Security Certifications at a Glance

 

“A Certification today is like a college degree, you may not hire a candidate just because they have one, but it is something that you expect in this field. Grad Summers – information Security leader at Ernst & Young”

The term Security can be used in several aspects of the IT industry; it varies from auditing and the application to forensic Science and wireless Security. Due to the wide diversity in security specialization, the aspirants have the freedom to make the choice in IT security Certifications.

Clearly ‘Security’ certifications are not required for success in today’s enterprise environment. Some of the smartest IT gurus have no Certifications or degrees, but most people who hold Information Security Certifications have learned valuable information and gained useful skills too. These certifications are in demand not only for their demonstration of IT security proficiency but also because certified candidates go through training that reflects high standard of ethical conduct.

IT Security certs will always be in demand. The main factors pushing this demand is the need for IT security and network professionals to protect critical infrastructure and implement emerging technologies.

Vendor-neutral vs vendor-specific. Security Certifications should be vendor-neutral because there is need of a broad view of security than that which borders specific platforms. These Certifications teach general security principles and will have the widest range of usability.

Several organizations and private companies offer certifications in the areas of IT security and protection of information. Here is a list of some of the best and mostly accepted security certifications:

• CISSP : Certified Information Systems Security professional is the most comprehensive, prestigious and recognized certification in the security arena. It is considered as the gold standard of security credentials.
  
  
• CEH: Certified Ethical Hacker is gaining popularity as organizations focus on securing their It infrastructure and networks from internal and external attacks.
  
  
• CISA : Certified Information Security Auditor. Many enterprises recognize ISACA’s CISA credential as the de facto standard for information systems auditors. It’s demand continues to grow as organizations increasingly expect their auditors to hold the certification.
  
  
• CISM : Certified Information Security manager. This is a one exam certification for security managers administered by ISACA. It’s very rigorous as the CISSP and also thought as a hard exam.
  
  
• Security+ : Comptia’s security+ is an entry level certification with no required experience. It’s a simple 90-minute exam with 100 questions. It might open a door for you, but only a crack.

Other certifications worth a mention are:

CWSP – Certified Wireless Security professional

CSFA – Cyber Security Forensic Analyst

CCSA – Checkpoint Certified Security Administrator

CCSE – Checkpoint Certified Security Expert

Candidates will find security Certifications topics in related areas of business continuity/disaster recovery, auditing and risk management.