Entry-Level Cybersecurity Certifications for Beginners

Over 3.5 million cybersecurity roles in the U.S. remain vacant today, with employers increasingly favoring candidates who hold recognized certifications. Professionals who actively upskill gain a clear advantage in landing their first cybersecurity role or quickly transitioning into the field.

This guide outlines top recognized cybersecurity certifications for beginners, summarizing core topics, target audience, exam format, and supported job roles.

The CEH is a credential from EC-Council that validates an individual’s ability to ethically identify vulnerabilities in systems and networks. It introduces penetration testing tools, methodologies, and countermeasures.

CEH is ideal for those pursuing careers in offensive security or threat assessment. Common candidates include aspiring penetration testers, red teamers, SOC analysts, and security consultants with a solid grasp of networking and basic security concepts.

• Format: 125 multiple-choice questions
• Duration: 4 hours
• Topics Covered: Footprinting, malware threats, cryptography, session hijacking, web application attacks
• Prerequisites: Two years of IT security experience or completion of an official EC-Council training course
• Career Paths: Ethical hacker, penetration tester, vulnerability analyst

CompTIA Network+ builds on the fundamentals of A+ and focuses specifically on networking concepts—a core component of nearly all cybersecurity roles. The certification covers network protocols, IP addressing, routing and switching, and basic network security principles.

Ideal for those who’ve completed A+ and want to specialize in network defense, security monitoring, or infrastructure support.

• Format: 90 questions (multiple-choice and performance-based)
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Topics Covered: Network protocols, IP addressing, routing/switching, network security
• Prerequisites: None officially, but A+ and 9–12 months of networking experience are recommended
• Career Paths: Network administrator, junior network security analyst, IT support engineer

The SSCP from ISC2 is designed for those looking to validate their technical skills and practical knowledge in implementing and maintaining secure systems. It covers topics such as access controls, cryptography, incident response, and network and systems security.

Designed for IT pros with real-world experience who are shifting toward security. It’s a good fit for administrators, analysts, and those working toward advanced roles like CISSP.

• Format: 125 multiple-choice questions
• Duration: 3 hours
• Topics Covered: Identity management, security operations, risk response, system and network hardening
• Prerequisites: One year of paid work in at least one SSCP domain
• Alternative Path: No experience? You can still sit for the exam and earn Associate of (ISC)² status
• Career Paths: Security administrator, network security engineer, systems analyst (with enterprise focus)

The ISACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate offers foundational cybersecurity training for beginners, covering core concepts like threat landscapes, risk management, incident response, and emerging technologies. The content is aligned with global standards and emphasizes governance and compliance.

The certificate serves as a strong cybersecurity training for beginners, recent graduates, or anyone pivoting into cybersecurity. A strong choice for those interested in audit, GRC, or risk-related roles within the field.

• Format: 75 multiple-choice questions
• Duration: 2 hours
• Topics Covered: Threats, cybersecurity principles, incident response, emerging tech, GRC frameworks
• Prerequisites: None
• Career Paths: Cybersecurity technician, GRC associate, risk analyst, audit support

The Microsoft SC-900 certification validates foundational knowledge of security, compliance, and identity (SCI) concepts within Microsoft services.

This certification is designed for individuals new to these areas, providing a comprehensive introduction to Microsoft’s approach to SCI across cloud-based and related services.

• Format: 40–60 multiple-choice and scenario-based questions
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Topics Covered:
  • Security, compliance, and identity concepts
  • Microsoft Entra (formerly Azure Active Directory) capabilities
  • Microsoft security solutions
  • Microsoft compliance solutions
• Prerequisites: None
• Career Paths: Security administrator, compliance analyst, identity and access administrator

The ISC2 Associate designation allows candidates to take any ISC2 certification exam, including CISSP, before meeting the required work experience. It provides an opportunity for newcomers to demonstrate their knowledge and commitment to a cybersecurity career while working toward full certification.

This path is ideal for students, career switchers, or early-career professionals who want to validate their knowledge and commitment without waiting years to qualify. Common among aspiring analysts, engineers, and auditors.

