The cybersecurity landscape in Europe and Italy is rapidly evolving: increasing digitalization, regulations such as GDPR and NIS2, and the exponential increase in cyberattacks make it essential to invest in vertical cybersecurity expertise.
In this article, we analyze and create a useful and effective roadmap for a career in cyber, from entry level to C-Level, with a focus and specific resources on CompTIA Security+ and the courses offered by the RedHot Cyber Academy.
The ideal certifications for those starting out and/or wanting to start working in the cyber world:
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) : All CompTIA certifications are vendor-neutral and therefore not tied to a specific manufacturer. It includes skills related to threats and vulnerabilities, risk management, cryptography, network security, cloud security, and Zero Trust principles. It is one of the most globally recognized certifications for entry-level roles such as Security Analyst, Network Administrator, and IT Auditor, also because it has both a theoretical and practical approach: It goes beyond theory, introducing realistic scenarios and best practices, useful for those facing real-world problems.
ISC² Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) : ISC² often offers free training programs for this certification, making it ideal for those who want to get started without a large investment. It covers key concepts such as access controls, risk management, network and application security.
We highlight how the RedHot Cyber Academy’s Cybersecurity for Beginners course is excellent for those who are new to this sector and/or aspiring to the CompTIA Security+ certification.
It is also important to remember that the certifications described above have international value and can therefore be used throughout the world.
Mid-Level Certifications
For those with more experience and who want to specialize further:
CompTIA PenTest+ : Has a strong practical focus on penetration testing: It covers the entire pentest cycle: planning, scoping, attack, and reporting. It is ideal for those who want to become a penetration tester, vulnerability analyst, or security consultant.
EC-Council CEH : This is an industry standard for those who want to work as ethical hackers. It offers knowledge across a broad range of tools and techniques, including over 300 hacking tools, attack methodologies, and defenses. Additionally, many recruiters and companies consider it a necessary requirement for penetration testing and red teaming roles.
CompTIA CySA+ : Designed for those who want to work as a Cybersecurity Analyst, Threat Analyst, SOC Analyst, or Incident Responder. It covers threat detection techniques, behavioral analytics, vulnerability management, and incident response. It combines both theory and practical application, including real-world scenarios involving log analysis, SIEM monitoring, alert management, and attack investigation. We included it last in this section because we believe that to successfully achieve it, it is essential to first obtain entry-level certifications such as Security+ and mid-level certifications such as PenTest+ or to have at least 3/4 years of field experience.
Advanced Certifications
For specialist roles:
OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) : This certification focuses on advanced penetration testing and tests the candidate’s practical skills. The exam requires 24 hours to take control of three virtual machines and generate an attack report for each.
The main contents are: Exploit development, Privilege escalation, Attacks on networks and real systems such as Active Directory.
It is recognized as one of the most prestigious certifications in the offensive security field because it demonstrates real operational capabilities, not just theoretical ones.
GIAC (GCIH): The focus is on security incident management, forensics, incident response, and threat mitigation. Unlike OSCP, it focuses on blue team roles such as Incident Response and SOC.
Cloud Security (AWS, Azure): We believe that for an advanced/senior profile it is necessary to possess more transversal technical skills also in the cloud environment, for this reason we include here two important certifications that are vendor-oriented related to AWS and Azure such as the AWS Certified Security – Specialty which aims to obtain skills such as: Identity & Access Management (IAM), Data Protection (KMS, encryption), Monitoring and logging (CloudTrail, GuardDuty), Incident Response in the cloud.
While the Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Associate and/or Expert with the aim of designing security architectures on Azure by implementing Zero Trust strategies and integration with Microsoft Defender and Sentinel.
In addition to the specific and vertical skills of the certifications described above, it is useful, if not essential, to have transversal knowledge related to the world of programming, AI, and machine learning, which are increasingly intertwined with the world of cybersecurity. For this reason, the following related courses are recommended: ‘Python & AI’ and ‘Prompt Engineering and Cybersecurity’ for transversal skills (available on the RHC Academy platform).
Management and Governance Certifications
When it comes to leadership roles in cybersecurity, it’s not just about technical skills: it requires strategic vision, governance skills, and a deep understanding of business risks.
CISSPCertified Information Systems Security Professional: issued by (ISC)², it is considered the benchmark certification because it covers not only technical aspects but also the entire spectrum of information security, from risk management to network protection, all the way to regulatory compliance. The value of CISSP lies in its comprehensive nature: those who earn it demonstrate a holistic view of security, essential for roles such as CISO , Security Manager , or Security Architect .
ISACA’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) : ” Security as a Strategy” is designed for those who lead teams and processes. It focuses not only on technology, but also on the ability to align security with business objectives. Ideal for those who want to manage security at the organizational level.
Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) : This is the reference certification for those involved in information systems auditing and control. In an increasingly stringent regulatory environment, it is essential to ensure secure and compliant processes, especially in regulated sectors.
Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC): “The language of risk” trains professionals capable of identifying and managing IT risks. It’s ideal for those working in governance and risk management, crucial skills for business resilience.
It’s important to note that these certifications require at least five years of experience and a significant commitment to study, but the recognition they offer is of the highest level.
Additional Resources and Conclusion
As a bonus resource, we offer a GitHub repository containing questions with answers and explanations, all the theoretical part divided by points according to the CompTIA standard, additional materials on terms and types of attacks useful for successfully passing the Security+ SY0-701 exam.
In conclusion, investing in certifications and training is key to a career in cybersecurity. We invite you to explore the courses on Academy.redhotcyber.com and use the GitHub repository to complete your training.
