Your 2026 certification roadmap

New year. New goals. Maybe a new certification?

If you want to move forward in your career this year, consider whether a particular certification would help. Not every career goal requires one, but if certification makes sense for where you're headed, it's worth understanding what each one actually does.

Here's the thing: not all certifications do the same thing. Some open entry-level doors. Some get you into management. Some prove specialized expertise. And picking the wrong one wastes months of study time on credentials that don't match where you're trying to go.

So let's break down what each certification actually does for your career.

(Note: If you're just breaking into the security field, scroll to the bottom for entry-level certifications.)

CISSP: The leadership certification

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is the certification that separates security practitioners from security leaders. It covers 8 comprehensive domains, from risk management to security operations to software development security.

CISSP proves you understand security comprehensively, not just one specialized area. Most senior security roles require or strongly prefer it. If leadership is your goal, this is the certification that opens those doors.

CISM: Security program management

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) focuses specifically on governance, risk management, and program leadership. Less technical than CISSP, more strategic. It proves you can manage security at the enterprise level: building governance frameworks, communicating with boards, managing incidents.

CISM requires 5 years of information security management experience, with at least 3 years in management roles across CISM domains.

CCSP: Cloud security specialization

Cloud security requires understanding shared responsibility models, cloud-native architectures, and how traditional security principles adapt to cloud environments. Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) proves you can secure cloud at scale.

CCSP requires 5 years of Information Technology (IT) experience (including 3 in security and 1 in cloud domains). However, if you hold CISSP, it waives the entire experience requirement.

AAISM: AI security specialization

Artificial Intelligence (AI) security is the fastest-growing area in cybersecurity. AI-specific threats like prompt injection, model poisoning, and data leakage require specialized knowledge that traditional security training doesn't cover.

Auditing AI Security Management (AAISM) requires CISSP or CISM as a prerequisite. You need comprehensive security knowledge before you can apply it to AI-specific challenges.

Breaking into cybersecurity? Start here:

Security+: The entry point

This proves you understand security fundamentals: threats, vulnerabilities, basic defenses. It gets you past Human Resources (HR) filters for entry-level security roles. If you're breaking into cybersecurity or need to prove foundational knowledge, this is where many people start.

Network+: The infrastructure foundation

This covers how networks actually work, which you need to understand before you can secure them. If you're coming from IT or want to understand infrastructure before specializing in security, Network+ builds that foundation.

So which certification is right for you in 2026?

That depends on where you are in your career and where you want to go. Entry-level roles need different credentials than leadership positions. Specialized roles need different credentials than generalist positions.

The key is matching the certification to your actual career goals, not just collecting credentials.

Stay secure,
The DestCert Team