That's because the need for cybersecurity has never been greater. You’ll find all the cybersecurity training you need to earn a certification, protect your network, or train your team at CBT Nuggets.
If you’re considering earning a cybersecurity certification in 2022, here are our top recommendations. These five security certifications range from entry-level to advanced. Pick your cert based on where you want to take your career.
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Security+ (SY0-601) Online Training | Entry | 31 hrs 28 mins |
| CySA+ Online Training | Intermediate | 10 hrs 1 min |
| CCNP Security Online Training | Advanced | 18 hrs 44 mins |
| (ISC)² CISSP Online Certification Training | Intermediate | 11 hrs 48 mins |
| CISM Online Training | n/a | 14 hrs 48 mins |
Most security professionals specialize in one area of IT before getting into cybersecurity. That means the easiest way to get into cybersecurity isn’t necessarily with security certifications. Instead, the best way to start down the security path is with basic certifications like the Network+, CCNA, or a Microsoft certification.
After you’re at least familiar with systems administration, networking, or even software engineering, then you should start looking at these cybersecurity certifications.
Watch these courses for free for 7 days.
These cybersecurity courses – and the certifications they prepare you for – are designed for IT professionals with little or no experience in cybersecurity. With the help of hands-on labs and practice, these cybersecurity courses will prepare you to take these security exams in about 6 to 12 weeks.
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Security+ (SY0-601) Online Training | Entry | 31 hrs 28 mins |
| Certified CyberOps Associate Online Training | Entry | 11 hrs 36 mins |
| CySA+ Online Training | Intermediate | 10 hrs 1 min |
Cybersecurity is a notoriously hands-on, into-the-fire career field, which means learning a lot outside the scope of a cybersecurity certification. These cybersecurity courses will help you learn the most important aspects of security and risk management.
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Supporting Secure Operations and Incident Response Online Training | Entry | 2 hrs 28 mins |
| Implementing Secure Network, Cloud, and Mobile Solutions Online Training | Entry | 11 hrs 45 mins |
| Secure Systems Design and Architecture Online Training | Entry | 6 hrs 32 mins |
| Security Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities Online Training | Entry | 6 hrs 30 mins |
| Security and Risk Management Online Training | Intermediate | 1 hr 19 mins |
| Physical Security and Network Attacks Online Training | Entry | 1 hr 20 mins |
This 62-page guide lists every Palo Alto, Offensive Security, (ISC)2, Check Point, CompTIA, and Cisco cybersecurity certification, and how they fit into your career.
Security jobs are often a continuation of the skills acquired throughout an IT career. For instance, network administrators may become analysts or pen testers. Developers may become security engineers. Systems administrators may turn to application or systems security.
Here are the cybersecurity certifications that will get you into common security career paths.
Security analysts do two things: discover and detect cyberattacks. IT professionals looking to become cybersecurity analysts need a well-rounded set of technical skills, which are validated with these cybersecurity certifications.
Typical background: Systems administrator, network administration
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Security+ (SY0-601) Online Training | Entry | 31 hrs 28 mins |
| CySA+ Online Training | Intermediate | 10 hrs 1 min |
| (ISC)² CISSP Online Certification Training | Intermediate | 11 hrs 48 mins |
| Security Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities Online Training | Entry | 6 hrs 30 mins |
| Security and Risk Management Online Training | Intermediate | 1 hr 19 mins |
| Physical Security and Network Attacks Online Training | Entry | 1 hr 20 mins |
Security engineers set up defenses and prevent disruption to services in the event of an attack. Most often, engineers implement the security measures that come down from a security manager. These cybersecurity courses are essential for every security engineer.
