CompTIA Security+

What does an network+ Technician earn?

*Median National Salary:
$102,600

*Annual Job Postings:
189,100+

*Job Growth Above National Average:
253%

Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Outlook Handbook

Bureau Of Labor Statistics
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

ONet
Job Info
 

* Source: CompTIA | Lightcast | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Note: Many factors influence salaries, including location, job level, specialty skills and years of experience. Job posting figures are for the 12-month period ending October 2022 and serve as a proxy for employer demand. *The 10-year projected job growth above the national average rate covers 2022-2032.

Cybersecurity as a whole involves any activities, people and technology your organization is using to avoid security incidents, data breaches or loss of critical systems. It’s how you protect your business from threats and your security systems against digital threats. Although the term gets bandied about casually enough, cybersecurity should absolutely be an integral part of your business operations.

Cybersecurity Defined

The CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency) defines cybersecurity as “the art of protecting networks, devices and data from unauthorized access or criminal use and the practice of ensuring confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.” Every organization uses some form of information technology (IT)—whether it’s for bookkeeping, tracking of shipments, service delivery, you name it—that data has to be protected. Cybersecurity measures ensure your business remains secure and operational at all times.

Why Is Cybersecurity Important?

Cybersecurity is the technological counterpart of the cape-wearing superhero. Effective cybersecurity swoops in at just the right time to prevent damage to critical systems and keep your organization up and running despite any threats that come its way. (See? Superhero stuff.) If you want to stay in the business of making money—and we know you do—you need cybersecurity.

Types of Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity can mean different things depending on which aspect of technology you’re managing. Here are the categories of cybersecurity that IT pros need to know.

Critical Infrastructure Security
Critical infrastructure security includes the things you do to protect the computer systems your organization needs to stay operational. Seems like a no-brainer, right? This includes any technology, processes, safeguards and other protections you use to keep those critical systems safe and running.

Network Security
Network security involves all of the activities it takes to protect your network infrastructure. This might involve configuring firewalls, securing VPNs, managing access control or implementing antivirus software. Cybersecurity pros in this field will protect against network threats and data breaches that occur on the network.

Endpoint Security
Endpoints are any devices connected to your network. This could include desktops, laptops, tablets, mobile devices or smart TVs. Protecting endpoints requires activities such as threat and anomalous activity detection, multi-factor authentication, user training and policy development surrounding endpoint usage. This may also include safeguarding physical locations containing endpoint devices.

Application Security
Application security involves the configuration of security settings within individual apps to protect them against cyberattacks. This might involve resolving bugs in code and implementing cybersecurity measures to protect against bad actors. Securing applications helps to strengthen data security in the cloud-native era.

Information Security
Information security includes any data-protection safeguards you put into place. This broad term involves any activities you undertake to ensure personally identifiable information (PII) and other sensitive data remains under lock and key.

Cloud Security
Cloud security specifically involves activities needed to prevent attacks on cloud applications and infrastructure. These activities help to ensure all data remains private and secure as its passed between different internet-based applications.

Mobile Security
Who over the age (or under) of 18 doesn’t have a mobile device? We all do. Our mobile devices go everywhere with us and are a staple in our daily lives. Mobile security ensures all devices are protected against vulnerabilities. Since we all store sensitive information and use our devices for everything from shopping to sending work emails, mobile security helps to keep device data secure and away from cybercriminals. There’s no telling how threat actors might use identity theft as another weapon in their arsenal!

Internet of Things (IoT) Security
Internet of things security includes all the ways you protect information being passed between connected devices. As more and more IoT devices are being used in the cloud-native era, more stringent security protocols are necessary to ensure data isn’t compromised as its being shared between IoT. IoT security keeps the IoT ecosystem safeguarded at all times.

Zero Trust
Zero trust is a cybersecurity strategy where every user is verified and every connection is authorized. No one is given access to resources by default. Under this model, cybersecurity pros require verification from every source regardless of their position inside or outside the network perimeter. This requires implementing strict access controls and policies to help limit vulnerabilities.

The cloud isn’t going anywhere. In fact, adoption of cloud technologies has grown faster than ever as companies pivot to a more permanent remote workforce. That shift has created yet another new cybersecurity role: cloud penetration tester. If you have a background in security intelligence and understand the cloud, a specialization as a cloud penetration tester may be a good next step for you.

What Is a Cloud Penetration Tester?

