Cybersecurity Specialist: Key Skill Requirements and Salary Expectations

Some companies may accept as little as 1-to-2 years of experience while some may require over five years of IT security experience. Since most employers expect certification, the first step involves experience. Some positions may accept bootcamp graduates or self-taught workers with drive and certifications.

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However, if formal education isn’t required, it’s possible that years of on-the-job experience are prerequisite. Even if you’re an experienced IT professional and you’re attempting to enter the cyber security field, formal education how to become a security specialist may be complementary to your work experience. It includes a wide range of disciplines that cover broad areas such as network security, system security, data security, endpoint security, cloud security and physical security.

Similar Specializations and Career Paths

Most important skills for a Cyber Security Specialist are Cyber Security, Incident Response and NIST. Devices that depend on access to an internet connection are vulnerable to attacks that seek to steal data and manipulate servers. They collaborate https://remotemode.net/ across sectors to inform best practices, research, and funding opportunities for ethical data sharing. Integrity Network members typically work full time in their industry profession and review content for CyberDegrees.org as a side project.

Security specialists use the skills developed in their degree programs when they implement and modify software, and conduct deep computer system analysis. They need a deep understanding of computer and network infrastructure to identify and effectively solve any breaches that occur. The demand for security specialists who can develop effective cybersecurity solutions continues to grow. According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), ransomware attacks occur about every 11 seconds in 2021, up from every 39 seconds in 2019.

Cyber Security Analyst vs. Engineer

This training will equip you with a thorough understanding of how to protect systems, applications, and data from misuse. The structure of our course is designed by globally recognized cybersecurity experts, with practice-oriented case studies as well as cyber incident challenges. In order to enjoy a successful career, you must be smart and careful when choosing a profession.

  • Security+ is a CompTIA certification that is considered a basic cert among cybersecurity professionals.
  • Undergraduate majors like cybersecurity, computer science, and computer forensics can provide candidates with the skills to pursue security specialist jobs.
  • Whatever option you choose, a security specialist role may be a career that offers many opportunities.

Cyber security analysts examine data, logs and use forensic techniques to find answers to security questions, to correlate events, and to determine cause and effect for security incidents. Analytical thinking for cyber security means that you’ll use your training and experience to interpret data and form a hypotheses. It involves researching information to draw some conclusions and has little to do with using mathematics.

Job Outlook for Cybersecurity Specialist

Discover whether the security specialist profession fits your strengths and interests by exploring daily tasks and responsibilities. This role is critical because oftentimes data breaches come from inside the organization, either intentionally or accidentally. Problem-solving skills require that the candidate use logic and data to find answers to an incident or problem.

  • If you’ve ever tried hacking for fun in the past, you might enjoy the challenge of seeing things from the other side and have insight into building digital fortresses that no hacker can scale.
  • Malware and forensic analysts detect and dig out any malware in the organization’s system.
  • Practical skills are critical, and some academic programs risk being too theoretical.
  • They can be independent security consultants hired to determine an organization’s weaknesses to prevent future cyberattacks.

In contrast, soft skills like leadership ability can help professionals grow in the field. Still, one of the major draws for many cybersecurity specialists is the ability to work remotely. Cybersecurity is the ideal industry for remote workers as it’s usually possible to access a company’s network without having to visit the office in person. Thus, many cybersecurity companies can hire the best talent regardless of physical location. There are many reasons to plunge into the cybersecurity space and pursue a career as a cybersecurity specialist.

Help Us Protect Glassdoor

CISA is a national organization that seeks to understand, manage, and reduce risk to cyber and physical infrastructure. They offer industry resources, analyses, and tools to help build cyber communications. Cybersecurity Ventures projects that cybercrimes will cost the world a staggering $10.5 trillion per year by 2025. Given these high stakes, organizations are seeking cybersecurity experts to protect their data and help limit losses to cybercrime. As more small and medium-sized businesses adopt cloud services, they risk cyber assault. Additionally, banks, financial institutions, and healthcare institutions will need to increase their immunity against cybercriminals.