CISSP and CEH: The Dynamic Duo for Cybersecurity Continuous Learning and Expertise

October - Cybersecurity Awareness Month - is a yearly reminder that every 14 seconds another company falls victim to a cybersecurity attack (Astra). 

Malicious cyber activities will cost an estimated $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 (Embroker), a growth rate of 15% year over year. The growing frequency of cyberattacks means companies of all sizes must invest in comprehensive cybersecurity programs that protect all forms of digital data from attack.

As an employer, you need to understand the importance of equipping your team with the right tools to protect your company’s sensitive information.

Software on its own, however, isn’t enough to stop a cyberattack. The best defense against cybercrime is a fully informed workforce comprised of employees who understand how to properly defend their devices and files against illegitimate access. 

This year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month theme, Secure Our World, emphasizes the role that all employees play in that defense. Many organizations are committing their workforces to obtaining two IT certifications that teach cornerstone cybersecurity skills:

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

Speak with a QuickStart expert to see how to integrate these skills across your workforce. These cyber trainings will equip your employees with valuable IT strategies — even if they don’t routinely deal with large amounts of sensitive data. 

Below, we’ll explore how your organization can provide individual members of your team with the right tools to protect your organization’s most sensitive devices and data.

Why Does My Company Need Cybersecurity Training?

In an age where our personal and professional lives are more digital than ever before, cybersecurity has become more than a necessity for most companies. Today, protecting your data is no longer a convenience; it’s a requirement.

Here’s why:

• Cyberattack frequency: Cybercrime is becoming a more frequent, more sophisticated event. From ransomware to phishing to social engineering, hackers are using a wide toolkit to exploit your vulnerabilities.
• Regulatory and compliance needs: Many industries now mandate stringent cybersecurity protocols. Falling short of these mandates can result in fines and legal trouble. It’s best to get ahead of the curve, satisfying legal parameters while you protect your information.
• Long-term cost savings: The average data breach costs $4.45 million to fix (UpGuard). It’s much more affordable to pay for cybersecurity protection than it is to pay for the cost of data recovery, cleanup, and damage control.
• Employee empowerment: Outfitting your employees with cybersecurity training gives them the right amount of power over their own information. This reduces corporate risk and allows your employees to feel confident in their own IT skills.
• Security-first mindset: In the long term, you want your entire company to take steps to protect information while they continue to innovate. Cybersecurity training helps reduce human error and helps every employee understand the importance of data protection strategies.

These are far from the only reasons to provide cybersecurity training to your employees. The right form of training also helps your company keep pace with technological advancements, maintain a positive reputation, and stay competitive in the market.

The Value of CISSP Training

For more advanced cybersecurity training, the demand for CISSP-certified professionals is growing across all industries as organizations recognize the paramount importance of data security.

CISSP is a vendor-neutral cybersecurity credential that demonstrates a learner's ability to design, implement, and manage a best-in-class cybersecurity program in any environment. Many companies encourage their employees to pursue a CISSP certification to avoid the limitations and expenses of vendor lock-in.

One of the key advantages of CISSP certification is its versatility. CISSP-certified individuals are qualified to work in a wide range of industries, showcasing their expertise and opening doors to various cybersecurity opportunities.

CISSP is particularly well-suited for information security professionals seeking to prove that they understand data security and hands-on implementation. It signifies an advanced knowledge of technical cybersecurity skills, skills employees will need to design, develop, and manage their employer’s overall security posture. 

Notably, this course meets the requirements of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 8570.1, making it an ideal choice for those in government roles.

Unleashing the Power of CEH Training

As another great cybersecurity training course, CEH certifications empower learners with a hacker's mindset, higher earning potential, and a focus on network security fundamentals. 

A very common certification for aspiring penetration testers, it validates their skills in breaching a network and its devices and data. This is a crucial certification for employees who need skills in hacking concepts, spyware, information security, and keylogging defense.

CEH is one of the most recognizable certifications in ethical hacking and penetration testing. It equips learners with the knowledge and techniques used by malicious hackers, enabling them to identify and address vulnerabilities effectively. It helps your own employees get out in front of a potential hacking attempt, stopping cybercriminals in their tracks before they can access your networks and wreak havoc.

A Positive Business Impact: Building a Well-Rounded Cybersecurity Professional with CISSP and CEH

A team with CISSP and CEH certifications possesses a full understanding of digital security — offensive and defensive security. CISSP-certified professionals emphasize concepts like data governance, risk management, and policy development; on the other hand, CEH professionals operate with skills in hands-on hacking and vulnerability assessment.