A cloud penetration tester is tasked with securing an organization’s cloud environment through penetration testing and their understanding of cloud security issues in the following ways:

• Identifies risks, vulnerabilities and gaps in the cloud system.
• Defines the impact of exploitable vulnerabilities and prioritizes them accordingly.
• Determines how to leverage access obtained via exploitation.
• Delivers clear and actionable remediation.
• Provides best practices in maintaining visibility

A cloud penetration tester is a type of penetration tester who focuses on the security of cloud-specific configurations, cloud system passwords, cloud applications and encryption, application programming interfaces (API), databases, storage access and other challenges. Companies hire a qualified cloud penetration tester to improve their overall cloud security, avoid breaches and achieve compliance.

How to Become a Cloud Penetration Tester

In general, the role of penetration tester is not an entry-level job – you must gain IT and cybersecurity experience first. This is especially true for a cloud penetration tester, as it is a very specialized role.

Employers will expect candidates to have advanced understanding of the cloud and be able to leverage this knowledge to ethically hack into systems and stay up-to-date with security trends and best practices. Many penetration tester roles require knowledge of specific programming languages or operating systems as well.

To gain that experience you might start on an IT infrastructure pathway and then transition to cybersecurity. You could work as a cloud specialist or cloud engineer to learn how to maintain and optimize cloud infrastructure services.

Or, you could start in cybersecurity as a cybersecurity analyst or a cloud security specialist and work your way up to cloud penetration tester.

But being able to think like a hacker and apply those strategies hands-on is what really matters in this role. Certifications like CompTIA Cloud+, CompTIA Security+ and CompTIA PenTest+ can help you validate the skills and experience you need as you work toward a cloud penetration testing role.

CompTIA Cloud+ validates the skills needed to deploy and automate secure cloud environments that support the high availability of business systems and data. This certification is a great source of knowledge for those who have little experience working in the cloud.

CompTIA Security+ validates the baseline skills necessary to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career. This certification is a great place to start if you don’t have any cybersecurity training or experience.

CompTIA PenTest+ is intended to follow CompTIA Security+, or equivalent experience, and has a technical, hands-on focus. This certification is for IT pros tasked with penetration testing and vulnerability management and requires candidates to demonstrate the hands-on ability to test devices in new environments such as the cloud and mobile, in addition to traditional desktops and servers.

The new CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-002) launched last month and certifies that successful candidates have the knowledge and skills required to:

• Plan and scope a penetration testing engagement including vulnerability scanning.
• Understand legal and compliance requirements.
• Analyze results.
• Produce a written report with remediation techniques

The Details

Cloud Penetration Tester Salary Range

The average salary for cloud penetration testers is $124,424 a year as of April 2023 (Cyberseek.org).

Cloud Penetration Tester Job Outlook

From 2022 to 2032, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects an increase of 32% for penetration testing positions with 53,200 net new jobs expected during that 10-year period.

Job Titles Related to Cloud Penetration Tester

• Penetration tester
• Cloud security specialist
• Cybersecurity analyst
• Vulnerability analyst
• Threat intelligence analyst

If you like to actively collaborate with others and work with diverse technologies and products, then network security operations may be a good next step for you.

What Is Network Security Operations? 

The network security operations team often works with a team of security administrators to secure an organization’s IT infrastructure by doing the following:

• Implements, manages and supports a company’s network perimeter security controls.
• Designs and develops new systems, applications and solutions for enterprise-wide networks.
• Ensures system security needs are established and maintained.
• Integrates new security architectural features into existing infrastructures.
• Relates existing system to future needs and trends.
• Provides security engineering recommendations and support

A network operations center (NOC) is a centralized location where engineers and technicians monitor the status of an IT network for client. The network security operations job role acts as the liaison with the customer to ensure requirements are clear, well-defined and supported. The goal is to reduce downtime and keep operations going by scheduling updates and patches that may affect the flow of business.

Organizations may hire a network security engineer to build out security systems and a network security analyst to search data from network security tools, but it really all depends on the size of the organization. Oftentimes, IT pros with both titles find themselves doing a little of each of these roles. In reality, your responsibilities as part of the network security operations team will depend on the organization and customer needs.

How To Get a Job in Network Security Operations

Most organizations hiring for a network security operations role are looking for someone with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, cybersecurity or a related field. Experience on a team that supports and operates enterprise-class firewalls and/or intrusion detection and protection systems is helpful.

