and practice, including these topics:
- Jurisdictional laws, regulations, rules, standards and enforcement
- Essential privacy concepts
- Legal requirements for handling data
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
This certification from IT giant Cisco is often hailed as on of the first steps in preparing for a career in IT. The exam covers a broad range of the basics of IT, including:
- Networking
- Software development
- Security
- Automation
- Programming
- Job roles
CompTIA Security+
IT trade organization CompTIA offers this certification to validate an IT pro’s baseline skills to perform core security functions, including:
- Assessing the security posture of an organization
- Monitoring and securing hybrid environments
- Knowledge of laws, policies, governance, risk and compliance
- Incident response
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