In recent years, cybersecurity has grown increasingly vital. With cybercrime at an all-time high, even Warren Buffett has dubbed it humanity’s No. 1 concern. Over 1.76 billion records were stolen as a direct result of cybercrime in January 2020 alone. Furthermore, cybercrime is estimated to be worth more than $2 trillion, a four-fold increase since 2015.
To make matters worse, by the end of 2021, around 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs are predicted to be empty. Only around one out of every four cybersecurity experts is qualified due to the talent shortage. In this time of high demand, becoming certified as a security expert may be the finest decision a person can make, whether they want to progress their career or start one from scratch.
Earning a renowned certification in the cybersecurity area is one of the fastest ways to build security skills and obtain additional expertise. CompTIA Security+ is an excellent certification for an entry-level professional. This is the first security-oriented certification that IT workers should get, according to CompTIA, if they want to work in this industry. “A candidate’s initial security certification should be CompTIA Security+. It establishes the foundational knowledge needed for any cybersecurity profession and serves as a stepping stone to intermediate-level cybersecurity positions. Best practices in hands-on troubleshooting are incorporated into Security+, ensuring candidates have actual security problem-solving abilities.”
What is CompTIA Security+ Certification all about?
CompTIA Security+ is an entry-level worldwide information security certification that is vendor-neutral. It will assess the industry’s baseline competencies and ensure compliance with Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 8570 when it comes to fulfilling key security duties. This certificate is a great choice for professionals just starting out in their professions because it focuses on hands-on practical skills that guarantee certification holders are better equipped to manage problems arising from a wide range of security challenges.
This certificate’s themes are based on the most up-to-date trends and practices in risk assessment, risk management, incident response, enterprise networks, hybrid and cloud environments, and security controls, among other things. The most recent version additionally includes the job positions of Junior IT Auditor/Penetration Tester and other job roles such as security administrator, systems administrator, and network administrator, among others. The Security+ certification also aids in the development of essential knowledge for cybersecurity positions at the intermediate level.
Candidates will be able to check and authenticate their skills based on the certification exam objectives by acquiring this certificate:
- Attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities — Recognizing various types of security threats and possessing the necessary skills for penetration testing and vulnerability scanning.
- Tools and technologies — It assesses and troubleshoots any difficulties that support operational and information security technology, as well as certifies skills in the deployment of various network components.
- Cloud computing, systems design, secure network, and virtualization technology are all examples of architecture and design.
- Implementing access control, access services, identity management, and management control is all part of identity and access management.
- Cryptography and PKI concepts – Cryptography concepts in the form of installing and configuring wireless security settings and implementing public key infrastructure (PKI).
- Risk management and data security best practices – Understanding risk management and data security best practices
Why should you go with Security+?
Information security experts will frequently be required to demonstrate their experience and qualifications when dealing with entry-level positions. It’s a tremendous job to keep a company safe from many dangers. A single security team failure can result in significant losses in both profits and reputation.
Those interested in pursuing a cybersecurity job should pick their qualifications carefully. Because this is not a path that can be completed overnight, each step of the way must be carefully assessed in light of one’s short-, medium-, and long-term objectives. Certifications should serve as stepping stones to real skill and knowledge, particularly for cybersecurity workers.
The Security+ certificate is an excellent choice because it is well-known in the sector and can help candidates stand out when it comes to demonstrating their competence. One of the most significant advantages is that this exam emphasizes practical knowledge. For example, it prepares applicants for a variety of positions like security administrator, IT auditor, DevOps, help desk manager, security engineer, network engineer, security analyst, and others.
Furthermore, Security+ is consistently featured in job descriptions as one of the most in-demand certificates on the market.
CompTIA Security+’s Advantages
Candidates who are new to information technology, have never taken another security certification, or are intending to transition from a similar profession in the IT business can benefit from the CompTIA Security+ certification.
