The Top 5 Information Security Certifications

Serious minded information security professional should consider adding these certifications to their to-do lists if they want to set themselves apart. We start with the CompTIA Security+ certification.

When it comes to information security, you only have to read the headlines to know that those with less than ethical intentions are constantly finding new and innovative ways to access–and misuse–privileged information for unscrupulous or questionable purposes. As a result, IT professionals skilled in information security are in high demand.

When evaluating prospective candidates, employers frequently look to certification as a measure of excellence and commitment to quality. In this article, we take a look at five certifications that we consider to be leaders in the field of information security.

CompTIA Security+

CompTIA’s Security+ credential is a well-respected, vendor-neutral security credential. Credential holders are recognized as possessing superior technical skills, broad knowledge, and expertise in multiple security-related disciplines.

While Security+ is an entry- or foundation-level certification, successful candidates should possess at least two years of experience working in the area of network security. Credential holders possess expertise in knowledge areas such as cryptography, identity management, security systems, organizational systems, identifying and mitigating security risks, network access control, security infrastructure, and more.

The Security+ credential is relatively inexpensive with the exam currently priced at $266 USD (discounts apply to those who work for CompTIA member companies). Training is available, but not required. Professionals who earned the credential prior to January 1, 2011 are certified for life.

Those certified after January 1, 2011 must renew every three years to maintain currency. To renew, credential holders are required to pass the current Security+ exam, as well as complete 50 Continuing Education Units, or CEUs, prior to the expiration of the three-year certification period. CEUs can be obtained by engaging in a variety of activities ranging from teaching, blogging, publishing articles or white papers, participating in conference events, or similar activities.

For more information on this worthy credential, visit CompTIA’s Security+ at http://certification.comptia.org/getCertified/certifications/security.aspx.

Ed Tittel is a 30-year-plus veteran of the computing industry, who’s worked as a programmer, a technical manager, a classroom instructor, a and a technical evangelist for companies that include Burroughs, Schlumberger, Novell, IBM/Tivoli and NetQoS. He has written and blogged for numerous publications, including Tom's Hardware, and is the author of over 140 computing books with a special emphasis on information security, Web markup languages and development tools, and Windows operating systems.

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