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CompTIA CySA+


CYSA+: COMPARABLE CERTIFICATIONS (SSCP, GSEC) [UPDATED 2021]


October 1, 2021 by Daniel Brecht
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A PATHWAY FOR A CAREER IN THE CYBER-REALM

The field of information security is both wide and varied, with lots of career
pathway options and many certifications that professionals can obtain to
demonstrate their skills. This sector is also plagued by a dangerous shortage of
qualified workers in the United States, with risks for the digital privacy and
the infrastructure of many companies. 

So, what is the best way to create the supply to fill that demand? Offering
options for professionals to embrace a clear career pathway and to be able to
prove the knowledge they have acquired is one of the important steps to take.
Certifications can help in that effort.


EARN YOUR CYSA+, GUARANTEED!

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CHOOSING THE RIGHT CERTIFICATION FOR CAREER SUCCESS IN CYBERSECURITY

Studying for a credential has several advantages. First of all, the proper
qualification can help professionals boost their resumes, stand out among
candidates, and potentially earn more salary. They make them more competitive
for any job vacancy by showing they have the up-to-date knowledge and the will
to keep training that most employers are looking for.

A credential also helps professionals succeed in a niche of the vast IT world by
highlighting specific expertise and serving as a guide for all topics needed to
succeed in a particular area.

However, the important thing is for professionals to concentrate on the right
certification that validates their security expertise. This needs to be a
credential that fits their aspirations, career goals and level, and what is
currently in need by potential employers who seek to hire top talents.


COMPARABLE CERTIFICATIONS: CYSA+, SSCP AND GSEC 

So, what’s the next step in your career ladder? Let’s take a closer look at some
popular and well-respected IT security certifications. This will help you easily
select the one that most closely aligns with where you are now and where you
want to be in the future.

Given the many certifications in IT security to choose from, how do you know
where to start? If you already have a particular job or organization in mind,
the obvious answer is to consider what the employer may require (or highly
prefer) for specific roles. Then, there are many other considerations too, from
the intended career path, previous knowledge, other certifications already
obtained, formal education previously acquired, the cost of the exam and the
length of time before they need to recertify.

It’s evident that certifications like CISSP that address a wider range of topics
are listed on a higher number of vacancies, but looking at more specific
credentials can give a professional a competitive edge that can make them stand
out from the mass of jobs seekers. Certifications like CompTIA CySA+, GIAC GSEC
and (ISC)² SSCP are more focused and geared towards IT professionals engaged in
securing systems and networks.

Of course, one of the main considerations is whether you have the particular
skills or experience needed to attempt the certification exam.

 * Those with a minimum of four years of hands-on information security or
   related experience and planning on pursuing a cybersecurity technical track
   will find the Cybersecurity Analyst+ (CySA+) certification an excellent
   intermediate-level certification.
 * Those with at least a year of experience in information systems
   security-related work that looks for cybersecurity generalist roles, and
   positions as IT administrators, managers, directors and network security
   professionals will realize the Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
   certification covers a wide breadth of topics about security administration
   and operations.
 * Those who have any minimum relevant work experience that can demonstrate they
   are qualified for a proactive IT security role will find the entry-level GIAC
   Security Essentials (GSEC) certification of interest because it focuses on
   evaluating an individual’s practical knowledge of information security with
   an exam that tests the candidate’s understanding and problem-solving skills.


HOW CERTIFICATIONS ALIGN WITH CAREERS

Let’s find out which credential you should pursue based on your experience and
see if you have the basic technical skills sets needed to complete the security
tasks at hand.


CYBERSECURITY ANALYST

As a cybersecurity analyst, you might consider the CompTIA CySA+. This
credential suits those who possess a handful of technical and analytical skills.
It is suitable for those who have experience planning and activating security
measures to help build cutting-edge solutions that prevent malicious hackers
from penetrating corporate networks and compromising a business’s data system,
or stealing their data. Read more: CompTIA CySA+ Certification: Overview and
Career Path.


