9 Best IT Security Certifications

Parts taken from Upasana Gupta post on GovInfoSecurity

At a time when there is heightened demand for cybersecurity professionals within the U.S. federal government, the value of IT security certifications ranks high as a criterion for hire.

IT security certifications in areas such as network security and cyber defense support professionals in getting a job, according to a joint study of more than 1,600 security-cleared technology professionals by Clearancejobs.com and Dice.com, the IT job site.

..the value of IT security certifications ranks high as a criterion for hire.

Of the survey respondents, 38 percent of security-cleared professionals indicate that certification not only made them a contender, it helped them earn a new position.

What's interesting is that security certifications have transformed from 'nice- to- have' to being mandatory for positions within government agencies, such as the Department of Defense and all defense contractors, which require IT security professionals today to be certified in order to have privileged access to federal computer networks. This condition, in part, pushes the need for certified professionals in this space.

Top 10 Certifications

1. CompTIA's Security+: Held by one in five (21 percent) security-cleared professionals who hold any certifications. Security + is the basis for competency in system security, network infrastructure, access control and organizational security, and as such is very popular within government agencies.
2. CompTIA's A+: provides a solid foundation for any network technician in areas including installation, preventative maintenance, networking, security and troubleshooting.
3. CompTIA's Network+: proves a technician's competency in managing, maintaining, troubleshooting, installing and configuring basic network infrastructures. Both A+ and Network+ are held by 10 percent of security cleared professionals
4. CISSP: the popularity of the Certified Information Systems Security Professional is high within the IT security community, as it provides the basis of security knowledge. Around 6 percent of surveyed respondents hold this designation, which demonstrates their understanding of security concepts, principles and methodologies.
5. PMP: 5 percent of IT professionals surveyed indicate they hold the Project Management Professional Certification to prove they have the knowledge and skills necessary to manage multiple projects successfully, given the constraints of time, resources and budget.
6. MCSE: Microsoft's Certified Systems Engineers is in great demand and held by 5 percent of surveyed respondents. The certification shows proven expertise in design, implementation and administering technology infrastructures using Microsoft server platforms. This knowledge base fits in a variety of different positions, including systems engineers, technical support engineers, system analysts, network analysts and technical consultants.
7. MCP: The Microsoft Certified Professional (held by 4 percent) allows developers, trainers, system architects and other IT professionals to spotlight their expertise with a range of Microsoft technologies.
8. CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associates is held by 4 percent of professionals, who demonstrate their ability to install, configure, run and troubleshoot medium-sized routed and switched networks. Practitioners with this expertise also have capabilities to work with a number of protocols within security and wireless technologies.
9. MCSA:The Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator certification (held by 2 percent) allows IT professionals to show their expertise in systems administration and troubleshooting networks that use the Windows Server operating environment. It's earned by systems administrators, network administrators, network operations analysts, network technicians, and technical support specialists, among others.

Let us know what you think in the comments below! Is this list accurate? Are there more certifications you would add to the list?