Networks and Security

Learn more about the skills and certifications you need for a career as a cybersecurity analyst, network analyst, cloud engineer, and more.

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8 Popular Cybersecurity Certifications in 2025

Elevate your career in information security with these in-demand credentials.

February 17, 2021

Article

8 Popular Cybersecurity Certifications in 2025

Elevate your career in information security with these in-demand credentials.

February 17, 2021

Article

Explore popular networks and security courses

Status: Free Trial

Google

Foundations of Cybersecurity

Skills you'll gain: Cybersecurity, Security Controls, Cyber Attacks, Security Management, Cyber Security Strategy, Incident Response, Cyber Risk, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Information Assurance, Data Ethics, Network Analysis, Ethical Standards And Conduct

Status: Free Trial

Status: AI skills

Google

Google Cybersecurity

Skills you'll gain: Threat Modeling, Network Security, Threat Management, Vulnerability Management, Intrusion Detection and Prevention, Hardening, Computer Security Incident Management, Security Management, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Cyber Attacks, Incident Response, Cybersecurity, Network Protocols, Threat Detection, Bash (Scripting Language), Debugging, Linux, Interviewing Skills, Python Programming, SQL

Status: Free Trial

IBM

Introduction to Cybersecurity Essentials

Skills you'll gain: Cybersecurity, Cyber Attacks, Data Security, Computer Security Awareness Training, Authentications, Authorization (Computing), Application Security, Security Controls, Personally Identifiable Information, Security Awareness, Identity and Access Management, Information Privacy, Cryptography, Malware Protection, Hardening, Encryption, Vulnerability Assessments, Multi-Factor Authentication, Data Integrity

Networks and security encompass many skills and career paths, including data privacy, cloud security, cryptography, and network administration. In today's digital age, experts in networks and security are highly sought after across various industries. Pursuing a career in this rapidly expanding field allows you to leverage technical skills to make a significant business impact. Delve into the diverse career options, essential skills, and job types within networks and security to begin your journey in this dynamic and rewarding domain.

Interested in networking? Find out more about what a network administrator does and popular network administrator certifications.

Interested in cybersecurity? Read about typical cybersecurity roles and responsibilities, and explore essential cybersecurity skills.

Interested in cloud security? Dive into a cloud architect's daily work and popular cloud architect certifications in the field.

Ready to start learning? Explore our catalog of network administration, cybersecurity, and cloud security courses for beginners and experienced professionals.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Computer security and networks courses examine how to create secure computing hardware and software data systems, for example through managing access to the network and stopping threats from entering or spreading through it. While information technology or IT security is a broad topic covering the protection of data in any form, whether online or on paper, computer security and networks courses look at cybersecurity - a subset of IT security focused exclusively on the security of electronic data systems.

As more and more of our sensitive personal and business data is stored on the internet, cybercrime has become an everyday threat that no one can afford to ignore. Computer network security specialists help companies and consumers with prevention of data theft, credit card information breaches and other financial fraud, and loss of identity including social security numbers or other PII (personally identifiable information).‎

Common career paths for someone in computer security and networking may include starting in roles like systems design, security audit, cybersecurity, and computer programming. From these early roles, a common career path might move upward toward senior information security analysts or managers, whose jobs would involve the day-to-day management and work around software for firewalls and data encryption programs to protect data and other information. In addition, people working in these roles would also monitor networks for security breaches and investigate any data violations as they occur. These roles are integral to maintaining a secure data environment and efficient computer security and networking for a company.‎

Learning cloud computing skills is a great way to differentiate yourself in the IT industry. But because cloud computing is a relatively new and fast-growing area of computer science, professionals looking for careers in this field need to constantly evolve and update their skills.

Core capabilities to start with include strong computer networking and operating systems, information technology (IT), and DevOps software development skills. A background in these areas are important prerequisites for learning about the fast-changing nuances of managing virtual machines in the cloud and building 'cloud-native' applications.‎