Security+ is also a basic certification in the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway, which contains seven different security certifications targeted at assisting every security expert grow their abilities in order to advance their cybersecurity career.
The following are some of the advantages provided by the CompTIA Security+ certification:
- Very high demand – Corporations and defense organizations are looking for this certification on the market to certify their future workers’ baseline security skills and to comply with DoD 8570.
- Continuous validation — The certificate verifies applicants’ hands-on practical skills, ensuring that professionals are capable of dealing with a wide range of security concerns.
- Complement other abilities and job functions – With the number of cyberattacks on the rise every day, the basic principles and baseline cybersecurity abilities that this certificate verifies frequently extend beyond cybersecurity-specific professional responsibilities.
This knowledge will be extremely beneficial to those in different positions.
Because it covers most technical abilities for risk assessment, forensics, threat analysis, risk management, enterprise network security, cloud operations, incident response, security policies, and more, this certification will assist ensure performance on the job. Furthermore, after finishing their certification program, candidates are not obliged to renew it for the next three years.
To summaries, the CompTIA Security+ certification is a great way to build and validate the necessary skills for certain cybersecurity roles that are well-known in North America and around the world.
CompTIA Security+ is a certification offered by CompTIA. Salary and Employment
The CompTIA Security+ certificate is beneficial to a variety of job roles. Several occupational roles are grouped together under the title network and computer systems administrators by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The following jobs will be available:
- Administrator of computer systems
- Administrator of security
- a security expert
- Engineer in charge of security
- Junior IT auditor/penetration tester Network administrator
Consultant in security
For the foreseeable future, demand for these workers is likely to expand at a stable rate of 4% per year. Mobile networks and more adaptable technologies are becoming increasingly popular among businesses. When it comes to pay, however, various factors can result in a large variety of wages for the same work description. Organizations that pay more, on the other hand, are more likely to demand more from their employees. This is true for both the prior experience that candidates must possess and the obligations that each employee will be responsible for while on the job.
Those who fail in the professions indicated above will earn more than double the average annual pay of all employment in the United States. In May 2020, the median annual compensation for these positions was $84,810, compared to $41,950 for all other occupations. We can look at $134,970 and $52,830 for the top and worst ten percent of earners in this category, respectively.
What Factors Have an Impact on Wages?
The average wage a person will get for the same job position is determined by a number of factors. We can mention the following as examples:
- Job experience – Candidates with past professional experience have a better probability of being hired and can help employers create trust and expectations. Additionally, prior expertise reduces the amount of time, energy, and money that organizations must expend in new employee training and onboarding. All of these will contribute to a raise in pay.
- Additional training and certifications — A certification that may authenticate one’s qualifications and hands-on experience can often make the difference between being employed and not being recruited. A Security+ certification will not only help candidates find their ideal career, but it will also help them earn more money, even as an entry-level employee, than non-certified candidates competing for the same post. Any more relevant credentials will only help the candidate qualify for more jobs and positions with higher compensation.
- Renewals on a regular basis – Earning a certificate is critical for a security profession, but renewing that certificate is just as important. Candidates can demonstrate their devotion to the position and that they are current on industry trends by remaining certified.
- Geographical location – Salaries for the same job post will vary depending on where they are located. In general, heavily populated locations will charge higher rates than smaller communities.
- Different industries – Salary disparities exist depending on the industry in which the recruiting firm operates.
The following was the average yearly wage for network and computer systems administrators in May 2020:
- $89,910 in finance and insurance
- $89,660 for information
- $89,300 for company and business management
- $87,190 for computer systems design and related services
- State, local, and private educational services – $75,230
There are a few personal aspects that can influence the employment that candidates can receive, their possibilities for advancement, and the amount they will be paid. Building a professional network with possible employers and other security specialists is one of them.
Soft skills are another personal characteristic that might influence the wage and job description. Excellent communication, problem-solving, good time management, a pleasant attitude, and other soft talents are examples. In today’s business world, these skills are critical for advancing your career and earning a fair income.
