Remember the days when you were in a classroom imagining if there any terrorist attack happened, then you would save the whole school with your superheroic power? Well, this is the time now, you can come forward and save the world. Not with guns and bullets from the terrorists but from cyber-attackers by using systems and software. The world of cybersecurity is evolving rapidly, where the attacks are becoming highly innovative and sophisticated. Malicious actors are leveraging technology to carry out attacks at large scale.

According to a report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of information security analyst job is expected to grow by 32%. And by 2025, as stated by Cybersecurity Ventures, there would be around 3.5 million unfilled Cybersecurity jobs (with 770,000 jobs in the US alone). So, this is the perfect time to invest in the best cybersecurity certifications and ace this career path in 2024.

WHAT IS CYBERSECURITY CERTIFICATION?
It is an important credential that helps to validate your skills, expertise, knowledge, and experience in the field of cybersecurity. With cybersecurity certifications that are highly credible among employers, you can distinguish yourself from the crowd increasing your chances of getting hired as well as negotiating higher salaries.

There are many different types of cybersecurity certifications, each covering different topics and specializations, designed for professionals at different levels.

Let’s explore some of the popular certifications that can help you move ahead in your cybersecurity career.

BEST CYBERSECURITY CERTIFICATIONS IN 2024

Certified Cybersecurity General Practitioner (CCGP™): USCSI®
CCGP™ is offered by the United States Cybersecurity Institute (USCSI®) and is one of the best entry-level cybersecurity certifications for students and young professionals looking to start their career in cybersecurity. This course helps them strengthen their foundational concepts in cybersecurity including the fundamental terms, securing devices, networks, risk management, etc.

What makes this certification popular is the number of features it offer to applicants such as:
- It is an online self-paced learning program; hence students can complete the course anytime and anywhere depending upon their schedule.
- It takes 4-25 weeks requiring at least 8-10 hours a week for completion
- Students get eBooks, lecture videos, and practice codes to prepare for this certification exam.

USCSI® offers a flexible payment option, where applicants can pay in full, in three interest-free installments, or pay later using Klarna.

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH): EC-Council
Ethical hacking is one of the highly sought-after fields among youngsters looking to establish in cybersecurity career. It is an overwhelming and fascinating career choice, as it enables them to breach an organization’s security system. Yes, they are allowed to breach the security in a controlled manner. This is done to identify the vulnerabilities within the organization to rectify them before an actual attack happens.
The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification validates professional’s ethical hacking and cybersecurity skills and helps them demonstrate their hacking knowledge to their employers. After completion of this certification, students will have a better hold of a wide range of topics including penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, risk management, incident response, network security, etc.

CompTIA Security+
This is also a foundational certification in cybersecurity but it helps transit cybersecurity professionals from basic to advanced level with its course content. It is one of the most widely recognized cybersecurity certifications approved by organizations from all industries and across the world.

This certification emphasizes practical experience, and real-world scenarios, thus equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge required to identify and mitigate various kinds of cyber threats.

Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
Offered by Offensive Security, it is one of the top-level cybersecurity certification courses that demonstrates your highest achievement in this domain. This program tests its candidates rigorously in subjects like penetration testing before awarding the certification.
The OSCP applicants have to go through a 34-hour real-world simulation, and show their capabilities in exploiting vulnerabilities in the organization’s security system and compromise them ethically. By completing this certification, you can validate your technical knowledge as well as demonstrate your deep understanding of network security.

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
If you are looking for senior-level roles in your cybersecurity career like IT audit management, or information security manager, then this certification is for you. CISM-certified professionals are always in demand as this is a globally recognized certificate. With this certification under your belt, you can validate your experience and knowledge in governance, risk management, and compliance. You will be able to demonstrate a solid understanding of security strategies that are aligned with organizational goals.

CONCLUSION
The cybersecurity field is evolving and there is no end to it as cybercriminals will never stop exploiting businesses and individuals, and therefore, the demand for skilled and certified cybersecurity professionals will always be on the rise. With these popular cybersecurity certifications, you can take your career to the next level.