That Might Be Indicative of a Grander Debate in 2019

Discussion of the value of security certifications might kick up a notch or three in the new year, especially as the security industry’s growth continues unabated — and the shortage of qualified security pros grows alongside it.

“There’s a bit of a movement in some circles to de-emphasize the certification industry,” Wilson says. “The feeling is that merely having a certification doesn’t make a competent professional, and I agree wholeheartedly with that, but also that the popularity of information security has incented those certification organizations to lessen requirements and reduce test difficulty. That’s a larger, important problem to address.”

The jury’s still out on that issue. In the meantime, the right certifications certainly retain some value — it’s the “how much?” question that will continue to be debated in 2019.

“At a minimum, certifications show some dedication to an industry, and lend the holder more credibility in the eyes of most,” Wilson says.