These Cyber Security Certifications are proving you as a network security specialist, information security manager, a data security consulting or network penetration testing expert for system and network security management in the cyberspace. No matter wherever you are working, government, private sector or multi-national companies, you must have a high-level data security strategy to design and implement a secure network or secure network systems and devices as an information security officer.

Computer Security is known as cybersecurity or IT security as well. It is the protection of computer systems from the theft or damage to the hardware, software or the information on them, as well as from disruption or misdirection of the services they provide. Or is the body of technologies, processes, and practices designed to protect networks, computers, programs and data from attack, damage or unauthorised access. Ensuring cybersecurity requires coordinated efforts throughout an information system.

The elements of cybersecurity include:

• Application security
• Information security
• Network security
• Disaster recovery/business continuity planning
• End-user education.

Top 15 Cyber Security Certifications

As a computer security expert, you already know that these security certifications focus on information security. We effort to explain to you the most in-demand cybersecurity certifications that help you understand what is the best choice to improve your skills and promote your information security knowledge. The required knowledge frameworks of all are the same and not different. So getting an expert to one will help you understand the others easily.

Just start from basic like CompTIA Security Plus and follow to high-level. But in the senior data security, it’s hard to get an expert to all of them.

Related: Ethical Hacking & Information Security Certification Roadmap

1. CompTIA Security+

This is the basic security certification for IT professionals that has enough theoretical security knowledge. But it’s just information and doesn’t have enough on hand practical lab like penetration testing certifications. CompTIA Security+ is the certification globally trusted to validate foundational, vendor-neutral IT security knowledge and skills. As a benchmark for best practices in IT security, this certification covers the essential principles of network security and risk management – making it an important stepping stone for an IT security career.

Exam Details:

2. GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC)

Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) is the leading provider and developer of Cyber Security Certifications. The GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) is for security professionals that want to demonstrate they are qualified for IT systems hands-on roles with security tasks. Candidates are required to demonstrate an understanding of information security beyond simple terminology and concepts.

No Specific training is required for any GIAC certification. There are many sources of information available regarding the certification objectives’ knowledge areas. A practical experience is an option; there are also numerous books on the market covering Computer Information Security. Another option is any relevant courses from training providers.

Exam Details: 

Vendor	GIAC
Exam	1 proctored exam
Questions numbers	180
Exam Time	5 hours
Minimum Passing Score	74%

3. Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)

Operational excellence in information security. The SSCP certification is the ideal credential for those with proven technical skills and practical security knowledge in hands-on operational IT roles. It provides industry-leading confirmation of a practitioner’s ability to implement, monitor and administer IT infrastructure by information security policies and procedures that ensure data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The SSCP indicates a practitioner’s technical ability to tackle the operational demands and responsibilities of security professionals, including authentication, security testing, intrusion detection/prevention, incident response and recovery, attacks and countermeasures, cryptography, malicious code countermeasures, and more.

Exam Details: 

Vendor	(ISC)²
Length of exam	3 hours – SSCP
Number of questions	125
Question format	Multiple-choice questions
Passing grade	700 out of 1000 points
Exam languages	English, Japanese, and Brazilian Portuguese
Testing centre	Pearson Vue Testing Center

4. Certified Ethical Hacking Certification (CEH)

A Certified Ethical Hacker is a skilled professional who understands and knows how to look for weaknesses and vulnerabilities in target systems and uses the same knowledge and tools as a malicious hacker, but in a lawful and legitimate manner to assess the security posture of a target system(s). The CEH credential certifies individuals in the specific network security discipline of Ethical Hacking from a vendor-neutral perspective.

The purpose of the CEH credential is to:

• Establish and govern minimum standards for credentialing professional information security specialists in ethical hacking measures.
• Inform the public that credentialed individuals meet or exceed the minimum standards.
• Reinforce ethical hacking as a unique and self-regulating profession.

Exam Details:

Vendor	EC-Council
Number of Questions	125
Test Duration	4 Hours
Test Format	Multiple Choice
Test Delivery	ECC EXAM, VUE
Exam Prefix	312-50 (ECC EXAM), 312-50 (VUE)

5. EC-Council Certified Security Analyst (ECSA)

The ECSA penetration testing course provides you with a real-world, hands-on penetration testing experience and is a globally accepted hacking and penetration testing class available that covers the testing of modern infrastructures, operating systems, and application environments while teaching the students how to document and write a penetration testing report.

It takes the tools and techniques you learned in the Certified Ethical Hacker course (CEH) and elevates your ability into full exploitation by teaching you how to apply the skills learned in the CEH by utilising EC-Council’s published penetration testing methodology.

