How Superior is Comptia Sec+ Certification compared to EC-Council Entry Level Certification?
Do you want to be a cybersecurity professional? Or do you want to appear to be a Cybersecurity professional, walking around with imposter syndrome at your job?
Let’s see for what reason any certification is worthwhile:
- Getting Jobs: It's an entry-level certification providing basic infosec knowledge, so you can’t rely on progressing with basic infosec syllabus content. If you keep reading below (for domains that Sec+ covers), you’ll realize why I advise doing only, Sec+ is enough. Sec+ candidates are not industry job-ready and must rely on other complimenting certifications after doing sec+.
- Getting Hands-on experience: Sec+ labs and exams. It’s more like a programmed environment, a bit close to simulation, and not a live networking environment where your skills are tested. With more advanced threat vectors evolving daily, Will practicing on these only 32 labs cut the work for you? probably not. Will you develop skills? Will you walk around with imposter syndrome on your job? Do you have to go for a new certification after sec+? Yes, immediately.
- Getting knowledge: Sec+, it’s been ages, and you can google it if you want; the course, the content, and the labs are not updated. So, You will be left to the mercy of your next certification, a job, or some paid CTF versions to gain real-world experience via labs.
So, yes, while on paper, Sec+ looks good…I want you to drill its contents down and compare with some good cert from EC-Council, sans. Sec+ won’t do much good for you in the real world. (Getting Jobs, Getting knowledge, Getting hands-on practical experience, and Learning the latest tools, attack vectors, hacking, forensics, etc.) And hence if you do SEC+, What’s next? What's your next certification to progress in your career?
I would refer to certification towards CEH and CND, i.e., Certified Ethical Hacker and Certified network defender. At the same time, the Certified Ethical hacker program is more advanced than SEC+ in ethical hacking skills. also, Comparing Sec+ and CEH will not be fair since the objective of CEH is different. While true, the new CEHv12 is way better than many cybersecurity courses.
From a network defense point of view, CND will be a good starting point. Knowing about Network security and ethical hacking is the base of the cybersecurity career.
But, From an entry-level certification in cyber security, one needs a certificate that will prepare you for actual job roles in an entry-level job. It will also get you jobs; I recommend going for CCT if you are stepping into the security world with only basic knowledge. Yes, if you have 0 ideas about cybersecurity, I suggest you go for this free cybersecurity Essential Series course.
I suggest you go for CCT ( Certified Cybersecurity technician) now. Let me explain why going for a CCT and analyze it compared to the sec+ course. And then you can make your own decision.
https://www.eccouncil.org/programs/certified-cybersecurity-technician-certification/
As per EC-Council, CCT is The world’s only baseline entry-level cybersecurity program offering below, which I agree with.. after comparing many certifications.
- 85 real-life practical hands-on labs
- Performance-based exam.
CCT covers the below domains.
- Ethical Hacking
- Network Security
- Digital Forensics
- SOC
- Threat Intelligence & Hunting
- Incident Handling
- Risk Management
- Governance & Compliance
- BC & DR
- Application Security
- Configuration & Asset Management
- OT Security
- Network Troubleshooting
- Network Log Monitoring & Analysis
And Security+ teaches you below domains:
Threats, attacks and vulnerabilities:
Identity and Access Management:
Technologies and Tools:
Risk Management:
Architecture and Design:
Cryptography
(source: comptia website)
- With 50% of training dedicated to labs
CCT vs. Security
Labs: CCT has 85 labs vs., whereas Sec+ has 32 labs (Which are very crucial for practice and making you job-ready right from the interview process)
Exam: CCT Live Cyber Range vs. Sec+ Simulations (CCT is not a simulation. Their Cyber Range mimics virtual organization with live systems, networks, etc..….… )
Resources: CCT In-depth vs. Sec+ Limited (looking from a content point of view, I can go on from many topics where sec+ has given only limited knowledge flow. u can easily gage the idea from below 2 points)
Course Content: 2156 pages + 942 pages on labs vs Sec+ 556 pages
Builds Technical Skills: CCT covers a wide range of fundamental topics related to cybersecurity, making you job ready with hands-on technical skills. CCT covers all modules of Sec+ and 1000+ more topics. (And that’s a precious 1000+ reasons)
Course domain coverage: CCT: Network defense, ethical hacking, digital forensics security operations VS Sec+ Basic concepts in infosec
Contents: CCT 3x more than Sec+
Validation: Testing Practical Skills Ability vs. Testing only knowledge
Do check out Certified Cybersecurity Technician (CCT)
https://www.eccouncil.org/programs/certified-cybersecurity-technician-certification/