Top 5 cybersecurity certifications for beginners for 2026

IT certifications can help you build practical skills, strengthen your resume and show employers that you have the knowledge to succeed in a technical role. If cybersecurity is your goal, the right beginner certification can also give you the IT foundation you need before moving into more specialized security work.

If you're asking yourself, "Which cybersecurity certification should I get first?", exploring the best cybersecurity certifications for beginners is a useful place to start. CompTIA certifications remain popular for entry-level IT and information security professionals, but several strong CompTIA alternatives also made the list. Below are five beginner-friendly IT and cybersecurity certification paths to consider.

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1. CompTIA "core" certifications

For the number one spot, we cheated a bit, but that's because where you start your certification journey largely depends on your existing knowledge and experience. Cybersecurity builds on core IT skills, so understanding devices, operating systems and networks can make security concepts much easier to learn. CompTIA's core certification path is designed to build and validate those foundational IT and cybersecurity skills.

1a. CompTIA A+ and Network+

Both the CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ certifications are strong starting points for people looking for their first certification. These beginner IT certifications cover many of the foundational skills that support later cybersecurity learning, from troubleshooting devices to understanding how networks operate.

• A+ certifies the competency to install, operate, maintain and troubleshoot devices, much like an entry-level helpdesk professional would.
• Network+ covers areas such as the design and implementation of functional networks, network management, network maintenance, configuring networks, effective usage of switches/routers, identifying pros and cons of network configurations and implementation of information security policies and procedures.

For those considering these IT certifications for beginners, Infosec partners with CompTIA to offer training for all of their IT and security certifications. Find more information on what you'll learn in the CompTIA A+ Boot Camp and CompTIA Network+ Boot Camp. You can also train on-demand for CompTIA certifications with a subscription to Infosec Skills.

In this episode of Cyber Work Hacks, CompTIA's James Stangers explains how the "core" certifications of A+, Network+ and Security+ can help launch your cybersecurity career.

1b. CompTIA Security+

If there had to be just one entry-level information security certification to earn, I would strongly suggest CompTIA Security+. The industry agrees, which is why Security+ has grown to become the most popular cybersecurity certification in the world. Simply put, Security+ represents the knowledge and tools required for entry-level information security professionals to begin a successful career.

Security+ is an entry-level, vendor-neutral, global information security certification. Earning this certification demonstrates competency to perform core information security functions. For employers, it can signal that a candidate has built a broad cybersecurity foundation and is serious about progressing in the field.

The current Security+ (SY0-701) exam covers areas including:

• General security concepts
• Threats, vulnerabilities and mitigations
• Security architecture and security operations
• Security program management and oversight

Most Security+ certification candidates will choose Security+ as their first or second information security certification. True as this may be, it extends far up the rungs of the proverbial corporate ladder, as you will be hard-pressed to find a Chief Information Officer without a Security+ certification (or at the very least a Security+ study guide that they use as reference material). The knowledge and tools covered by Security+ form such a strong foundation for information security and information technology careers that its basics will follow information security professionals throughout their entire careers.

As mentioned above, CompTIA and Infosec partner to provide an in-depth, five-day Security+ Training Boot Camp to help candidates tackle this universe of information and successfully pass the Security+ exam.

For more on the Security+ certification, view our Security+ certification hub.

2. ISC2 Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)

The SSCP certification from ISC2 is similar to the Security+ in that both are considered entry-level: ISC2 has a one-year experience requirement for SSCP, and CompTIA has a two-year experience recommendation for Security+. A relevant post-secondary degree in computer science, IT or a related field may satisfy up to one year of that requirement.

The primary difference is that SSCP focuses more on hands-on security administration and operations, while Security+ is often used as a broader foundational security credential. ISC2 positions SSCP for professionals who implement, monitor and administer IT infrastructure using security best practices, policies and procedures.

Infosec offers an on-demand SSCP Learning Path to help you prepare for the certification.

Associate of ISC2: More certification options

For those specifically looking at more advanced ISC2 certifications but who don't have the required work experience to earn them, there is the option to become an Associate of ISC2. For example, the following ISC2 certifications require multiple years of experience, in addition to passing the exam:

• Certified in Governance, Risk and Compliance (CGRC), which requires two years of experience
• Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP), which requires four years of experience
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), which requires five years of experience
• Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), which requires five years of experience

Candidates who pass an ISC2 certification exam before meeting the full experience requirement may be able to become an Associate of ISC2 and earn the required experience within the applicable time window. For most entry-level professionals, starting with SSCP, Security+ or another foundational credential is a more practical cybersecurity certification path for beginners than jumping immediately to an advanced certification.

3. EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

As the EC-Council website puts it: "To beat a hacker, you need to think like one!" The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification focuses on the tools, techniques and mindset used in ethical hacking. This vendor-neutral credential is designed to validate knowledge of how attackers identify and exploit weaknesses — and how security professionals can use that understanding to assess systems, find vulnerabilities and strengthen defenses.

Information security professionals who want to bring hacking skills to their day jobs should consider the CEH certification. This is for one reason: an organization trying to protect itself from outside hackers should hire a hacker. Having a hacker in your organization can help the organization better spot its vulnerabilities. They will be able to shed light on how hackers think in any given situation, making a CEH a valuable addition to the team.

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CEH is not a completely bare-bones entry-level certification. EC-Council currently offers two main eligibility paths: complete official training or apply through an experience-based eligibility process. Beginners without qualifying experience will generally need to take an approved training route before attempting the certification exam.

In either case, candidates must pay a non-refundable application fee. Candidates can expect an exam that will be four hours long and contain 125 questions. Candidates can also choose to take the optional six-hour CEH Practical exam, which includes 20 hands-on challenges and can lead to the CEH Master designation when combined with the CEH credential.

For those interested, Infosec is an EC-council accredited training partner and offers a Certified Ethical Hacking Boot Camp, which prepares you for the CEH certification. It teaches you the skills to successfully (and ethically) hack an organization and features a repeatable, documentable penetration testing method that can be used on the job.

4. GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC)

Managed by GIAC, GSEC is another entry-level certification that validates in-demand skills. In short, GSEC certification demonstrates that the holder has knowledge of best practices for general information security and the methodology required for effective real-world application. GIAC currently positions GSEC as a practitioner certification rather than a beginner credential, so it may be a better fit for early-career professionals with some technical foundation.

GSEC is an excellent choice for an entry-level information security professional, although the exam is more expensive than the other options on this list. It can be difficult to distinguish yourself from the pack when you are an entry-level information security professional, but earning the GSEC certification and listing it on your resume or CV can certainly help.

5. CCNA (and other vendor-specific certs)

We close out this list with yet another small cheat: vendor-specific certifications. The four certifications listed above are what's known as vendor-neutral, which means the knowledge and skills covered on the exam are not specific to any one vendor or technology. However, you should, at a minimum, be aware of all the certification options available that focus on a specific vendor.

One of the most popular vendor-specific certifications is the Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA), which covers network fundamentals, network access, IP connectivity, IP services, security fundamentals, and automation and programmability. It's comparable to the Network+ in that both cover networking fundamentals, but if you know the jobs you're applying for are using Cisco equipment, getting the Cisco-specific networking certification may help you stand out.

In this episode of Cyber Work Hacks, Infosec instructor Wilfredo Lanz explains how beginner students can succeed and earn their CCNA.

Most large technology companies offer vendor-specific certifications to validate skills with their platforms. Both AWS and Microsoft Azure have entry-level cloud administration certifications, such as the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator and the Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate. Vendor-neutral certifications like the ones listed above tend to have broader appeal and popularity, but you should be aware of these other types of certifications as you progress in your career or target a specific role.

Which entry-level security certification should you choose?

There are many entry-level IT certifications for cybersecurity beginners. The five paths above are among the best-known options for building foundational IT, networking and security skills. However, there are a number of others out there to pursue, especially once you go beyond the foundations and can certify towards specific job roles, tasks or technology stacks.

Even if you don't take an exam right away, certification exam outlines are useful study roadmaps for identifying the skills employers expect. Earning one or more beginner IT certifications can help open doors to entry-level roles by demonstrating baseline knowledge and the initiative to keep building your skills.

Get your free role-guided training plans

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If you want to learn more about entry-level cybersecurity careers, check out these free ebooks and resources:

• Cybersecurity salary guide
• Entry-level cybersecurity careers you should consider
• Want to work in cybersecurity but have no experience? 5 things you can do