Certification Goal for 2021

WhiteMilk

Hello, 

I hope all is well an everyone is being productive during the pandemic. 

Currently, my certification goal for 2021 is to complete what's listed below:

1. GCIA
2. GEVA

I have both in my profile, working on the SANS 503 training now. Already went through the book material and video series. Now, going through each book again. When I initially did the training, I was lost. I thought it's no way I am passing this exam. When I went through the video series I started understanding concepts I had 0 clue in before. It was a lot of pausing and playing.  Now that I am reading the book (again), I feel comfortable. Currently on Book 1, Page X, IP Header Length. This book has more lab exercises than I have ever seen. This will be the biggest index ever...

The SEC460 - Easy (individual results will vary). I am going to go straight into indexing the books, 1 practice test, then exam (not suggested). I am torn between if I would recommend the course or not. If you are not new to the topics, you'll probably not really *learn* a whole lot.  You could probably get more bang (training/career wise) from your buck with another course. 

E Double U

Since I completed AZ-303/304 training last month I would like to achieve the Azure Solutions Architect Expert credential in Q1. I hope to start a masters program in September 2021 so if that goes well then I will not work on any other certifications next year. If that does not work out then I will get some more ISACA badges (CRISC, CGEIT). 

Mike7

My goals for 2021 is to focus on cloud computing and cloud security 

Get AWS DevOps Engineer Pro and Security Specialty certifications. I have passed the three AWS associate and SA Pro exams. 
As ISC2 membership fee is now fixed at US$125, I may go for ISSAP. I already have CISSP, CCSP and CSSLP.
Probably no Azure given the recent changes. 

malachi1612

AZ-104 and AZ-500 then I am done with certs for a new years.

balance

For 2021 I need to knock out Linux+, PMP, CCNA, CGEIT and  start on a Sharia Law Auditor Certification   ( CSAA)  

yoba222

• Finish OSCP (602 hours into it and maybe 75% of the way ready).
• Renew Pentest+ and GCIH. 
• Renew CCNA
• Study AD pentesting
• Study web app pentesting

chrisone

Cert goals:

• PTXv2 
• AZ-500 
• CRTIEE: Certified Rest/Take It Easy Expert

Course goals: 

• SEC699: Purple Team Tactics - Adversary Emulation for Breach Prevention & Detection 
• BHIS: Modern WebApp Pentesting 
• BHIS: Applied Purple Teaming 
• PentesterLabs Pro

Additional career goals: Start bug bounty and obtain one bug bounty. 

SteveLavoie

Well, here is my overly ambitious planning for 2021. 

Renewal:
Sonicwall SNSA and SNSP (it is mostly a renewal, but program changed and older cert expired ...)
VCP with VCP 2020
Veeam VMCE 

New:
EJPT (matter of days, course done, just a matter to find 1-2 free days for the exam)
GCIH (if I can budget approved)
OSCP

It look ambitious, but it is doable, as there is 3 renewal

shochan

Very very nice, Hy5!

I'm gonna study one cert, that's it and enough!

Info_Sec_Wannabe

If I'm able to transfer to another job, maybe CCSP. Until then, I'll hold taking certs for the time being.

FluffyBunny

yoba222 said:

• Study web app pentesting

For this one, I signed up for the upcoming "Modern Webapp Pentesting" class by B.B. King at BHIS. Four times four hours at a rather affordable price tag -> https://wildwesthackinfest.com/training/modern-webapp-pentesting/

All the WWHF / BHIS online classes are worth their proverbial weight in gold. 

For me 2021 will be exciting  I'll be teaching my second semester of Linux+ and I'll be switching to a new assignment with a task description similar to what I do now, but with a lot more responsibility.

When it comes to training and certification:

• Said BHIS class on pen-testing, but I'll also do their "Applied Purple Teaming" class.
• I want to complete PortSwigger's training on Burp Suite. 
• I'd like to formalize my Docker experience a little with their DCA cert.
• Since I'm now officially teaching Linux to students I feel the responsibility to also dig deeper into "current day" Linux as opposed to my slightly out-dated knowledge. 

EDIT: Ooohhhh, if I can find the time and get accepted I'd like to do another Work/Study shift with SANS. The one time I did it in January of 2019 (Hi @E Double U!!) was awesome. 

itdept

I was rather too positive in what I thought I would be able to achieve in 2020 so I will go with getting AWS CSAA and renewing Sec+ and Azure 900. Anything else will be a bonus.

chrisone

@FluffyBunny I am going to have to join you in that BHIS web app pentesting course. Love BHIS courses, I took the cloud pentesting course with Beau. Looking to also take their purple team course. 

FluffyBunny

chrisone said:

@FluffyBunny I am going to have to join you in that BHIS web app pentesting course. Love BHIS courses, I took the cloud pentesting course with Beau. Looking to also take their purple team course. 

I "bought" their "Applied Purple Teaming" class back in July but never got around to actually watching the VoD. I was too busy teaching my own class and prepping for an Ansible cert. I finally got around to it this week, only to notice that the VoD links had expired. The BHIS crew were absolutely great though: after confirming my purchase through email they provided me with the updated links. 

If you do join BB's class in a few weeks and you noticed a goofy dork on Discord called Tess, that'll be me

chrisone

I will keep an eye out. However I plan on taking BHIS courses towards the summer/fall schedule if they continue to do them online. Right now going over the SEC599 course in preparation for the SEC699 course coming in early Feb. 

jmarkg7

CISSP and OSCP maybe AZ500

JDMurray

A couple of AWS certs and maybe any other CompTIA betas that become available, but I really should be doing management certs like CISM and CISSP-ISSMP.

balance

JDMurray said:

A couple of AWS certs and maybe any other CompTIA betas that become available, but I really should be doing management certs like CISM and CISSP-ISSMP.