The CompTIA Security+ Exam is a certification exam offered by CompTIA.
CompTIA Security+ is the first cybersecurity credential a candidate can obtain, and it aids in the establishment of a baseline security readiness for intermediate-level security positions. It integrates the most up-to-date troubleshooting techniques, ensuring that applicants have the practical skills required to:
- To better protect against the many different forms of threats, assess the security posture of an enterprise environment, recommend, and deploy the right security solutions.
- Hybrid environments, such as cloud, mobile, and IoT, must be monitored and secured.
- Ensure that you have a thorough understanding of all applicable laws and policies, including governance, risk, and compliance concepts.
- Using various incident response techniques, identify, analyze, and respond to security occurrences.
The Security+ certification is updated every three years on average. However, there is a period of overlap between the old and new versions during which candidates can select which to take. SY0-601, the most recent exam version, was issued in November 2020. The SY0-501 test, which is the earlier edition, will be available until July 2021.
The exam consists of 90 multiple-choice and single-response questions that must be solved in 90 minutes. Candidates must receive a minimum of 750 points out of a possible 900. We can add the following test objectives, as well as their related weight percentages, in terms of the exam objectives that will be covered during the exam:
- Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities (24 percent )
- Design and Architecture (21 percent )
- Putting it into action (25 percent )
- Incident Response and Operations (16 percent )
- Risk, Compliance, and Governance (14 percent )
The Requirements
There are no prerequisites for the Security+ certificate because it is an entry-level certification. Before taking the Security+ test, CompTIA recommends that applicants have the Network+ and/or two years of experience in IT administration with a security focus. The certificate will, however, confirm the candidate’s skills and understanding of network and host-based security best practices.
The Security+ certificate was created specifically for a security professional with sufficient IT security knowledge, core technical experience in information security, and a thorough understanding of security concerns.
What Should You Do to Prepare for the Security+ Exam?
While each candidate has their own learning style and can build their own exam preparation approach, studying as much as possible about it is the best place to start. The more information provided about the questions to be asked, the better it will be to determine what the candidate knows and what needs to be clarified. Exam objectives should be reviewed and practise test questions should be completed.
Candidates can also take use of CompTIA’s vast learning and training programs to help them acquire their certifications. These provide a variety of methods for learning the information contained in the particular exam objectives. By introducing the basics of installing and implementing cybersecurity controls, risk mitigation approaches, and incident response, the self-study book helps close the knowledge gap.
The CompTIA CertMaster also includes a series of materials that help candidates better understand the abilities required for a job in cybersecurity.
Self-study that takes place in a classroom or online with a professional organization is a more dependable choice. Various professional training institutes, public academic institutions, and other authorized training partners, offer certification training, including CompTIA Security+. Instructor-led training can significantly improve one’s chances of achieving their desired certification.
The total time it takes to learn everything and receive the certificate is mostly determined by how much you already know, how much you need to learn, how rapidly you can study, and when you feel secure enough to take and pass the exam. It’s also worth noting that while some classroom training providers cover the Security+ curriculum in a week or two, others do so across several months. The first choice is usually faster, but the second is usually more thorough.
While it’s hard to predict how long it will take each candidate to receive their certificate, the general advice is to devote enough time to prepare to ensure that there are no knowledge gaps, rather than rushing through the curriculum.
You will be notified if you passed or failed the exam as soon as you submit your test. It’s also worth remembering that, in order to keep your hard-won credentials, you’ll need to acquire and submit continuing education units (CEUs) every three years after passing the initial exam. You will have to retake the exam if you fail to renew your certification.
Takeaway
With the demand for cybersecurity specialists at an all-time high, getting a job in the field can be quite simple. Professionals with certificates, such as CompTIA Security+, are more likely to earn more than their non-certified counterparts and are more likely to have a long-term and rewarding career.
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