• Focuses on pen testing methodology with an emphasis on hands-on learning
• The exam will now have a prerequisite of submitting a pen testing report
• The goal of these changes is to make passing ECSA more difficult; therefore making it a more respected certification

Exam Details: 

Vendor	EC-Council
Number of Questions	150
Passing Score	70%
Test Format	Multiple Choice
Test Duration	4 hours
Exam Prefix	ECSA v9

6. Certified Wireless Security Professional (CWSP)

Today’s wireless network security professionals need to have an in-depth understanding of the latest software, tools, trends and all Wireless new technologies available.

The CWSP certification is a professional level wireless LAN certification for the CWNP Program. To earn a CWSP certification, you must hold a current and valid CWNA credential. You must take the CWSP exam at a Pearson Vue Testing Center and pass with a 70% or higher. Instructors must pass with 80% or greater. However you choose to prepare for the CWSP exam, you should start with the exam objectives, which cover the full list of skills tested on the exam.  The CWSP certification is valid for three (3) years. To recertify, you must have a current CWNA credential and pass the current CWSP exam.  Bypassing the CWSP exam, your CWNA certificate will be renewed for another three years.

CWSP Exam Summary:

Vendor	CWNP
Exam Number	CWSP-205
Cost	$225.00 (USD) – Exam Voucher
Availability	Pearson Vue Testing Centers
Duration	90 Minutes
Questions	60 multiple choice
Language	English

7. Cisco Cyber Security Specialist Certification

The Cisco Cybersecurity Specialist certification recognises security professionals who have attained specialised, in-depth expertise and proven knowledge in the essential areas of proactive cyber threat detection and mitigation.

Designed for professional security analysts and leveraging the features of Cisco and other network security products used today. The Cisco Cybersecurity Specialist certification focuses on the topics of event monitoring, security event/alarm/traffic analysis, and incident response.

8. Harvard Cybersecurity Certificate

Gain a critical understanding of the technological needs, threats, and weaknesses in cybersecurity. Through this professional graduate certificate, you will build knowledge of the tools and protocols needed to navigate, use, and manage security technologies as well as gain insight into the legal, social, and political dynamics of the cyber universe.

Getting started: No application is required. You just register for graduate courses during our fall, spring, or summer registration periods.

Earning the certificate: To meet the requirements for the certificate, you must complete the four certificate courses for graduate credit. Earn at least a B grade in each course. Complete the courses within three years.

Read more about this cybersecurity certifications this source.

9. Stanford Cyber Security Certifications

The two cybersecurity certifications of Stanford University are cybersecurity graduate certificate and Stanford advanced computer security certificate.

1. Cyber Security Graduate Certificate: provides a professional, technical and policy view of the challenges created by rapid advancements in information technology. You’ll examine principles of computer systems security, including attack protection and prevention. By combining computer science and application, this program’s interdisciplinary approach will give you the vital skills needed for today’s cyber workforce.

10. CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP)

CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) meets the growing demand for advanced IT security in the enterprise. Recommended for IT professionals with at least five years of experience, CASP certifies critical thinking and judgment across a broad spectrum of security disciplines and requires candidates to implement clear solutions in complex environments.

Exam Details: 

Exam Codes	CAS-002
Launch Date	January 20, 2015
Exam Description	CASP covers enterprise security, risk management and incident response, research and analysis, integration of computing, communications and business disciplines as well as a technical integration of enterprise components.
Number of Questions	Maximum of 90 questions
Type of Questions	Multiple choice and performance-based
Length of Test	165 Minutes
Passing Score	Pass/Fail only. No scaled score.
Recommended Experience	10 years experience in IT administration, including at least five years of hands-on technical security experience
Languages	English
Retirement	TBD – Usually three years after launch.
Price	$414.00 USD

11. Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator Certification

Computer forensics is the application of computer investigation and analysis techniques in the interests of determining potential legal evidence. Evidence might be sought in a wide range of computer crimes or misuse, including but not limited to; theft of trade secrets, theft of or destruction of intellectual property, and fraud. Computer forensic investigators can draw from an array of methods for discovering data that resides in a computer system or recover deleted, encrypted, or damaged file information.

The CHFI course will give participants the necessary skills to identify an intruder’s footprints and to properly gather the necessary evidence to prosecute. Many of today’s top tools of the forensic trade will be taught during this course, including software, hardware, and specialised techniques. It is no longer a matter of “will your organisation be comprised (hacked)?” but, rather, “when?” Today’s battle between corporations, governments, and countries are no longer fought only in the common areas of boardrooms or battlefields using physical force. Now, the battlefield starts in the technical realm, which ties into almost every facet of modern-day life. If you or your organisation requires the knowledge or skills to identify, track, and prosecute the cyber-criminal, then this is the course for you.

