Introduction
There is a global shortage of professionals with Cybersecurity skills. Top Tech companies like IBM, Google, and Microsoft offer Certification programs to fill the gap. This blog post will review the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate and discuss what you need to know.
It will review the basic information about the certificate including the following;
- What is the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate?
- The Certification Curriculum
- Who Is it for?
- What Skills will you learn?
- The Cost
- The duration
- IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate Jobs
- IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate Salary
- The Certificate
- Is the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Certificate worth it?
- Some Frequently Asked Questions
What is IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate?
The IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Certification is a professional certification designed to help you gain fundamental Cybersecurity skills that are relevant to an entry-level role in Cybersecurity analyst, Security analyst, IT Security analyst, and similar job roles.
The certification consists of 8 courses and covers fundamental security topics including network security, penetration testing, and more. The Courses are all online, self-paced, and delivered through Coursera on a subscription basis.
The Certification Curriculum
There are 8 courses in the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Certification program. The highlights of each of the courses are thus below;
Course 1: Introduction to Cybersecurity Tools & Cyber Attacks – History of Cybersecurity, a brief overview of types of actors and their motives, an overview of key security concepts, and an overview of key security tools. Duration is 18 hours
Course 2: Cybersecurity Roles, Processes & Operating System Security – People Process &Technology, Examples and Principles of the CIA Triad. Authentication and Access Control, Windows OS Security Basics, Linux OSSecurity Basics, Mac OS Security Basics. Overview of Virtualization. 14 hours.
Course 3 : Cybersecurity Compliance Framework & System Administration – Compliance frameworks and Industry Standards, Client System Administration, Endpoint Protection and Patching. Server and User Administration, Cryptography and Compliance Pitfalls. Linux and Encryption: Final Project. 20 hours.
Course 4: Network Security & Database Vulnerabilities – TCP/IP Framework, Basics of IP Addressing and the OSI Model. Introduction to Databases, Deep Dive – Injection Vulnerability. Final project. 17 hours.
Course 5: Penetration Testing, Incident Response and Forensics – Penetration testing, Incident Response, Digital Forensics and Introduction to Scripting. 17 hours
Course 6: Cyber Threat Intelligence – Threat Intelligence, Data Loss Prevention, and Mobile Endpoint Protection. Scanning, Application Security and Testing, SIEM Platforms, Threat Hunting. 27 hours
Course 7: Cybersecurity Capstone: Breach Response Case Studies – Incident Management Response and Cyberattack Frameworks. Phishing Scams, Point of Sale Breach, 3rd Party Breach, Ransomware. Apply your skill – Data Breaches. 15 hours.
Course 8: IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Assessment – Final Assessment Quiz for each of the earlier courses. Duration is 4 hours.
Who Is It For?
This is a beginner’s level course in Cybersecurity, requiring no prior experience, knowledge, or degree. You only need to be comfortable working with computers.
What Skill Will You Learn
The IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Certification program will help you gain valuable skills that you use to perform daily tasks such as those of a Junior Cybersecurity analyst, IT Security Analyst, Security Analyst, Information Security analyst, etc.
You will ;
- Lean Cybersecurity fundamentals and Cybersecurity analyst tools including data protection; endpoint protection; SIEM; and systems and network fundamentals.
- Understand key compliance and threat intelligence topics important in today’s cybersecurity landscape.
- Gain skills for incident responses and forensics with real-world cybersecurity case studies.
- Get hands-on experience to develop skills via industry specific and open source Security tools.
- Build a Capstone Cybersecurity project for your work portfolio
How much does an IBM cybersecurity Analyst Professional certificate cost?
The Certification costs $39 per month to access it on Coursera. People from the US and Canada may per more – $49 per month. While in the UK, the cost of the subscription is £47 per month.
The total cost of the certification will depend on how long it takes you to complete the program. If on average, it takes a 3-4 month duration, the cost will be $117 – $156 (or $147 – $196 for US/Canada). UK Residents will pay £141 – £188 for the same 3-4 month duration.
There is also a free 7-day free trial period to help you get a feel of the certification. Also, you can use the Course audit option to access the courses, however, you will not be eligible for a certificate if you use the option.
How long does it take to complete IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate?
The Certification will take about 3-4 months to complete if you spend on average 10 hours a week. Because the courses are self-paced, they follow a flexible structure, and most people will complete them in a much quicker time.
IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate Jobs
The certificate equips you for entry-level positions in Cybersecurity. Some of the jobs you can get with this certificate include the following;
- Cybersecurity Analyst
- Security Analyst
- IT Security Analyst
- Information Security Analyst
- Junior Pentesting roles etc.
IBM Cybersecurity analyst professional certificate salary
The salary range for the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Certificate in the US is $43K – $150K per year with the bulk averaging $99,400 per year or $56 per hour. (ZipRecruiters).
The top cities in the US to earn with this certification are San Francisco, CA, San Jose, CA, Oakland, CA ,Vallejo, CA and Hayward, CA.
In the UK, the salaries of a Cybersecurity Analyst ranges  £30,000 to £72,000 per year (for entry to mid-level).
The Certificate
When you complete the Series of 8 courses and pass the assessment, you will be issued a Certificate of Completion – the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate. This certificate is from IBM and is offered through Coursera. It is in a digital form and is shareable on Linkedin, on your Resume, and other online platforms.
Is the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Certificate worth it?
Yes. There a many benefits from taking this certification. First, you get to learn foundational cybersecurity skills to kickstart your career.
Although the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst certificate is not the top-rated Standard Cybersecurity certification, it does gain recognition among many employers, especially for entry-level jobs. The certification is also relatively cheap and you can get it in just a couple of weeks.
In conclusion; in terms of value for money and time spent studying for the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst certificate, it is worth it. There is huge potential for career advancement with the certificate.
Official link to the Course: https://www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/ibm-cybersecurity-analyst
Some Frequently Asked Questions
Is the IBM Cybersecurity course free?
The Professional Certificate such as the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst certificate is not free. To get the certificate, you will need to pay a Coursera subscription and complete the courses. The free access via the Coursera course audit option does not give you access to the certificate – only the course materials.
There are however some free IBM Courses for you to learn Cybersecurity. You can register for them at https://skillsbuild.org/students/course-catalog/cybersecurity
Does a cybersecurity analyst require coding?
Having coding or programming skills, although good, is not a requirement for a Cybersecurity Analyst job early on in the career, but as you progress to mid-senior levels, it becomes necessary as you will need some coding and programming skills to understand and deal with challenges at that level.
Is Cyber security certificate worth anything?
A Cybersecurity Certificate validates your Cybersecurity skills. They tell prospective employers that you understand security concepts and can perform certain tasks. They help you get noticed by employers and ultimately an interview for a possible job.
The pool of potential candidates is always large, Certifications requirement is one of the major ways employers sieve through the pool. What actually gets you employed in the end is a collection of factors and traits you demonstrate during an interview, and of course, the paperwork -Certifications.
How valuable is IBM certification?
IBM Certifications are valid certifications recognized by Employers and Hiring Managers. IBM is a global brand with a lot of Industry reputation for providing cutting-edge technologies and education. You can land a job with IBM Certifications.
Some notable IBM Certifications are the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate, Data Science, Data Analytics, and Machine Learning Professional certifications.
See reviews on other Cybersecurity certifications on Coursera: Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals Specialization (CyberOps) by Cisco.
