This is what you need to know to become a security professional

Transferring to a new job role can be overwhelming. Where do you start learning? To help you out, Global Knowledge has started publishing a monthly how to become article. In this article, you will find a learning track for a job role you might be interested in. This month, learn how you can become a security professional.

The alarming security news keeps coming in this year: from data leaks at large companies to incidents with phishing. How can this many security incidents occur?

According to the Cyber Security Raad, many Dutch organizations are not able to stop the most basic security attacks, because their security is not up to par.

How do I become a security professional?

From the advice from the Cyber Security Raad you can conclude there is a shortage of security knowledge in certain organizations. Research from KnowB4 from last month points out one out of five employees thinks they do not receive enough information about security. There is a shortage of knowledge about passwords for example.

As a professional, you can jump into this knowledge gap. With your GK Polaris Discovery subscription, you get access to a wide variety of security training courses to broaden your knowledge with. For this article I have made a security learning track. All the courses in the track are available in your GK Polaris Discovery subscription. For professionals that want to develop their security knowledge even further, I have included suggestions from the GK Polaris Accelerate subscription.

_{With GK Polaris Discovery you get unlimited access to Virtual Classroom courses for one year, for a price that's similar to the price of one training course (€2995). Learn more about GK Polaris on this page.}

Step 1: The basics in Skillsoft's Percipio

You can become a security specialist in a variety of areas. You can start writing secure code as a developer, become a CISO but you can also learn how to a pentester or an ethical hacker. Whatever your ambitions are, it's important to get the basics down first.

To get the basics down, you can use Skillsoft's Percipio Tech & Dev. You get access to Skillsoft's Percipio with your GK Polaris Discovery subscription. On Percipio, you can find different security learning topics.

Step 2: choose a direction

In the Virtual Classroom, you can also access security training courses with your GK Polaris Discovery subscription.

Broaden your security knowledge in the cloud with Microsoft and Amazon Web Services training courses. If you work as a developer, it might be useful to dive into OWASP or Secure Coding. Therefore I have made a seperation between training courses for cloud specialists and developers.

Amazon Web Services

• AWS Security Essentials
• Security Engineering on AWS

Microsoft

• Microsoft Security, Compliance and Identity Fundamentals (new!)

If you want to broaden your Microsoft security knowledge after this fundamentals course, you can attend the Microsoft Security Operations Analyst, Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator or the Microsoft Information Protection Administrator training course in the Virtual Classroom. Learn more about the brand new training courses in this article.

Developers

• Exploring the OWASP Top 10
• Net Secure Coding | Developing Secure .Net Applications
• Securing ASP.Net Web Services

Step 3: Convince your coworkers and management

Security might be a hot topic in the news, but it isn't in some organizations. If you want to start working as a security specialist, or if you want to improve the security of your organization, you need to be able to influence and persuade people. You also have to be skilled in negotiation.

I have selected a couple of soft skills training courses that can help you gain these skills.

• Consulting fundamentals
• Assertive Communication Skills for IT Professionals
• Influence and persuasion

Learn more

The GK Polaris Accelerate portfolio now includes new security assessments, training courses and video's by EC-Council CodeRed Pro. This means that in addition to IT Pro challenges and on-demand content by GK Polaris Accelerate, you now also receive exclusive access to cybersecurity content.

Learn more about GK Polaris Accelerate and the new CodeRed Pro content of EC-Council via the button.

_{The following sources have been used in the process of making this article: NOS, NOS, Dutch IT-Channel.}