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There are heaps and heaps of new technology reaching the market. And when new tools and software make our lives easier or help organisations grow, we also see an increase in cyber threats.
We can all agree that life is feeling a bit tough after the pandemic and we’re all trying to get back to normal. With this being said, some like to work against the grain and find new ways to breach systems, disrupt services and steal data. This is why we need the right people to come in and identify and mitigate these threats.
Cyber Security Analysts.
What do Cyber Security Analysts do?
The primary role of a cybersecurity analyst is to protect an organisation's network and systems from attacks. This includes being aware of upcoming IT trends, creating contingency plans, reviewing any form of suspicious activities, and being able to report security breaches in the correct manner and resolve them as soon as possible.
Security Intelligence stated that the cybersecurity workforce needs to grow by 12.6% a year. However, in the year 2023, it only grew by 8.7%.
What Qualifications Do You Need?
Over the years, most cybersecurity professionals have been required to have a bachelor's degree in information security, computer science, programming, or a similar field. However, as stated above, there is a high demand for cybersecurity professionals, leading to organisations being a bit more lenient on the recruitment process.
More and more organisations are accepting applicants who have a cybersecurity analyst certification, allowing more people to enter the market without the headache of going back to university.
What Cyber Security Certification Should I Take?
Google’s Cyber Security Certificate
Link: Google’s Cyber Security Certification
This certification offered by Google on the Coursera platform is for beginners looking to get into the cybersecurity space. You do not need any previous experience and can work at your own pace. If you commit to 7 hours a week, you can complete the course in 6 months.
In this certification, you will understand the importance of cybersecurity practices and their impact on organizations. You will also be able to identify common risks, threats, and vulnerabilities, as well as techniques to mitigate them.
But it doesn’t stop there – learn how to protect networks, devices, people, and data from unauthorized access and cyberattacks using Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools, as well as gaining hands-on experience with Python, Linux, and SQL.
Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate
Link: Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate
This certification is offered by Microsoft and consists of a 9-course series for beginners. You can learn at your own pace with a flexible schedule. If you commit 10 hours a week, you can complete this certification in 6 months.
In this certification, you will understand the cybersecurity landscape and learn core concepts foundational to security, compliance, and identity solutions. Aswell as understand the vulnerabilities of an organizations network and mitigate attacks on network infrastructures to protect data.
Take it further with developing and implementing threat mitigation strategies by applying effective cybersecurity measures within an Azure environment. You will then be able to demonstrate your new skills with a capstone project and prepare for the industry-recognized Microsoft SC-900 Certification exam.
IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate
Link: IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate
This certification is offered by IBM and consists of an 8-course series. It is also aimed at beginners in which no prior experience is required. It is a self-paced learning certification, therefore there is no deadline. If you commit 10 hours a week, you can complete the certification in 4 months and also earn degree credit.
In this certification, you will develop knowledge of cybersecurity analyst tools including data protection; endpoint protection; SIEM; and systems and network fundamentals. You will also learn about key compliance and threat intelligence topics important in today’s cybersecurity landscape.
Overall you will gain skills for incident responses and forensics with real-world cybersecurity case studies and also get hands-on experience to develop skills via industry-specific and open-source Security tools.
Wrapping Up
3 amazing course providers, all on one platform. The next decision you need to make it which one you choose. That is completely down to you. Check out the reviews and see what others say. Or maybe your dream job is to be a cyber security analyst for IBM – the choice isn’t that hard then!
Nisha Arya is a data scientist, freelance technical writer, and an editor and community manager for KDnuggets. She is particularly interested in providing data science career advice or tutorials and theory-based knowledge around data science. Nisha covers a wide range of topics and wishes to explore the different ways artificial intelligence can benefit the longevity of human life. A keen learner, Nisha seeks to broaden her tech knowledge and writing skills, while helping guide others.
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