The new high-level game plan for cybersecurity is to assume that the network is always under attack. The goal is to find out who is attacking it and remove them from it. This thinking is the foundation for the new CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst + (CSA+) certification, introduced Monday.

The skills of a security analyst include the ability to: configure and use threat-detection tools; perform data analysis; and interpret the results to identify vulnerabilities, threats and risks to the organization.

“The new approach to cybersecurity is network resiliency, and that requires cybersecurity analyst skills that no one is currently offering,” Patrick Lane, cybersecurity analyst, CSA+ at CompTIA.

According to Lane, the state of security has gone from being able to secure the networks using perimeter devices and techniques such as firewalls and antivirus software to requiring a new set of analyst skills to take on increasingly intelligent hackers.

CompTIA’s vendor neutral cybersecurity certification path now includes CSA+, which bridges the skills gap between CompTIA Security+ and the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) exam. The new CSA+ certification brings the number of certifications on the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway Recommendation to six: IT Fundamentals, A+, Network+, Security+, CSA+ and CASP.{ad}

The market demand for cybersecurity professions is strong. In fact, according to a recent IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index by Foote Partners LLC, ten of the highest-paying certifications tracked by the company are in cybersecurity, and 2017 will prove to be another year when security professionals are in high demand.

The likely candidate for the CSA+ certification is an IT pro with two years of experience in IT security. Anyone currently holding the Security+ certification is also an ideal candidate for the new certification, according to CompTIA.

CSA+ is globally recognized and is ISO/ANSI 17024 accredited and is awaiting approval by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for directive 8140/8570.01-M requirements.