Here’s how those individual responsibilities might play out:

• Foundational and tactical knowledge: CISSP dives into the theory behind successful cybersecurity. CEH actualizes that theory, giving employees the chance to practice ethical hacking skills in defense of their own employer.
• Defense and offense: CISSP primarily equips professionals with defensive strategies that inform intelligent network design — keeping the hackers out. CEH is offensive in nature, training employees on how to think like cybercriminals in the ways they identify and exploit vulnerabilities.
• Management vs technical application: CISSP emphasizes the importance of policy, security management, and other leadership-level strategies that govern how cybersecurity should protect data company-wide. CEH quickly dives into technical specifics, focusing on the tools, scripts, and utilities used to actually defend a network from hacking.

This partnership of CISSP and CEH also looks particularly attractive if your organization works with third-party clients or vendors. It emphasizes to any partners that your company takes data protection seriously.

Career Development for Your Team

CISSP and CEH training can also lead your workforce toward personal and professional growth opportunities. These opportunities are particularly appealing to younger members of the workforce. According to one study, 87% of millennials highly value learning and development in the workplace (Kaltura).

Another study suggests that employee retention rates can grow 30-50% at companies with robust training programs (TeamStage).

Career development does more than equip members of your team with foundational cybersecurity skills. It also makes them into leaders within your own organization. Even if trained employees don’t work within your IT team, they can take on additional cybersecurity responsibilities that improve personal skill sets while keeping company data safe from external threats.

Preparing for CISSP and CEH Certification

Here’s a simple fact: At some point, it’s very likely that a cybercriminal will attempt to hack your company’s data.

Here's another simple fact: If a member of your workforce has cybersecurity skills, they can help in defending against that attempt.

Empowering your team with CISSP and CEH training is more than simply a wise investment. It’s also a strong indication of your commitment to the safety and security of your own business.

Preparation for both the CISSP and CEH certification is typically brief and intensive. For example, both the QuickStart CISSP training program and the CEH training program last only five days. However, in those five days, you’ll gain a wealth of knowledge about cybersecurity and its benefits.

QuickStart’s Guaranteed to Run courses represent our commitment to providing reliable and flexible cybersecurity training solutions.

Here's a breakdown of what this guarantee entails from QuickStart:

• Scheduled for select dates: Your employees have busy schedules and finding suitable training dates can be challenging. Guaranteed to Run courses are scheduled on specific dates at regular times, and these dates are continually available for enrollment. This means you can plan your team's training in advance, ensuring that it aligns with your organization's needs and schedules.
• Virtual instructor-led training: Courses are conducted virtually and are led by seasoned mentors. Participants can join from anywhere, reducing the need for travel and accommodation expenses. Employees can ask questions, seek clarification, and receive real-time feedback.
• Guaranteed availability: Courses feature a guaranteed-to-run policy. This means that when you register for one of our courses, you can trust that the course will run as scheduled. In the unlikely event that educators are unable to deliver the course as planned, learners receive a full refund and access to an online version of the course.

These programs transform your working knowledge of the cybersecurity world and quickly prepare you for CISSP and CEH examinations. Virtual learning options accommodate your team’s needs through flexible pricing models, private training, and annual renewable subscriptions.

Investing in Your Team’s Future: The Synergy Between CEH and CISSP

In truth, October shouldn’t be the only figurative “cybersecurity month”. For employees who truly remain focused on keeping their employer’s data safe, every month should be cybersecurity month.

As an employer, fostering a community of continuous learning should remain a primary priority. A learning-first culture gives you the power to provide your team with the tools they need to protect your company, its devices, its data, and its people from ever-evolving cyber threats.

CISSP and CEH certifications form a powerful alliance that empowers cybersecurity professionals in their continual efforts against cybercrime. As cyber threats continue to rise, these two certifications can serve as the key to equipping your team with far-reaching cybersecurity expertise. 

Connect with a QuickStart expert to enroll your employees in one of our Guaranteed to Run cybersecurity courses, or enroll them directly in our CISSP training or CEH training programs yourself.

IT bootcamps empower employees with greater control over their own information technology. They also equip the next generation of aspiring technology professionals with the skills they need to remain relevant and keep digital data safe. 

Pursue hands-on, accelerated IT certification training to sharpen your team’s IT skills — or your own IT skills — in the continual journey to stay one step ahead of external hacking threats.