How do certifications contribute to risk reduction in the field of cybersecurity

In recent times, cybersecurity certifications have become a craze among freshers looking to start their careers in the field of cyber security, and amongst professionals looking to update their skillset to match the changing dynamics of the cybersecurity domain. A cybersecurity certification offers in-depth knowledge of the various basic fundamentals of cybersecurity, and the hands-on experience required to start or upgrade the careers of individuals.

Below are some of the points that elaborate on the key values of such certifications in terms of business.

Professional certifications

Professional cybersecurity certifications act as credentials that individuals earn to showcase their level of skill in the cybersecurity domain. These certifications provide the basic fundamental and practical hands-on knowledge of the various aspects of the cyber security field. The certifications are very specific in the skills imparted to the individuals, i.e., each subdomain of cybersecurity requires different certifications, like cyber forensics, penetration testing, etc.

Benefits offered by professional certifications to different businesses and organizations

There are various benefits offered by professional cyber security certifications to employers. They include

• By making the already employed individuals undertake these courses and upgrade their skills to suit the modern-day requirements, it helps employers to reduce their hiring costs.
• The hiring of new employees for a specific subdomain of cybersecurity becomes easier, as the certifications are pretty specific in terms of the skills imparted to the individuals.

Benefits of professional certifications to individuals

Professional certifications in cybersecurity are of immense value to individuals, whether already employed or searching for a job in this field. Some benefits include

• Individuals can upgrade their skills or gather the required knowledge to enter the cybersecurity domain with the help of these certifications.
• The certifications help in increasing the productivity and efficiency of the individuals, thereby increasing their chances of negotiating and securing a higher pay package for themselves

Details and importance of the certification of the certifiers of professional courses

The certifiers or trainers of the various cyber security certification programs need to conform to the ISO/IEC 17024 standard. This is the international standard that specifies the principles and requirements that a  certifier or training body needs to comply with. The standard states that a proper certification scheme and a transparent program and process of certification should be developed and maintained by the certifiers. There are various requirements that need to be met by a certifier, for their certification program to be deemed valid, like

• Structure of the training body
• The resources that would be employed for the training purposes
• The maintenance of records and information related to the courses offered and the candidates undertaking those courses
• The process of the development of the certification programs
• The entire process of certification
• A system of management will be put in place to oversee the various administrative duties.

Contribution of certifications to risk reduction in the cybersecurity field

Professional cyber security certifications have contributed in a big way to reducing the risk of all kinds of cyber threats. Some of the risks that are mitigated with help of these certifications are

• Reducing the extent of damage caused by cyber threats and attacks by creating a quick response team that is able to handle the threat at a moment’s notice. Training individuals to be ready to jump into action and identify and negate the attacks is a big bonus, as it helps in reducing the losses suffered by the business through the quick resumption of business operations
• The knowledge gained by individuals during the course of these certifications helps professionals in designing and maintaining a cyber defense system, able to identify and negate most types of cyber attacks.
• Professional certifications help employees and employers in becoming more aware of different types of cyber threats as well as the different ways in which they can occur. It gives them the knowledge and experience to use various tools and applications to identify, negate, and protect their sensitive business data.

References

What Cybersecurity Certifications Can Mean for Your Business | Cybrary. (n.d.). Cybrary. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from cybrary.it/blog/what-cybersecurity-certifications-can-mean-for-your-business/

UNIDO | United Nations Industrial Development Organization. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2022, from unido.org/sites/default/files/files/2018-07/Guidelines_on_Conformity_Assessment.pdf 

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