Hey everyone, welcome back to the channel. I'm Yaniv Hoffman. Now, if you are aiming to break into cybersecurity or IT in general in 2024, you have come to the right place. And today I will guide you through a comprehensive path that when followed can secure you a job in cybersecurity and potentially in six figure salaries sooner than you might think. And this journey consists of seven key steps. The first four are essential for anyone in IT, while the last three will contribute significantly to your hacking and cybersecurity capabilities. Additionally, I will introduce you to an incredible resource created by a gentleman called Paul Jeremy. His roadmap offers a wealth of information and guidance for beginners, intermediate, and experts alike in the field of cybersecurity. So many reasons to view the entire video, but if you already experience and have some of the certificates I'm going to speak about, look at the chapter section and jump to the right position. I'm not insulted, everything is good. Now, before we dive into the roadmap, I recently asked my channel community, if you just start your career in IT, what should be your first certification? And here are the results based on the votes. But while CompTIA Security Plus received the majority of the votes, I do believe that if you are missing any fundamental knowledge in computers, it's better to start with CompTIA A Plus. And this certification covers the basics and ensures you have a solid understanding of IT fundamentals. So while the poll results highlight popular opinions, here is my view and path. So part one, the fundamentals and CompTIA A Plus certification validates fundamental IT skills, ensuring proficiency in technical support and IT operations. It covers essential areas like hardware, software, networking, security, but also virtualization and cloud and operational procedures. So it provides in my mind a solid foundation for more advanced IT certification. But definitely it's not enough today in my mind to secure a job. Remember, it's only the foundation. This brings me to part two, the networking and fundamental skills in IT. And in my view, networking is a critical skill for anyone in IT. I highly recommend two main certifications, the CompTIA Network Plus and the Cisco CCNA. Now the CompTIA Network Plus is a great choice if you are looking for a vendor neutral certification. It covers a broad range of networking concepts and it's perfect for building a solid foundation. On the other end, the Cisco CCNA is considered gold standard, especially if you want to focus on Cisco systems that are deployed extensively in the market. So in a sense, it gives you some of a bit real world experience as you will be working on Cisco throughout it. It's also highly regarded in the industry and again, offers deep insights into Cisco's networking technology. By the way, Cisco has announced new AI-related updates to their certification program, specifically the Cisco CCNA, version 1.1 exam will include new topics related to generative AI, cloud network management and machine learning, starting, if I'm not mistaken, August 20, 2024. Now, this is an important comment. If you are interested in hacking, either certification will be beneficial. However, if you plan to specialize in networking, the Cisco CCNA might be the better option. And this brings us to part three, the security. Of course, the critical aspect of becoming a hacker or cybersecurity professional. The gold standard here and my strong recommendation is the CompTIA Security Plus certification. And this cert validates essential skills in various areas, including risk management, threat analysis, cryptography, identity management, and security infrastructure. It's again vendor neutral, making it versatile across different platforms and environments and provide a solid foundation for more advanced security certifications and roles. And this brings us to part four, the operating systems and completing the golden triangle, in my mind, of networking security and operating system. And in this section, we'll focus on the most common ones, Windows and Linux. And while both are important, Linux is a must. Although there is a certification for CompTIA Linux Plus available, there is no need to pay for it. You can learn Linux for free from many excellent resources, such as Linux Foundation training, EDX Linux courses, Ubuntu official documentation, the Linux command line by William Shortz. It's a free PDF. And these resources will help you gain a solid understanding of Linux without incurring any cost. Part five, coding and scripting. And many ask me if this is a crucial skills in the IT and cybersecurity field. And I believe that understanding coding helps automate tasks, analyze data, and develop tools that enhance your efficiency and security capabilities. And basic proficiency in language like Python, Go, or Bash is essential in my mind, at the minimum. And Python is widely used for its simplicity and versatility. Go is known for its performance and efficiency. And Bash is fundamental for scripting in Unix-based systems. Now mastering these languages will empower you to solve complex problems and automate processes, making you a more effective and adaptable IT professional. And here we are reaching part six, which is hacking certification. And starting with an entry-level certification like EJPT, eLearn Security Junior Penetration Tester, or an equivalent such as CompTIA PenTest Plus is a great way in my mind to build a strong foundation. And once you have gained some experience, you can aim for more advanced certificates like Certified Ethical Hacker, or OSCP, the Offensive Security Certified Professionals, which are considered the standard in the field. This certification validates your skills and knowledge, making you a more competitive and credible professional