Typical background: Systems administrator, network administration, software engineer
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Security+ (SY0-601) Online Training | Entry | 31 hrs 28 mins |
| Certified CyberOps Associate Online Training | Entry | 11 hrs 36 mins |
| Implementing Secure Network, Cloud, and Mobile Solutions Online Training | Entry | 11 hrs 45 mins |
| Secure Systems Design and Architecture Online Training | Entry | 6 hrs 32 mins |
Penetration testers are essentially hackers hired by a company to break into their system or at least find vulnerabilities. Pen testers rely heavily on networking skills even above scripting or programming skills, which is reflected in their background and associated cybersecurity courses.
Typical background: Systems administrator, network administration, software engineer, security analyst
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Penetration Testing Online Training | Intermediate | 11 hrs 51 mins |
| White Hat Hacking v10 Online Training | Intermediate | 19 hrs 57 mins |
| CompTIA PenTest+ Training (PT0-002) - NEW | Intermediate | 25 hrs 39 mins |
| Security Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities Online Training | Entry | 6 hrs 30 mins |
| Physical Security and Network Attacks Online Training | Entry | 1 hr 20 mins |
| Penetration Testing Tools Online Training | n/a | 7 hrs 9 mins |
| Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning for Penetration Testing Online Training | n/a | 2 hrs 9 mins |
| Penetration Testing Planning and Scoping Online Training | n/a | 1 hr 42 mins |
Security managers have a diverse portfolio of cybersecurity tasks – from detection and monitoring to governance and compliance. These skills are encapsulated in these intermediate cybersecurity certifications from ISACA and (ISC)2.
See (ISC)2 experience requirements
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| CISM Online Training | n/a | 14 hrs 48 mins |
| Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control Online Training | n/a | 13 hrs 28 mins |
| ISACA CISA Online Training | Entry | 13 hrs 4 mins |
| (ISC)² CISSP Online Certification Training | Intermediate | 11 hrs 48 mins |
| Governance, Risk and Compliance Online Training | n/a | 4 hrs 12 mins |
The greatest threat to your system isn’t hidden in code somewhere. It’s in an inbox — or spelled “password!”. Your users are the weakest link. Make sure everyone in your organization knows what to do and not do.
DoDD 8140 is a cybersecurity training framework that outlines all the cybersecurity certifications required for IT professionals who work for the U.S. federal government, including contractors. DoDD 8140 is considered the gold standard for information assurance training.
Each of these cybersecurity courses satisfy at least one baseline certification in a DoDD 8140 information assurance level.
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to CMMC Online Training | Intermediate | 4 hrs 48 mins |
| CompTIA A+ (Core 220-1001) Online Training | Entry | 21 hrs 41 mins |
| CompTIA A+ (Core 220-1002) Online Training | Entry | 14 hrs 55 mins |
| CompTIA Network+ (N10-007) Online Training | Entry | 20 hrs 41 mins |
| Security+ (SY0-601) Online Training | Entry | 31 hrs 28 mins |
| Cloud+ Online Training | n/a | 35 hrs 45 mins |
| CySA+ Online Training | Intermediate | 10 hrs 1 min |
| ISACA CISA Online Training | Entry | 13 hrs 4 mins |
| (ISC)² CISSP Online Certification Training | Intermediate | 11 hrs 48 mins |
| Certified CyberOps Associate Online Training | Entry | 11 hrs 36 mins |
| White Hat Hacking v10 Online Training | Intermediate | 19 hrs 57 mins |
Everyone. There’s not a single IT professional that shouldn't learn cybersecurity. Cybersecurity threats are persistent, which makes cybersecurity skills valuable. Most entry-level IT certifications cover cybersecurity basics, and there are even some intermediate certifications dedicated entirely to validating cybersecurity skills.
Here are the most valuable cybersecurity certifications for network engineers, systems engineers, and cloud professionals.
Security is a core feature of any system and one of the first things anyone learns to manage in their sysadmin career. Access management only scratches the surface of the cybersecurity skills you should learn to become a system engineer.
