Beginner Certs – Clearing the fog and paving the way!

Often, I get asked where someone should begin with certifications. There are a plethora of certs available and numerous vendors to choose from. This can be overwhelming and confusing to anyone trying to get into the field. Here, we will discuss my top recommended certification, CompTIA Security+. We will also list a few other entry-level certifications for you to review further.

Why CompTIA Security+?

When Googling for security certifications you’ll undoubtedly run into a dizzying amount of results that lead you from vendor to vendor and cert to cert. This an be incredibly confusing and daunting as someone who is just trying to get started in the field. Don’t panic! (Yes, that’s a hitchhikers guide to the galaxy reference) In this post I’ll cover my top recommended certification. This cert is both affordable and well-known.

CompTIA Security+ is the best beginner certification, in my opinion. Not only does CompTIA have a reputation within the IT field for their A+ and N+ certs, their Security+ certification is one of the best foundational certifications for InfoSec. If you plan to work for the government, it is also a DoD approved certification. You can see a full list of DoD approved certifications here. Security+ itself is one of the most recognized InfoSec certifications around. For example, if you go to Indeed.com and search for ‘CompTIA’ you’ll see upwards of 9k jobs listed. A quick glance through these positions and you’ll see how many IT positions want A+, N+, or Security+ certifications.

There are other beginner-level certifications that you can choose from aside from Security+. I will list those below as well as their cost with a comparison to the CompTIA Security+ cert.

• CompTIA Security+ – Cost: $370
• (ISC)² SSCP – Cost: $249
• GIAC GISF – Cost: $2,499
• ISACA CSX – Cost: $199 (non-members)

As you can see from the above, Security+ is not the cheapest available, however it is the most well-known certification. GIAC certifications are especially expensive and are often out of the price range for those seeking to get into InfoSec. (ISC)² certifications are fantastic as well, however the SSCP is not as widely known as the Security+, in my opinion. That being said, the SSCP would be a very close second recommendation from me. After all, (ISC)² is most widely known for its top-tier certification, CISSP.

Inspiration & Further Reading

It is never too late to be what you might have been.

George Eliot

I chose the quote above, while sifting through inspirational quotes, because it bears a lot of truth for anyone looking to change their life. Considering that you are here reading this, you’re currently on that journey. I hope that inspires you to chase after those goals, get that certification, and get into the InfoSec field.

In the end, it is up to you to decide which certification to pursue. You may choose the Security+, SSCP, or any other. The bottom line is that you take that next step in your career and take the time to study for the exam and pass it. You can review my previous article on certification prep, linked below. That post will give you some helpful tips to ensuring you are ready for the exam. I also discuss how I prepare and study for certifications as well as links to other helpful resources.

Certification Prep: Taking the stress out of testing

I hope this helps you in your journey. Best of luck to you!