Cybersecurity careers: Which is right for you?
Looking for vulnerabilities, securing systems or
dismantling them, these are all viable career paths in the cybersecurity
industry. Could one of them be
right for you?
By Amer Owaida
The abundance of
cyberthreats and shortage
of skilled professionals, as well as
competitive salaries and interesting job descriptions, are some of the reasons
why a career in cybersecurity remains an attractive option. We discussed some
of these finer points in our recent
article that was aimed
especially at those of you who wonder whether to join
this growing industry.
However, choosing which
career path to pursue may prove to be a daunting task, not least because there
are so many careers to choose from, each with its specific requirements and
skill sets. It’s also important to note that not
every cybersecurity career needs a university degree, although having one won’t hurt.
If you’re aspiring to join
the swelling ranks of infosec professionals, you’ll have to assess what skills
you have and what skills you’ll need in order to apply for the position you
want. In our second article dedicated to celebrating Antimalware
Day, we look at some of the steps you can take while
climbing the cybersecurity career ladder.
System
administrator
System administrator is
actually one of the stepping-stone professions on the way to a cybersecurity
career. CyberSeek, a site providing a range of cybersecurity career
planning information, classifies the role as a member of the Networking family
of feeder roles. This means that system administrators aren’t strictly
described as cybersecurity professionals. Sysadmins, however, do need to have
stellar knowledge of cybersecurity topics to perform their jobs properly;
these ten
commandments illustrate
just how much cybersecurity impacts their work. While a degree isn’t required,
CyberSeek indicates that a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) in network administration
is recommended for the role. People who lack the degree but are interested
in pursuing these careers can do so by completing various certifications from
reputable organizations.
Sysadmins are indispensable
for most companies, since they are responsible for the configuration, upkeep,
operation, and security of computer systems and servers, as well as
troubleshooting problems and providing support to other employees. If you’re
seeking to become a system administrator, then some of the top requirements are
knowledge of Linux and of major networking hardware, network engineering, and
tech support. To be able to transition successfully into cybersecurity, you’d
be well advised to add information security and systems, network security, and
security operations to your arsenal of skills. Per data from cyber.org, the average annual salary in the US for a
sysadmin is estimated to be around US$62,000.
Incident
responder
Cybersecurity or
cyberdefense incident responders are responsible for investigating, analyzing,
and responding to cyberattacks or cyber-incidents. However, their position
isn’t only reactive – they also have to actively monitor systems and networks
for intrusions, perform security audits, and develop response plans, as well as
be knowledgeable in the company’s business continuity plans if a successful
attack occurs. After an attack is over, an incident responder also has to be
able to write up an incident report to detail how the attack happened and what
can be done now to avoid it in the future. To become an incident responder, you
don’t need a degree; however, having one in cybersecurity or computer science
is considered a benefit. Information security, knowledge of Linux, network
security, information systems, and project management are among the top skills
requested by employers. The position is classified as entry-level and,
according to CyberSeek, offers an average annual salary of around US$85,000 in America.