Cyber Security Manager — career path
StationX Advanced
From practitioner to the person who runs the programme: the technical baseline, governance, risk and service management, the CISO's first 90 days, then CISSP and CISM — the two certifications management adverts ask for.
3 courses · 31 sections · 130 lectures
Free to start: the free lessons and guides for this roadmap →
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The path
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Step 1 — Security foundation
Managers are hired from practitioners; this is the practitioner baseline.
follows the whole CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) roadmap: 11 courses · 76 sections · 867 lectures · 148 labs · ≈ 172 h of hands-on labs
Learn
- PathFollow the CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) path — the baseline; the job assumes you have it
11 courses · 76 sections · 867 lectures · 148 labs · ≈ 172 h of hands-on labs
9 steps — The industry-standard entry certification for a cyber security role.
Step 2 — Governance, risk and compliance
The language of the board: frameworks, risk registers, policy.
1 course · 11 sections · 50 lectures
Learn
- CourseGovernance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) (opens in a new tab)opens on courses.stationx.net 🔒 StationX Membership — $299 / year ($24.92/mo billed annually)
11 sections · 50 lectures
- Training Overview 2
- Introduction 3
- Governance 6
- Risk Management 6
- Compliance 4
- Internal Controls 13
- Audit 4
- Cybersecurity 4
- Emerging Trends in GRC 4
- Conclusion 3
- Audio Version of Training 1
Start here: this is the one introductory GRC course on this path.
Step 3 — Service management (recommended if your organisation runs on ITIL) Optional
The service-management method the rest of IT already speaks. Take it if your organisation runs on ITIL.
follows the whole ITIL 4 Foundation roadmap: 5 courses · 20 sections · 119 lectures
Optional: not counted towards your progress or finishing this roadmap.
Learn
- PathFollow the ITIL 4 Foundation path — service management, the operating model security sits inside
5 courses · 20 sections · 119 lectures
3 steps — IT service management. Not a security certification, but frequently required for senior IT roles and useful context for anyone running security as a service.
Step 4 — Lead the programme
The CISO's skills, first 90 days and challenges, and the security risks of the AI an organisation adopts.
2 courses · 20 sections · 80 lectures
Learn
- CourseCISO Fundamentals: A Quick-Start Guide (opens in a new tab)opens on courses.stationx.net 🔒 StationX Membership — $299 / year ($24.92/mo billed annually)
9 sections · 33 lectures
- Training Overview 2
- Introduction 3
- Skills of Modern Effective CISOs 1
- 90 Day Plan for CISO 6
- What Next - After 90 Days 7
- Challenges of a CISO 6
- Career path , Interviews & vCISOs opportunities 6
- Course Summary 1
- Audio Version of the Training 1
- CourseGenerative AI Risks & Cybersecurity: LLM Security (opens in a new tab)opens on courses.stationx.net 🔒 StationX Membership — $299 / year ($24.92/mo billed annually)
11 sections · 47 lectures
- Training Overview 1
- - Introduction & Lab Setup 4
- - The GenAI Threat Landscape 4
- - Prompt Injection & Jailbreaking 6
- - AI-Specific Attack Vectors 6
- - Defending GenAI Systems 8
- - Secure GenAI Development 5
- - Governance, Compliance & Ethics 6
- - Emerging Threats & Future 4
- - Capstone & Conclusion 2
- Audio Version of the Course 1
Step 5 — The senior technical certification
Credibility with the engineers you will lead.
follows the whole CISSP — Certified Information Systems Security Professional roadmap: 16 courses · 66 sections · 737 lectures · 71 labs · ≈ 70 h of hands-on labs
Learn
- PathFollow the CISSP — Certified Information Systems Security Professional path — the certification management adverts list first — needs 5 years' experience to certify, 4 with a qualifying degree or credential (you can pass the exam first)
16 courses · 66 sections · 737 lectures · 71 labs · ≈ 70 h of hands-on labs
5 steps — The senior security certification, spanning eight domains. Requires five years of experience to certify fully.
Open the full CISSP — Certified Information Systems Security Professional roadmap →
Step 6 — The management certification
The credential that says you run programmes, not just controls.
follows the whole CISM — Certified Information Security Manager roadmap: 8 courses · 32 sections · 258 lectures · 3 labs · ≈ 5 h of hands-on labs
Learn
- PathFollow the CISM — Certified Information Security Manager path — governance, risk, programme development and incident management — needs 5 years' experience to certify, of which up to 2 can be waived (you can pass the exam first)
8 courses · 32 sections · 258 lectures · 3 labs · ≈ 5 h of hands-on labs
5 steps — The management-track certification: governance, risk management, the security programme and incident management.
Open the full CISM — Certified Information Security Manager roadmap →
Where this leads
Choose your next roadmap
Advanced · after the job
The AI-Driven Cyber Security Manager
Senior roles are going to the people who can direct AI to build security solutions. When you're working in the role and ready for that step, the AI Master's Program is where it's taught — an advanced, application-only programme.
See the AI Master's Program →Application-only. A separate programme for when you're ready.