I think you could probably just challenge CISSP-ISSMP  and get it done. 

JDMurray

balance said:
I think you could probably just challenge CISSP-ISSMP  and get it done. 

Eh, for me the point of certification is to learn new stuff and not just get some more paper on my cubical wall. However, if management certs were a short-term requirement by my employer then maybe I'd consider your advice more seriously.

DatabaseHead

I'd like to get certified in a BI development environment (Microstrategy, Tableau, Power BI) or a highly used ETL tool (Informatica, Talend, Alteryx).  Currently, my role is one part spend analytics and financial reporting and the other is projectized work, such as data modeling and reporting structures.  Along with visualization and a few other component around this space.  

balance

I used Tableau  in grad school and  I enjoyed it alot. Oddly enough last night I was researching some Tableau certifications and training. The program or any kind of BI  knowledge will be a solid value add  IMO.

DatabaseHead

balance said:

I used Tableau  in grad school and  I enjoyed it alot. Oddly enough last night I was researching some Tableau certifications and training. The program or any kind of BI  knowledge will be a solid value add  IMO.

I've lived BI for the last ~8 years.  I do have some Teradata Certifications, thats our EDW RDBMS, but really want some additional skills that align.  If a cert matches up then even better.....  

I only usually do 1 every 3 - 5 years.  It's about time for another lol.  

balance

DatabaseHead said:

balance said:

I used Tableau  in grad school and  I enjoyed it alot. Oddly enough last night I was researching some Tableau certifications and training. The program or any kind of BI  knowledge will be a solid value add  IMO.

I've lived BI for the last ~8 years.  I do have some Teradata Certifications, thats our EDW RDBMS, but really want some additional skills that align.  If a cert matches up then even better.....  

I only usually do 1 every 3 - 5 years.  It's about time for another lol.  

Shoots   that is good stuff  I only got to spend a few months with it..  went off on a tangent and was looking into Tableau and ArcSight training. ArcSight would probably add more value in the cleared world where I tend to live. 

DatabaseHead

balance said:

DatabaseHead said:

balance said:

I used Tableau  in grad school and  I enjoyed it alot. Oddly enough last night I was researching some Tableau certifications and training. The program or any kind of BI  knowledge will be a solid value add  IMO.

I've lived BI for the last ~8 years.  I do have some Teradata Certifications, thats our EDW RDBMS, but really want some additional skills that align.  If a cert matches up then even better.....  

I only usually do 1 every 3 - 5 years.  It's about time for another lol.  

Shoots   that is good stuff  I only got to spend a few months with it..  went off on a tangent and was looking into Tableau and ArcSight training. ArcSight would probably add more value in the cleared world where I tend to live. 

I've not used ArcSight, not even really sure what it is lol.  I'm looking at getting back on our EDW team, which is good and bad.  Good because I know that space so well, but true data engineering requires sooooo much more.  Usually one or two scripting languages at high proficiency, besides SQL.  Strong understanding of data exchanges such as Kafka and those types of ingestion processes.  More of a data lake, whereas the EDW lives inside the "data platform"   It's a subset of it....   

Jon_Cisco

Sadly my only goal for 2021 is to renew my CCNA to align with my current job title. This is more on principal since I passed the old version about 6 years ago. I have it scheduled for February so there is plenty of time in the year to add something else. Most likely a Linux cert.

Stirlitz

My goals for 2021: CISM (done), CRISC (exam passed), CDPSE (applying), CISSP, COSO ERM
And start MBA...

Mike7

Mike7 said:

My goals for 2021 is to focus on cloud computing and cloud security 

Get AWS DevOps Engineer Pro and Security Specialty certifications. I have passed the three AWS associate and SA Pro exams. 
As ISC2 membership fee is now fixed at US$125, I may go for ISSAP. I already have CISSP, CCSP and CSSLP.
Probably no Azure given the recent changes. 

Passed both AWS exams. 
Now the goal is to do a few more AWS specialty certifications. 

DatabaseHead

Jon_Cisco said:

Sadly my only goal for 2021 is to renew my CCNA to align with my current job title. This is more on principal since I passed the old version about 6 years ago. I have it scheduled for February so there is plenty of time in the year to add something else. Most likely a Linux cert.

Did you end up taking it yet?  If so did you pass?

thomas_

CCNP Security.  I recently passed the SCOR exam and I am studying for SVPN which I hope to pass in 3

I’m not sure what I’m going to do the rest of the year.  I kind of feel like taking the rest of the year off, but I’m tempted to study for DevNet associate and professional.  Also, I’m thinking about if I want to study for CISSP or if I want to start studying for CCIE.

It seems like there’s a pretty even split between people who think a CCIE is still worth getting and those who think it’s largely Cisco marketing at this point and not worth it.

matt333

2021... will probably be painful but I'm planning to go for DEVCOR (350-901) and hopefully ENAUTO (300-435). So far the material is pretty dry but I'm going to try to push through it. 

We will see. 

saskiller2

I have to complete the CEH Practical before moving onto the PTP/eCPPT and OSCP.

After that my plan is to shore up some holes in my knowledge and experience before jumping back into the industry. I need to develop some programming skills, and exploit development skills IMO as well as getting better with SQL, JS, and the like.