Exam Details: 

Vendor	EC-Council – CHFI
Number of Questions	150
Passing Score	70%
Test Duration	4 hours
Test Format	Multiple choice
Test Delivery	ECC exam portal

12. Offensive Information Security Certifications

The Offensive information security certifications are all top hand on practice among these information security certifications. The below Offensive security certifications are valuable certifications in the world of cyber security certifications.

• Offensive Security Wireless Professional (OSWP) is the only practical wireless attacks certification in the security field today. The OSWP challenges the students to prove they have the practical ability to perform 802.11 wireless audits using open source tools through a hands-on, four-hour certification exam.
• Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) is the companion certification for our Penetration Testing with Kali Linux training course and is the world’s first completely hands-on offensive information security certification. The OSCP challenges the students to prove they have a clear and practical understanding of the penetration testing process and life-cycle through an arduous twenty-four (24) hour certification exam.

• Offensive Security Certified Expert is an ethical hacking certification and stands for the Offensive Security Certified Expert. This certification is designated to students who take and successfully pass the Cracking the Perimeter (CTP) exam. This is a hands-on ethical hacking course designed by and for professional penetration testers.
• Offensive Security Web Expert (OSWE) is an entirely hands-on web application penetration testing security certification. The OSWE challenges the students to prove they have a clear and practical understanding of the web application assessment and hacking process through a challenging twenty-four (24) hour certification exam.
• Offensive Security Exploitation Expert (OSEE) is the companion certification to the extremely demanding Advanced Windows Exploitation (AWE) course. The OSEE certification thoroughly assesses not only the students understanding of the course content but also their ability to think laterally and adapt to new challenges.

Read more about Offensive information security certifications.

13. Certified Information Systems Security Professional

CISSP is from top high-level cyber security certifications. The vendor-neutral CISSP certification is the ideal credential for those with proven deep technical and managerial competence, skills, experience, and credibility to design, engineer, implement, and manage their overall information security program to protect organisations from growing sophisticated attacks.

Backed by (ISC)², the globally recognised, nonprofit organisation dedicated to advancing the information security field, the CISSP was the first credential in the field of information security to meet the stringent requirements of ISO/IEC Standard 17024. Not only is the CISSP an objective measure of excellence, but also a globally recognised standard of achievement.

The CISSP is ideal for those working in positions such as, but not limited to:

Security Consultant Security Manager IT Director/Manager Security Auditor Security Architect

Security Analyst Security Systems Engineer Chief Information Security Officer Director of Security Network Architect

Globally Recognized Standard in Information Security: The CISSP draws from a comprehensive, up-to-date, global common body of knowledge that ensures security leaders have a deep knowledge and understanding of new threats, technologies, regulations, standards, and practices. The CISSP exam tests one’s competence in the eight domains of the CISSP CBK, which cover:  

• 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

Vendor	(ISC)²
Length of exam	6 hours
Number of questions	250
Question format	Multiple choice and advanced innovative questions
Passing grade	700 out of 1000 points
Exam availability	English, French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Visually impaired
Testing center	Pearson Vue Testing Center

14. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

The Certified Information Security Manager® (CISM) certification program is developed specifically for experienced information security managers and those who have information security management responsibilities. The CISM certification is for the individual who manages, designs, oversees and assesses an enterprise’s information security (IS).

The CISM certification promotes international practices and provides executive management with assurance that those earning the designation have the required experience and knowledge to provide effective security management and consulting services. Individuals earning the CISM certification become part of an elite peer network, attaining a one-of-a-kind credential.

Exam Details: 

Vendor	ISACA
Exam	1 Exam required
Experience	A minimum of 5 years of professional information security experience
CPE	20 continuing education credits required annually
Cost of Exam	Online early registration: Member $440, non-member $625 Mailed/faxed early registration fee: Member $515, non-member $700 Online final registration deadline fee: Member $490, non-member $675 Mailed/faxed final registration deadline fee: Member $565, non-member $750

15. CCIE Security Certification

The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security (CCIE Security) program recognizes security experts who have the knowledge and skills to architect, engineer, implement, troubleshoot, and support the full suite of Cisco security technologies and solutions using the latest industry best practices to secure systems and environments against modern security risks, threats, vulnerabilities, and requirements

There are no formal prerequisites for CCIE certification. Prior professional certifications or training courses are not required. As a CCIE Security candidate, you must first pass the written qualification exam and then the corresponding hands-on lab exam. You are expected to have an in-depth understanding of the exam topics and strongly encouraged to have three to five years of job experience before attempting certification.

Read more about CCIE Security certification on CCIE Security.

Conclusion

These are the list of top cybersecurity certification or information security certifications. If you want to study and works as a cybersecurity expert, you need to begin your journey from the first level of information security and continue to the top level.

This post might help you find your way to information security better. Ethical Hacking & Information Security Certification Roadmap.

Finally, if you think we forgot to list another valuable security certification, please help us to add it to these top information security certifications list.