When you’re looking for a way to climb the ranks in the cybersecurity world, it can be difficult. As a newer industry, there’s no cookie-cutter path to cybersecurity and qualified experts come from a variety of backgrounds.
However, one surefire way to prove yourself is through certifications which validate your skills in the eyes of an employer and let you get a foot in the door for that dream job. The EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender (CND) is one such certification, great for people who want to work on making sure an organization’s network is secure and maintained.
In this article, we’ll cover the CND certification, what it includes, how it works, and whether or not it’s the perfect move for your career.
Cyber Security Skills Gap and Certification
Before we move on to the CND, it’s important to understand why it’s relevant in this world. The answer? The cybersecurity skills gap. With more and more high profile hacks from Equifax to Uber, qualified professionals are in short supply.
By 2020, there will be a global shortage of two million cyber professionals, according to the nonprofit ISACA. Meanwhile, CyberSeek estimates that around 240,000 information security analysts and other cyber roles go unfilled every year.
That’s where IT cyber security certifications come in. For professionals who already know their way around a computer and are ready to help fight the bad guys, certifications give them a chance to prove those skills quickly and get to work.
But not all certifications are created equal. So where does the Certified Network Defender come in?
Why Do We Need the Certified Network Defender?
No matter what your interest in cybersecurity, there’s a certification out there for you. Want to get into the mind of a hacker? The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification lets you do that. More interested in collecting cyber evidence and testifying against pirates? The Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI) enables you to do that. If you’re not sure what you want to do in cyber security, our article on different paths can help you get started.
But what about the CND? In short, the CND is all about data breaches. We know them. We fear them. Cyber breaches have increased 1,370% over the past ten years. People who earn their CND come equipped with the skills to protect, detect, and respond to threats on their network.
To get more specific, the CND is excellent for anyone who wants to focus on the operations and processes involved in network defense, rather than the tech. Their focus is on maintaining infrastructure in a system. A day in the life of a CND certified pro could include testing a network for weaknesses, installing security programs, evaluating/monitoring networks, and more.
As for salary, the average Certified Network Defender salary is around $65,721 but could easily be much higher depending on your specialization. For a Defense Network Technician, salaries range between $70,000 and $76,000.
Meanwhile, a Network Security Engineer could make anywhere between $97,000 and $163,000 according to IT Salary Guide. Not bad. Not bad at all.