You might be wondering why you would need a certified CompTIA cyber security analyst on your team. But if there is a business sector in operation today that has not been the subject of a computer security breach, more commonly known as a 'hack', it's only a matter of time before the cyber criminals catch up with it. Airlines, supermarkets, consumer credit reporting agencies, even the mobile app game Pokémon Go has been infiltrated by agents with malicious intent.

Often, the aim of a malicious attack is to steal information or disrupt business. To get anywhere in business today, you need to be connected to the internet. If you're connected, you're vulnerable, and you need to protect your data.

There's an old adage, "If you design something to be idiot proof, the universe will design a better idiot." The same logic applies to cybercriminals, only substitute 'cybersecurity savvy' in place of 'idiot proof'. As fast as firewalls and virus protection software evolve, so cybercriminals get better at evading them.

How can a business protect itself?

The best way to secure your information systems is to employ staff who are trained in cybersecurity. How many and how qualified depends on the size of your business and the value of the data that is stored on your systems. CompTIA is the world's leading tech association.

Setting industry standards, generating knowledge and insight, and fostering the development of skills, CompTIA develops, and licenses to third-party organizations to administer IT certifications. These certifications demonstrate to prospective employers that a holder of a given certificate, such as the newly introduced CSA+, has met a certain standard of competence in a particular range of skills and knowledge.

What is the new CSA+ certification?

The CSA+ is an advanced certification that goes into more detail with security analytics than do other certifications. It also focuses more on defensive, 'blue team' skills as opposed to offensive, or 'red team' skills. It fills a gap in between the professional level CompTIA Security+ and the mastery level CASP certification, CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner. The domains of the CSA+ exam are:

• Threat management
• Vulnerability management
• Cyber incident response
• Security architecture and tool sets

The CSA+ assumes a background of three to four years of hands-on experience in computer security. Holders of the CSA+ are qualified to perform roles in cybersecurity such as, threat intelligence, security operations center (SOC), vulnerability, or security engineer.

The CompTIA CSA+ Exam

The CSA+ certificate does not come out of a box of cornflakes; candidates have to pass a rigorous test to a high standard in order to qualify. The exam includes a minimum of 85 questions that must be completed within a 165-minute period. The pass mark for the CSA+ is a frightening 750 out of 900.

The topics emphasized on the exam include:

• Introduction to SYSOG monitoring
• Threat vulnerabilities and reporting
• Digital forensics
• Social engineering
• Threat reconnaissance

The exam includes both performance-based and multiple-choice questions. The practical component takes up roughly 33% of the time the candidate has to spend completing the exam.

Where can an employer find CSA+-qualified individuals?

You can advertise for them, or you can create your own by supporting an existing staff member through the CSA+ certification process. Infotec is a nationally recognized leader in the field of information technology training and certification. The CSA+ is among the cybersecurity courses and certifications we offer. Why not check out our website or give us a call to discuss how we can help you built your cybersecurity team.

For more information about Infotec or any of our programs click here: http://www.infotectraining.com/ or https://ops.infotecpro.com/course_schedule/course_schedule.cfm.