What certification or training do you need to be a network security professional?

Certification and training to be a network security professional is available from CompTIA, the leading provider of vendor-neutral IT certifications in the world, as of 2015. Additional training and certification is available from Cisco through its Cisco Certified Network Associate Security Certification program.

The CompTIA Security+ certification covers important foundational principles for securing a network and managing risk. There are no required prerequisites for obtaining the certification, though a minimum of two years experience in IT administration with a focus on security is recommended.

Cisco's CCNA Security certification provides specific training with emphasis on core security for installing, troubleshooting and monitoring Cisco brand network devices.