in the cybersecurity landscape. And since we are in a new era, an era of artificial intelligence, I added part seven, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Essential Certification. In my mind, especially in today's world, you need to enhance your IT and cybersecurity skills with AI certifications. Start maybe with Microsoft Certified Azure, AI Fundamentals for AI Basics on Azure, free learning paths available there. Then pursue maybe the IBM AI Engineering Professional Certificate, focusing on machine learning and AI via IBM Watson, free on Coursera if I'm not mistaken. And finally, explore NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute courses like AI Explained for hands-on AI training, also free on NVIDIA platform. And this certification offers essential AI skills supported by free resources, which is important. Now, a few more tips in my mind that are important besides the certification. First, engage with cybersecurity community. I think it's essential for personal and professional growth. And by joining online forums, attending conferences and participating in local meetups, you can network with like-minded professionals and stay updated on the latest trends and best practices. Some key platform for engagements can be GitHub, where you can showcase your project and share expertise by contributing to an open source project. Reddit, like subreddits, like our security, our NetSec and hacking and great for discussions, news and resource sharing. Another one is the Stack Exchange. The Information Security Stack Exchange provides a Q&A community for security professionals and enthusiasts. Another one is cybersecurity Discord servers. Join the servers such as the Cyber Mentors Discord for real-time discussions and networking, bug crowd and hacker run, engage with communities focused on bug bounties and ethical hacking, or even or ask to participate in the Open Web Application Security Project to improve software security. You have so many options here that I recommend. I will leave everything in the description. The second tip is hands-on hacking practice. There is nothing like an hands-on. So engaging with these platforms helps you apply your knowledge in real-world scenarios and develop your skills further. Some excellent platforms to start with include Hack the Box, Capture the Flag challenges, Try Acme, Over the Wire and Voonub. And these platforms offer a range of challenges that simulate real-world vulnerabilities and scenarios, providing a safe and legal environment to practice and hone your hacking skills. So after covering the seven essential parts of your journey plus my two tips into cybersecurity, I want to introduce you to an incredible resource, Paul Jeremy's Cybersecurity Roadmap Project. And he created a comprehensive website driven by a collaborative GitHub repository where many contributors have added their expertise. And on this site you will find an extensive list of cybersecurity certifications, not complete but majority. And the brilliance of this project lies in its organization. Certifications are categorized into various career paths like penetration testing, security architecture and engineering, risk management and more. So to the left you can notice the demarcation lines indicating level of expertise if you are beginner or intermediate or an expert with the fictional line separating them. So beginner certification, these are ideal for those who are new to cybersecurity. Like I spoke before, certifications like CompTIA Security Plus or Networking Plus and ITF Plus. For the intermediate, it's designed for professionals with some experience who are looking to specialize in certification like CISM, which is Certified Information Security Manager, or CISA, which is Certified Information System Auditor, or Offensive Security Certified the OSCP and Certified Ethical Hacker, the CEH of EC console fall into this category and this certification focus on specific areas such as management, auditing and offensive security tactics. The expert certification, this is for the seasoned professionals aiming for leadership roles or deep specialization. An example include a certified Chief Information Security Officer like CCISO or Offensive Security Certified Expert like the OSCE or NGAC Security Expert, the GSE. And these certifications require significant experience and knowledge and are highly respected in the industry. So which certification should you pursue? The answer depends on your interest and career goal. I think I provided before I believe it. But again, later on, you can always switch, tune and do what you like. That's the most important thing. So to summarize, if you're looking to break into cybersecurity or IT in 2024, following this seven part roadmap will set you on the path to success. We have covered essential areas like fundamental certification, networking, operating system, coding, and zone hacking practice and advanced hacking certification. Each step is designed to build your skills and knowledge, preparing you for a rewarding career in cybersecurity. Additionally, Paul Jeremy's Cybersecurity roadmap project is an excellent resource to help you navigate the vast landscape of certifications and career paths. It provides a structured way to see where you fit and where you can go next tailor to your interests and goals. Remember, the journey is as important as the destination. Take the time to build your skills, gain hands-on experience and stay curious. The field of cybersecurity is dynamic and ever-evolving, offering countless opportunities for those willing to learn and adapt. Thank you for joining me on this journey. If you found this video helpful, don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on all things cybersecurity. I'm Yaniv Ofman and I will see you in the next video. Stay safe and keep learning.