More now than ever, pursuing a career in cybersecurity is a smart move. With a current estimated shortage of 3.5 million workers in the industry, practitioners at all levels of infosec are in high demand. Meanwhile, cyberattacks continue to become more dangerous in scope and frequency, further highlighting the immediate need for many more practitioners to enter the cybersecurity field, whether as entry-level workers right out of school or seasoned professionals who have already built a career in another industry.
Starting a new career at any point can be a challenge, with the need to gain new skills and prove your worth. It’s a common assumption that only professionals with an existing background in computers or IT can successfully break into the cybersecurity field. But with the NEW GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies (GFACT) certification, anyone – regardless of their experience level and tech know-how – can make the shift into cyber.
The NEW GFACT certification is designed to prove that professionals are well-versed in the fundamental skills in computers, technology, and security that are needed to jumpstart a career in cybersecurity. GFACT-certified practitioners have confirmed that they have essential foundational cybersecurity knowledge needed by today’s enterprises in the following areas:
- Core Computing Components: Hardware and Virtualization, Networking, Operating Systems, Web, Cloud, Data Storage
- IT Fundamentals and Concepts: Logic and Programming, Windows, Linux
- Security Foundations and Threat Landscape: Concepts, Exploitation and Mitigation, Forensics and Post Exploitation
James Lyne, SANS Chief Technology Officer and Foundations course author, says "The GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies (GFACT) certification demonstrates an individual has developed hands-on skills through labs in areas such as Linux, encryption, and programming, as well as gained essential knowledge in areas such as networking, computer hardware, virtualization, Windows, servers, introductory security concepts, and more. Candidates achieving the GFACT are proficient in the core knowledge and practical skills in computers, technology, and security fundamentals needed to kickstart a career in cybersecurity. GFACT holders are truly ready to contribute on Day 1 of their first job in IT or cybersecurity.”
Earning the GFACT certification is highly recommended for anyone new to cybersecurity, as well as for career changers, self-driven learners seeking new skills, college students, new hires in IT, and business professionals who work with cybersecurity practitioners.
GFACT is designed to validate skills taught in the SANS Institute course SEC275: Foundations – Computers, Technology, & Security. The GFACT certification is now available to the public and open for registration. Get GFACT certified today to prove you have what it takes to start a career in cybersecurity.