IT pros working in network security operations should understand vulnerability management and pen testing and should be able to design, implement and manage enterprise-class technologies. Certifications like CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+ and CompTIA PenTest+ can prove that you have the skills to work in network security operations. Check out the CompTIA Career Roadmap to see what other certifications can help you break into network security operations.

The Details 

Network Security Operations Salary Range 

The median annual wage for network security operations job roles is $112,000 as of May 2022 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)).

Network Security Operations Job Outlook 

From 2022 to 20232, CompTIA projects an increase of 32% for network security operation job roles, with 53,200 net new jobs expected during that 10-year period.

Job Titles Related to Network Security Operations 

• Network engineer
• Cybersecurity engineer
• Penetration tester
• Cybersecurity analyst
• Threat intelligence analyst
• Vulnerability assessment analyst

Attackers are sophisticated and unpredictable, so it’s important to try and understand their motives and approach. Penetration testers are security experts who act like bad guys to identify weaknesses in a network. These weaknesses, also called vulnerabilities, must be managed properly to avoid compromise. Penetration testing and vulnerability management helps prevent cyberattacks.

What Is a Penetration Tester?

A penetration tester, or pen tester, is considered a white hat or good hacker. Although they must think like a bad guy, the end goal is to help organizations improve their security practices to prevent theft and damage. Pen testers target traditional operating systems and devices as well as emerging technology, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices, mobile devices, embedded systems and more.

Some responsibilities include:

• Applying appropriate tools for penetration testing.
• Performing social engineering tests and reviewing physical security where appropriate.
• Keeping up to date with latest testing and hacking methods.
• Collecting data and deploying testing methodology.
• Locating, assessing and managing vulnerabilities.
• Making suggestions for security improvements and preparing technical responses to security questions

How to Become a Penetration Tester?

Penetration tester is not an entry-level job – you must gain IT and cybersecurity experience first. To start out, you could work as a systems administrator or programmer to become knowledgeable about how systems work, so finding flaws becomes second nature to you. Having a good understanding of computing operating systems, such as Linux and network technology is important. Being able to comprehend scripting language also helps, but to be effective you will need operational experience as well. Certifications like CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+), CompTIA PenTest+ and CompTIA Linux+ can help you validate the skills and experience you have as you work toward your next move.

The Details

Salary Range

The average advertised salary listed for a penetration tester is $124,424 a year as of April 2023 (CyberSeek.org).

Job Outlook

According to Cyberseek, there have been a total of 19,197 job openings between the last 12-month period.

Job Titles Related to Penetration Testers

• Security analyst
• Application security analyst
• Vulnerability assessment analyst
• Lead security analyst

If you like to make sure everything is secure and have an interest in monitoring and preventing security breaches, then a job as a network security analyst could be for you.  

What Is a Network Security Analyst?

A network security analyst designs, plans and implements security measures to protect data, networks and computer systems. They are also in charge of preventing data loss and service interruptions.

Other duties may include the following:  

• Staying up to date on recent intelligence and emerging threats.
• Knowing hackers’ methodologies, in order to anticipate breaches in security.
• Researching new ways to protect a network.
• Testing and implementing network disaster recovery plans.
• Installing various security measures, like firewalls and data encryption

A network security analyst also analyzes traffic to identify anomalies. The role of network security analyst varies depending on company size; they are generally part of a larger IT team.

This position needs a person who is self-driven, an analytical thinker and a problem solver. Network security analysts must also have exceptional planning and project management skills. Beyond the necessary technical knowledge, a network security analyst needs to have stellar communication skills and be able to break down complicated ideas into language that anyone can understand.

Sample Job Posting for Network Security Analyst

Looking at a recent job ad from a large defense contractor for a cyber network security analyst, we find a broad range of skills. The candidate must know network and security administration, plus secure network monitoring to identify threats, attacks and vulnerabilities and mitigate them. This need for administration and analysis skills places the job role around the 3- to 4-year level of a typical cybersecurity career.

According to the job ad, network security analysts must be able to perform a wide variety of tasks. Among the largest is performing technical analysis on various cybersecurity issues, specifically network activity and data.

Here are some of the other things a candidate should know:

• Network flow (i.e., netflow) or related forms of session summary data.
• Signature-based intrusion detection system (IDS) alert/event data.
• Full packet capture (PCAP) data.
• Proxy and application server logs (various types)

These are typical continuous security monitoring activities performance by security analysts, in addition to network and security administrator skills.

