Cybersecurity Certification Roadmap

Common Certification Paths (DoD 8140 Aligned)

Use these common paths as a guide. This list is now aligned with DoD 8140 proficiency levels (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) and work roles.

1. Budget-Friendly Path: For those on a budget, the CompTIA ecosystem is the most cost-effective. Security+ alone qualifies for 20+ Basic/Intermediate 8140 roles.
   Path: Security+ → CySA+ / PenTest+ → CASP+
2. Cyber Defense (Blue Team): For roles like "Cyber Defense Analyst [511]" or "Incident Responder [531]".
   Path: Security+ → CySA+ / Cisco CyberOps / GSEC → GCIH / GCFA
3. Offensive Ops (Red Team): For roles like "Exploitation Analyst [121]" or "Vulnerability Assessment Analyst [541]".
   Path: Security+ → PenTest+ / GPEN → OSCP
4. Management & GRC: For roles like "Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM) [722]" or "Security Control Assessor [612]".
   Path: Security+ → CGRC / CISA → CISSP / CISM

Many professionals, even outside of government work, find the DoD 8140 framework to be one of the most well-researched, publicly available guides for mapping certifications to specific industry work roles.