Every day, cybersecurity risk increases. On the other hand, the world has a shortage of cybersecurity experts. As we move into 2024, some training and certifications stand out because of their industry recognition and training methods. Perhaps this is the right time to prepare yourself to break into the industry, right? In this article, we explore the top cybersecurity training and certifications.
OSCP(OffSec Certified Professional)
OSCP is a fundamental certification and is considered the industry’s gold standard cybersecurity training with highly recognized certification. In this training, OffSec discusses cybersecurity and introduces different methods of finding and exploiting vulnerabilities. In OSCP, you can learn the basics of Kali Linux, Finding and exploiting different types of vulnerabilities manually and automatically; it also discusses how to find local vulnerabilities for privilege escalation against Windows and Linux Operating Systems.
To be certified in OSCP, candidates must pass a 24-hour extensive live penetration testing exam and submit a professional penetration testing report. This is the ideal and most popular hands-on training to prove your skills if your goal is to become a penetration tester or cyber security specialist.
OSEP(OffSec Experienced Penetration Tester)
OSEP is another advanced course provided by OffSec that should be taken after OSCP. Some people consider it a red team course because it provides hands-on training to create your own payload using different programming languages, different concepts to bypass defense, and exploiting the active directory. If you want to learn how to simulate a real-world cyber attack, OSEP can be the right course.
To become OSEP certified, you need to attempt an extensive exam of 48 hours, where you need to compromise several AD-joined machines.
CRTO(Certified Red Team Ops)
CRTO is a pure red teaming training and certification. The course focuses on different type of client-side simulated attack methods to compromise the target. It also teaches how to move laterally to different machines within a network.
It should be noted that the Certified Red Team Operator course heavily depends on Cobalt Strike. Cobalt Strike is one of the most popular C2 frameworks that is widely used as a post-exploitation tool. If you want to get a pure red teaming training with certification and want to learn to operate cobalt strike efficiently, this is the course could be helpful.
CISSP(Certified Information Security Professional)
CISSP certification is a well-known and respected that offered by ISC2. CISSP is a certification for experienced professionals involved in securing their organizations’ information systems. It’s highly regarded by employers and can enhance career prospects, potentially leading to higher positions and salaries. CISSP covers 8 domains:
- Security and Risk Management
- Asset Security
- Security Architecture and Engineering
- Communication and Network Security
- Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- Security Assessment and Testing
- Security Operations
- Software Development Security
If your career goal is to become a CISO or manager or have an executive interest, CISSP might be interesting for you.
CompTIA Security+
CompTIA Security+ can be considered a great starting point for beginners looking to gain basic knowledge about cybersecurity. CompTIA Security+ covers a wide range of topics like:
- Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities: Understanding various threats, attacks, and vulnerabilities.
- Architecture and Design: Understanding various environmental security concepts is crucial to gaining knowledge.
- Implementing Various Solutions: DNS, SSH, Cryptography, or Antivirus.
- Incident Responses: Understanding how various tools can be used for operation and incident response.
- And more!
It is said that many people with non-IT backgrounds found entry-level cybersecurity jobs only after obtaining CompTIA Security+.
If someone wants to learn the basics of cybersecurity before exploring more advanced topics, CompTIA Security+ could be a solid certification to consider in 2024.
CySA+(CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst)
The CySA+ certification is an excellent opportunity for individuals interested in improving IT security. It focuses on utilizing behavioral analytics to identify and combat malware and advanced persistent threats (APTs). This certification is particularly suitable for those who want to work in Blue Team roles. It covers essential security analytics, intrusion detection, and response skills, making it a valuable asset for anyone interested in enhancing their professional skill set.
Certified Ethical Hacker(CEH)
Another well-known cyber security certification offered by the EC-Council is CEH or certified ethical hacker. The course is designed to understand various techniques employed by cybercriminals. This course was also approved by the DoD(Department of Defense). To gain basic knowledge of how penetration testing work, you can consider this course.
Conclusion
The right certification should be selected based on your interest or career goal. For example, if you are interested in becoming a better red teamer or penetration tester, a training path like Security+, OSCP, OSEP, and CRTO might be a better fit. However, if your interest is in general cybersecurity, CompTIA Security+ should be sufficient. And if you want to head into blue teaming, Security+ and CySA+ might be the right path.
Final Note: Listing of these certifications is not a means of advertisement.