SECURITY ENGINEER

As a cybersecurity engineer, you will find the SSCP certification from (ISC)² is
among the best qualifications. It gives professionals the specialized learning
and hands-on involvement needed to execute organizations’ data security
approaches and techniques. Candidates need to have basic knowledge of
cryptography and malware, network monitoring, troubleshooting, communications,
and backup and disaster recovery. Read more: SSCP Certification: Overview and
Career Path.


INFORMATION SECURITY SPECIALIST

As an information security manager, GSEC might be a good choice. This credential
focuses on utilizing essential security tools in the fight against cybercrime
and teaches general information security best practices and methods for
real-world applications. Anyone looking to take a role in an active defense
response in hardening and monitoring a network, applying threat hunting and
vulnerability scanning to identifying threats and working to create steps to
defend against any suspicious activity would find the GSEC cert of interest.
Read more: The GSEC Certification and Exam.


INDUSTRY-APPROVED CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS

If you want a qualification to carry weight, it has to be tied to an industry
accreditation, and these credentials are. Each of the described certifications
is ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 (Accredited) and DOD-approved 8140 (DoDD 8570) for Level
II IAT.


COMPTIA CYBERSECURITY ANALYST (CYSA+)

The CySA+ certification is a rather new certification from CompTIA that is
starting to get more attention. It has also been approved as Information
Assurance (IA) baseline certifications for the IA Workforce by the Department of
Defense (DoD). It is listed on the same level as the SSCP and GSEC
certifications in some categories. The certificate is also valid for the
following roles: CSSP Infrastructure Support, CSSP analyst, CSSP incident
responder and CSSP auditor.


(ISC)² SYSTEMS SECURITY CERTIFIED PRACTITIONER (SSCP)

The SSCP certification suits IA jobs categorized as “Technical” level I and II.
What’s more, the SSCP also falls under a DoD Cyber Security Service Provider
(CSSP), similar to the CySA+, that has various job-specific functions. These
include utilizing common security tools and techniques to implement, monitor and
administer an IT infrastructure using information security policies and
procedures — ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data.
In that program, this credential is listed as valid for CSSP Infrastructure
Support. 


GIAC SECURITY ESSENTIALS (GSEC)

The GSEC certification meets current industry standards and is DOD-approved 8140
(DoDD 8570) for Level II IAT. This means it’s globally recognized by military,
government and industry leaders. The GIAC certification prepares individuals to
assume hands-on roles concerning security tasks and is an excellent option for
those who wish to prove their capabilities prevalently in technical matters.


CERTIFICATIONS AND EXAM DETAILS

This section describes the certification and how to prepare for its exam.


CYSA+

This exam evaluates one’s ability to execute vulnerability and threat analysis.
For the most part, the test is a validation of intermediate-level security
skills and knowledge with a technical, “hands-on” focus on IT security analytics
and intelligence, threat detection techniques, addressing vulnerabilities,
analyzing data, suggesting preventative measures and incident response and
recovery.

CySA+ consists of a maximum of 85 multiple-choice and performance-based
questions, with 165 minutes to complete. 

Passing score: 750 (on a scale of 100-900).

Price of exam: $370 

Candidates are encouraged to use this document to help them prepare for the
CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) CS0-002 certification exam.


SSCP

This exam reinforces one’s skills to manage and monitor IT infrastructures and
apply security policies. The test validates proven technical skills and
practical, hands-on security knowledge in operational roles, emphasizing
security operations, access control, risk management, incident response,
cryptography, and network and applications security.

SSCP consists of 125 multiple-choice questions with four choices each and uses a
computer-based format. Participants will have three hours to complete the SSCP
examination. 

Passing score: 700 (out of 1,000)

Price: $249 

Candidates are encouraged to use this document to help them prepare for the
Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) certification exam.


GSEC

This exam verifies one’s hands-on IT security capability with a focus on various
topics, including access control, cryptography, AWS security, Windows and Linux
security, virtualization and cloud security, penetration testing and wireless
security.

GSEC has up to 180 multiple-choice and advanced questions. Participants will
have up to 300 minutes to complete.

Note: GIAC exams are open-book format, but not open-internet or open-computer.
It’s also important to know that no specific training is required for the GIAC
Security Essentials certification. Still, professionals with technical mastery
and practical experience might supplement their knowledge with relevant courses
from a training partner.