The job ad also requires candidates to “identify, extract and characterize network indicators from cyber threat intelligence sources, incident reporting and published technical advisories/bulletins.” These are standard tasks required of a threat intelligence analyst, which is a subset of the information security analyst job role.

Threat intelligence is a fast-growing skill that requires analysis of threat information to identify and mitigate threats before they impact your networks and systems.

How To Become a Network Security Analyst 

Many companies hiring a network security analyst are looking for someone with professional experience developing and implementing new security systems, security programs, protocols and maintenance of existing systems. Continuous security monitoring and threat intelligence skills are also needed.

A bachelor’s degree in computer science, cybersecurity, programming or a related field is definitely a plus, but experience could be used in lieu of a degree. IT certifications like CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+ prove that you have the skills to be a network security analyst.

Check out the CompTIA Career Roadmap to see what other certifications can help you become a network security analyst.

The Details

Network Security Analyst Salary Range

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a network security analyst makes a median annual wage of $102,600 as of May 2021.

Network Security Analyst Job Outlook

Demand for network security analysts is very high. The BLS predicts employment growth of 35% by 31 for all information security analysts, including network security analysts. This will mean an additional 56,500 additional jobs.

Job Titles Related to Network Security Analyst

• Information security analyst
• Security analyst (II)
• Cyber network security analyst
• Security administrator
• Penetration tester
• Threat intelligence analyst
• Vulnerability assessment analyst
• Vulnerability tester

Today, nearly every organization has a website, and more resources are being spent on developing web apps to support our increasingly digital lifestyle. Of course, that means hackers have yet another avenue to exploit. Organizations worldwide need people who can think like the bad guys with the expertise and foresight to uphold cybersecurity best practices. If this sounds like you, web app penetration tester may be a good next step for you.

What Is a Web App Penetration Tester?

A web app penetration tester is tasked with securing organizations through penetration testing and their understanding of web application security issues in the following ways:

• Performs passive reconnaissance by gathering information that is available on the internet.
• Performs active reconnaissance by probing the target system.
• Provides expertise on offensive security testing operations.
• Tests defensive security mechanisms.
• Narrows attack vectors via web app penetration testing tools.
• Communicates exploit results to non-technical audiences.
• Prioritizes vulnerabilities for ongoing remediation and support

A web app penetration tester is a specific type of penetration tester who focuses on internet-facing web applications. Many of these apps handle personally identifiable information (PII) like credit card data or health records. It’s in a company’s best interest to hire a web app penetration tester to perform pen testing and vulnerability assessments that meet regulatory compliance. These jobs vary based on employer and seniority level.

How to Become a Web App Penetration Tester

In general, the role of penetration tester is not an entry-level job – you must gain IT and cybersecurity experience first. This is especially true for a web app penetration tester. Employers will expect candidates to understand how to identify scripts in various software deployments and explain how they used various tools during the phases of a penetration test.

To gain that experience you could work as a systems administrator or programmer to become knowledgeable about how systems work – and when they don’t. Having a solid understanding of scripting languages, like Python, will also help. But hands-on experience is what you’ll really need. Certifications like CompTIA Security+ and CompTIA PenTest+ can help you validate the skills and experience you need as you work toward a web app penetration testing role.

CompTIA Security+ validates the baseline skills necessary to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career. This certification is a great place to start if you don’t have any cybersecurity training or experience.

CompTIA PenTest+ is intended to follow CompTIA Security+, or equivalent experience, and has a technical, hands-on focus. This certification is for IT pros tasked with penetration testing and vulnerability management and requires candidates to demonstrate the hands-on ability to test devices in new environments such as the cloud and mobile, in addition to traditional desktops and servers.

The CompTIA PenTest+ is now available and will certify successful candidates have the knowledge and skills required to:

• Plan and scope a penetration testing engagement including vulnerability scanning.
• Understand legal and compliance requirements.
• Analyze results.
• Produce a written report with remediation techniques

The Details

Web App Penetration Tester Salary Range

The average salary for web app penetration testers is $120,662 a year (Cyberseek.org).

Web App Penetration Tester Job Outlook

According to Cyberseek, there are about 21,703 job openings as a web app penetration tester across the United States recorded over a 12-month period.

Job Titles Related to Web App Penetration Tester

• Penetration tester
• Vulnerability analyst
• Application security analyst
• Threat intelligence analyst
• Security operations center analyst
• Cybersecurity analyst