Major IT Cert Changes You Need to Know About in 2025 & Beyond

The tech landscape never sleeps—and neither do the certifying bodies that help IT pros stay relevant. As we roll through this year, several major players, including Cisco, CompTIA, Palo Alto, and Juniper, are revamping their certification programs in big ways. Some are refreshing existing exams, others are retiring old favorites, and a few are shifting their entire strategy to align with real-world job roles.

If you're planning to get certified this year or if you're responsible for training a team, these are the updates you’ll want to know.

CompTIA: Goodbye CASP+, Hello SecurityX

In a major rebrand, CompTIA retired its CASP+ certification and replaced it with SecurityX (CAS-005) as of December 17, 2024. This new name reflects the evolving nature of advanced security roles, and while the name has changed, the expert-level rigor remains the same.

SecurityX is still designed for senior security professionals, such as security architects and engineers, who need to demonstrate mastery over risk management, enterprise security architecture, and incident response. If you already hold CASP+, your certification will automatically be updated to reflect the new SecurityX title.

Other CompTIA Certs to Watch:

Linux+, Server+, and Data+ are all due for potential updates soon. These certifications follow a three-year update cycle, and the current versions were launched in 2022. That means you can expect revised objectives and exam versions sometime in late 2025.

If you're planning to certify (or recertify), keep an eye on the CompTIA exam release calendar so you don’t prep for an exam that’s about to be replaced.

Cisco: New Cybersecurity Path in 2025, DevNet Becomes Automation in 2026

Cisco is in the midst of one of its most significant certification overhauls in years, shifting from product-focused certifications to more career-focused credentials that better match how organizations hire and deploy IT talent. And there's a shift from DevNet to automation. 

In early 2025, Cisco retired the CyberOps certification and introduced a new Cybersecurity certification track. This includes:

• CCNA Cybersecurity

• CCNP Cybersecurity

These new paths reflect growing demand for specialized security skills and offer a more defined career roadmap from entry-level to expert.

The DevNet track is being rebranded as automation-focused certifications, with all names and exam codes updated accordingly. While most blueprints remain intact, the rebranding signals a shift toward job roles focused on automating network infrastructure. 

Several older DevNet exams (like SAUTO, CLAUTO, DEVOPS) will be retired on February 2, 2026, so if you're halfway through studying for those, keep the calendar in mind. 

Juniper: A Busy Year for Updates

Juniper Networks has lined up a full slate of certification refreshes in 2025 across associate, specialist, and expert levels. If you’re working in networking, automation, or data center environments, there’s probably a new exam coming your way.

Here are the big ones to know:

These updates bring newer technologies, better alignment with modern Juniper platforms, and updated automation practices. For those studying in 2025, make sure you’re prepping for the current exam version—not one that’s already on its way out.

Palo Alto Networks: From Legacy to Role-Based Certifications

Palo Alto is making a clean break from its legacy certification lineup in favor of a role-based framework that better matches how cybersecurity teams actually operate.

Palo Alto certs retiring soon: 

• PCNSE (Palo Alto Certified Network Security Engineer) retires July 31, 2025. 

• PCCSE and PCSAE have already been marked as legacy and are being phased out

There are also new role-based certifications. Launched in March and April 2025, these four credentials are designed to help employers validate real-world job skills:

• Network Security   

• Security Operations

• Cloud Security 

Each role offers several levels of exams, ranging from apprentice to advanced. For example, in network security, you can take the Foundational, Professional, or Specialist exams. 

They're also offering two specialist exams for: 

• XDR Analyst

• XDR Engineer

Each cert focuses on hands-on capabilities aligned to specific roles within security operations and cloud defense. The new structure also makes it easier to build a long-term certification path that grows with your career.

If you’ve already earned a legacy certification, you’ll still be recognized; however, new training and recertification will follow the updated framework.

In Conclusion

If there’s one thing you can count on in IT, it’s change, and this year is delivering in a big way. From CompTIA’s SecurityX rebrand to Palo Alto’s shift toward role-based certifications and Cisco’s multi-year overhaul, it’s clear that vendors are moving away from product-specific credentials and toward job-focused, future-ready certification paths.

For IT professionals, that means now is the time to:

• Review your certification roadmap to avoid investing time studying for an exam that’s being phased out.

• Stay agile. Exam blueprints and names may change, but the core skills (networking, security, automation) remain critical.

• Double-check exam release dates, especially if you’re aiming for DevNet, CyberOps, or any of Juniper’s rolling 2025 updates.

Whether you’re upskilling for a promotion, switching specialties, or just trying to stay current in your role, certifications are still one of the best ways to prove you’ve got the skills to keep up. The landscape may be shifting, but with the right timing and preparation, you’ll be ahead of the curve.

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