Passing score: 73%

Price: $2,499 or $849 for GIAC certification attempts purchased in conjunction
with SANS training. Alumni of a SANS training course wishing to attempt the
associated GIAC certification later are instead eligible for a $1,250 discount.
The GIAC Security Essentials exam is quite a bit more expensive than the
comparable certs. Still, each certification attempt includes two practice tests
that GIAC values at $358 and can help prepare for the exam efficiently.

Note: You can take any of the certification exams at Pearson VUE test centers
worldwide. Online testing with OnVUE is available for ISC2 and CompTIA, but not
GIAC.


WHICH SECURITY CERTIFICATION(S) SHOULD I GET?

After reading the info above, you might already have a good idea of which
certification to obtain. A decision, however, can only be made after fully
understanding which topics (domains and exam objectives) are covered by each
credential program. 

One possible security certification progression career path is GSEC ￫ SSCP ￫
CySA+. Generally, GSEC is suitable for gaining knowledge, as the exam is focused
on understanding key security concepts; on the other hand, the SSCP is a
certification for the individual who must have some hands-on experience. That
leaves the CySA+ credential, which goes beyond theory and tests more practical
cyber-related skills and fits those in a mid-level role as a cybersecurity
threat hunter or analyst.


EARN YOUR CYSA+, GUARANTEED!

Get hands-on experience and live expert, instruction. Enroll now to claim your
Exam Pass Guarantee!

GET PRICING


COMPARING CERTIFICATIONS LIKE SSCP AND GSEC 

Is a certification worth a professional’s time and effort? The answer is
obviously yes, as employers frequently look to certification as an important
measure of excellence and commitment to a career.

Choosing the proper certification can be difficult, and there is no one linear
career path in an IT security role. Many of today’s credential holders find the
SSCP is more well-known and respected amongst employers during the hiring
process. At the same time, the CySA+ is more respected within the technical
community itself, and GSEC has been a suitable option for someone just starting
a career in the IT security field.

No matter where you start, though, obtaining a credential is a great way to
attract companies looking for certified holders who can validate their expertise
and dedication to the field. Relevant certifications such as CySA+, SSCP and
GSEC can all be great options.


SOURCES:

 * CySA+, CompTIA
 * SSCP, (ISC)²
 * GSEC, GIAC

Posted: October 1, 2021
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DANIEL BRECHT

View Profile

Daniel Brecht has been writing for the Web since 2007. His interests include
computers, mobile devices and cyber security standards. He has enjoyed writing
on a variety of topics ranging from cloud computing to application development,
web development and e-commerce. Brecht has several years of experience as an
Information Technician in the military and as an education counselor. He holds a
graduate Certificate in Information Assurance and a Master of Science in
Information Technology.

 

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In this Series
 * CySA+: Comparable certifications (SSCP, GSEC) [updated 2021]
 * CompTIA CySA+ exam (CSO-002) 2020 update: What you need to know
 * CySA+: Exam policies and appeal procedures [updated 2021]
 * The CySA+ knowledge domains
 * CySA+ Domain #1: Threat and vulnerability management
 * CySA+ domain #2 Software and Systems Security – for identity and access
   management (IAM) [updated 2021]
 * CySA+ Domain #3: Security operations and monitoring
 * CySA+ Domain #4: Incident Response
 * CySA+ Domain #5: Compliance and assessment
 * CySA+: Renewal requirements [updated 2021]
 * CySA+: Resources [updated 2021]
 * CySA+ salary data [Updated 2021]
 * CySA+: IA levels and DoD 8570 [updated 2023]
 * CySA+: Other certifications (Security+, PenTest+, CASP+) [updated 2022]
 * CySA+: Earning CEUs [updated 2021]
 * CySA+: Benefits for Employers [updated 2021]
 * CySA+ jobs outlook [updated 2021]
 * The business value of CompTIA CySA+ employee certification
 * CySA+: Why become certified and what to expect from certification [updated
   2021]
 * Average CySA+ salary [2022 update]

Related Bootcamps
CompTIA A+
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA Security+
CompTIA CySA+
CompTIA PenTest+
CompTIA CASP+


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