The number of cyber-attacks has increased rapidly, and data breach costs are skyrocketing. According to the latest Data Breach Report 2024 by IBM, the average data breach cost has reached $4.88 million, a 10% increase from the previous year.

Another interesting fact is that the leading cause of several data breach incidents around the world was a lack of skilled cybersecurity professionals and a lack of cybersecurity awareness. In fact, IBM reported there is a 26% spike in the shortage of security staffing.

Organizations are actively looking to fill this skill gap by hiring a trained and skilled cybersecurity workforce. The cybersecurity job opportunities are plenty and if someone looking to start or advance in their cybersecurity career in 2025, then it is the best time to start along.

Here we discuss the three of the best cybersecurity certifications that can help you boost your career.

1. Certified Cybersecurity Consultant (CCC™) by USCSI®

The United States Cybersecurity Institute (USCSI®) has developed this comprehensive cybersecurity consultant certification program for mid-senior-level cybersecurity professionals who want to learn and validate their experience and knowledge in designing robust cybersecurity strategies and efficiently implementing various cybersecurity measures into their organizations or client’s cybersecurity system to protect against all kinds of cyber threats.

Courses covered:

• Securing data
• Cryptographic techniques
• Security architecture
• Machine learning and cybersecurity
• Data science and cybersecurity, and more

USCSI® also offers a free resource center consisting of personalized eBooks, lecture videos, and practice codes to help cybersecurity consultants prepare for the certification exam. 

Moreover, USCSI’s flexible payment option where applicants can pay in full, in installments, or pay later using Klarna, adds more convenience enhancing the learning experience.

2. Advanced Cybersecurity Program: Stanford School of Engineering

This is one of the highly recognized advanced cybersecurity certification programs offered by Stanford University through its Stanford School of Engineering and covers essential cybersecurity concepts needed to assess risk and respond effectively.

What you will learn?

The course covers important topics such as:

• Protecting networks
• Building secure cybersecurity infrastructures
• Securing electronic assets
• Preventing emerging and evolving cyber attacks
• Compliance and regulations to protect consumer privacy, and more.

Stanford offers two payment options where you can choose to pay $545 per course with 60 days to complete or pay $3,250 and get a one-year subscription for all the courses.

3. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM®)

This certification will boost your cybersecurity career by equipping you with the necessary cybersecurity skills and knowledge required to successfully manage security operations within the organization. Through this program, you can validate your skills to effectively implement various governance strategies.

The certification consists of four domains:

• Information Security Governance
• Information Security Risk Management
• Information Security Program
• Incident Management Operations

You need to pay $50 for the application fee, and successfully clear the certification exam to earn the certification.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity is booming with organizations willing to invest heavily in cybersecurity infrastructure and workforce. If you are already working in this domain, then this is the time to learn new and advanced cybersecurity skills, for example, AI and machine learning, and validate them with top cybersecurity certifications. These certifications not only help you learn and validate your knowledge but also enhance your credibility and employability, and demonstrate your commitment to lifelong learning and dedication towards this evolving industry. So, register now and boost your career.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What skills do I need to start a career in cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is a vast domain. If you are looking to start your cybersecurity career, then master the fundamentals of cybersecurity and focus on gaining skills like knowledge of programming languages, operating systems, networks and devices, cloud security, IoT security, ethical hacking, etc.

2. How much can I earn as a cybersecurity professional?

There are various kinds of cybersecurity jobs and depending upon your profile, experience, skills, and location, your salary will vary. The annual average salary of popular cybersecurity job roles in the US, as per Glassdoor are:

• Cybersecurity Engineer | - $156,956
• Network administrator - $89,669
• Cloud security engineer - $205,231
• Ethical hacker - $121,875
• Security analyst - $136,732

3. Which is the best cybersecurity certification?

There are various types of cybersecurity certifications. They are designed for different levels of work experience and different skills. However, cybersecurity certifications from USCSI®, ISC², and Stanford University are considered to be the best and are widely recognized by employers across various industries around the world.