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Implementing Microsoft 365 Security and Threat Management Online Training | n/a | 10 hrs 46 mins |
| Enterprise Administrator Expert (MS-101) Online Training | Intermediate | 7 hrs 54 mins |
| Azure Security Engineer Associate Online Training | Intermediate | 10 hrs 19 mins |
| Azure Security Online Training | Advanced | 12 hrs 6 mins |
Cybersecurity has long been baked into the responsibilities of network engineers — and that’s reflected in the network security certifications available from Cisco, Palo Alto, CCSA, and CompTIA.
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| PCCET Certification Training | n/a | 9 hrs 51 mins |
| CCNP Security Online Training | Advanced | 18 hrs 44 mins |
| Physical Security and Network Attacks Online Training | Entry | 1 hr 20 mins |
| CCNP Security Core Online Training | Advanced | 33 hrs 51 mins |
| PCNSE Online Training | Intermediate | 15 hrs 5 mins |
| PCNSA Online Training | Intermediate | 13 hrs 19 mins |
| CCNA Security (210-260 IINS) Online Training | Intermediate | 30 hrs 8 mins |
| Check Point CCSA R80 (156-215.80) Online Training | Entry | 8 hrs 7 mins |
| Check Point CCSA R80 (156-215.80) Online Training | Intermediate | 6 hrs 9 mins |
| CCNP Security Online Training | Advanced | 28 hrs 34 mins |
AWS has a shared responsibility model, which means they secure their data centers. You secure the access to your cloud resources. These cybersecurity courses were developed specifically with that concept in mind.
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Juniper vSRX Firewalls on AWS Online Training | Intermediate | 1 hr 22 mins |
| AWS Compliance and Governance Online Training | Intermediate | 4 hrs 26 mins |
| AWS Access Management Online Training | Entry | 2 hrs 35 mins |
| AWS Protective Controls Online Training | Intermediate | 6 hrs 4 mins |
| AWS Data Security Online Training | Intermediate | 4 hrs 49 mins |
CBT Nuggets cybersecurity training is divided into courses and skills. Skills teach real-world cybersecurity methods and often accompany virtual labs for safe, browser-based training. Courses are often associated with popular cybersecurity certifications from CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, (ISC)2, and more.
Most cybersecurity courses from CBT Nuggets have practice exams, virtual labs, and detailed instructions on how to build sandbox environments to secure — or break into. Start studying for a cybersecurity certification with CBT Nuggets.
Course | Level | Length |
|---|---|---|
| (ISC)² CISSP Online Certification Training | Intermediate | 11 hrs 48 mins |
| Check Point CCSA R80 (156-215.80) Online Training | Intermediate | 6 hrs 9 mins |
| CCNP Security Online Training | Advanced | 18 hrs 44 mins |
| CySA+ Online Training | Intermediate | 10 hrs 1 min |
| Security+ (SY0-601) Online Training | Entry | 31 hrs 28 mins |
| CISM Online Training | n/a | 14 hrs 48 mins |
| CCNP Security Core Online Training | Advanced | 33 hrs 51 mins |
| Enterprise Administrator Expert (MS-101) Online Training | Intermediate | 7 hrs 54 mins |
| Azure Security Engineer Associate Online Training | Intermediate | 10 hrs 19 mins |
| PCCET Certification Training | n/a | 9 hrs 51 mins |
| PCNSA Online Training | Intermediate | 13 hrs 19 mins |
| PCNSE Online Training | Intermediate | 15 hrs 5 mins |
Cybersecurity skills are designed as an easy way to learn one aspect of security quickly. Security managers can build their own courses from these skills. Security professionals can follow along to better secure their systems.
The path to certification has never been clearer than with CBT Nuggets’ easy-to-use and results-proven learning platform.
CBT Nuggets is fun, bite-sized training led by experts in the field. I can confidently say that their instructors make learning something to look forward to.
Christopher W. | Technology Support Specialist
View full reviewGet a demo, try a team trial, learn about enterprise pricing, and how to upskill your team with IT training solutions from CBT Nuggets. You’ll typically hear from a member of our sales team within two hours.