• Format: Full version of an ISC2 exam (e.g., CISSP or SSCP)
• Duration: Varies by exam
• Topics Covered: Based on the certification chosen (CISSP, SSCP, etc.)
• Prerequisites: None for Associate status
• Certification Path: Up to six years to earn required experience and become fully certified
• Career Paths: Security analyst, systems engineer, security auditor

The Google Cybersecurity Certificate is a beginner-friendly, self-paced program offered through Coursera. Additionally, it is often considered a stepping stone among beginner cybersecurity certifications, introducing core topics like network security, incident response, system hardening, and risk management through practical labs and real-world scenarios.

This program is designed for absolute beginners, especially those without prior IT experience. It’s ideal for job seekers looking for a flexible entry into cybersecurity without committing to formal cybersecurity certifications for beginners like Security+.

• Format: Eight-course series with quizzes and hands-on projects
• Duration: ~6 months (at 10 hours/week)
• Topics Covered: Network security, threat detection, security operations, risk management
• Prerequisites: None
• Credential: Certificate of completion (not an industry certification)
• Career Paths: Security operations analyst, IT support associate, junior threat analyst

Cybersecurity certifications for beginners can provide a clear path into entry-level roles to help you build hands-on skills and industry experience.

Here are the entry-level cybersecurity job roles that you can qualify for with a beginner certification.

“IT auditor” is a foundational role that often requires cybersecurity knowledge, risk assessment, and control frameworks such as COBIT, NIST, or ISO/IEC 27001. Entry into this role typically involves certifications like the ISACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate, Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), or relevant audit and GRC-based training.

How to prepare: Most entry-level IT auditors begin with foundational cybersecurity or GRC certifications before advancing to CISA.

Where it leads: Roles may include junior IT auditor, GRC analyst, or compliance associate. This career path provides a structured route into more senior audit, security assurance, or cybersecurity governance roles, especially in regulated industries.

“Security engineer” is a common goal for those starting in cybersecurity. This role is responsible for building and maintaining secure systems, identifying vulnerabilities, and implementing controls to defend against cyber threats. It combines deep technical knowledge with hands-on implementation across networks, servers, and cloud environments.

How to prepare: Foundational certifications like CompTIA Security+, GIAC GSEC, or ISC2 SSCP are common starting points. Over time, engineers often pursue CEH, CISSP, or vendor-specific credentials like Cisco or Microsoft security tracks, depending on their focus area. Many enter this path from IT support, system administration, or network engineering backgrounds.

Where it leads: Security engineering roles often serve as a stepping stone to more advanced positions such as senior engineer, security architect, or incident response lead. It’s a technically demanding but rewarding role critical in defending an organization’s infrastructure from ever-evolving threats.

Start with the certification that fits your goals and build forward. Training Camp boot camps help you gain the skills, credentials, and confidence to advance your cybersecurity career. Explore our expert-led cybersecurity certifications for beginners.

References
A+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications. (n.d.). CompTIA.
https://www.comptia.org/certifications/a
Become an associate of ISC2. (n.d.). https://www.isc2.org/certifications/associate
CISA Certification | Certified Information Systems Auditor | ISACA. (n.d.). ISACA.
https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/cisa
Cisco Certified Support Technician Cybersecurity. (2025, April 29). Cisco. https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/exams/ccst-cybersecurity.html
CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional | ISC2. (n.d.). https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cissp
Cybersecurity for everyone. (2023, June 25). Coursera. https://www.coursera.org/learn/cybersecurity-for-everyone
Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate | ISACA. (n.d.). ISACA. https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/cybersecurity-fundamentals-certificate
EC-Council. (2025, May 13). CEH Certification | Certified Ethical Hacker Course | EC-Council. https://www.eccouncil.org/programs/certified-ethical-hacker-ceh/
GIAC Security Essentials Certification | Cybersecurity Certification. (n.d.). https://www.giac.org/certifications/security-essentials-gsec/
Leslie. (2023, January 1). Google Cybersecurity Certificate – Grow with Google. https://grow.google/certificates/cybersecurity/
Network+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications. (n.d.). CompTIA. https://www.comptia.org/certifications/network
Professional Cloud Security Engineer Certification | Learn | Google Cloud. (n.d.). Google Cloud. https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/cloud-security-engineer
SSCP Systems Security Certified Practitioner Certification | ISC2. (n.d.). https://www.isc2.org/certifications/sscp

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