Getting A Cyber Security Job

There is a huge skills gap in the cyber security job market in  the UK and Parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy recently said that the shortage of cyber security skills and deep technical expertise is becoming extreme. This is one of the largest problems facing all the global national electronic infrastructure operators and regulators. 

Individuals willing to enter the cyber security domain will have a very interesting and well paid career. 

Britain, similar to most western countries, has never depended more on connected technology systems than during this outbreak. Millions of employees are working from home, using personal devices and connecting to WiFi networks which are potentially insecure.

Security teams are working around the clock to ensure that, at a time when Britain is more vulnerable than ever, connected technologies do not cause further problems for the safety and security of this country. And so to begin the process of getting a job start with a bachelor’s degree in computer science or any related field. Certain organisations prefer candidates with an advanced degree like Master of Business Administration in Information Systems for a cyber security job.

There are also many recognised certifications too in cyber security which can help you validate your knowledge and skills.

Security specialists are becoming more and more crucial as cloud computing and business reliance on technology increase. These professionals are in charge of their organisations' cyber security. They run regular checks and suggest improvements as necessary, which makes them responsible for staying current on best practices and responses to new threats.

Cyber security is now part of information security and it refers to the processes and activities performed to secure computer systems and networks from unauthorised access or cyber attacks.

According to the Global Information Security Workforce from ISC2, the UK is set to have 100,000 empty cybersecurity jobs by 2022. Considering the extent and damage that attacks like WannaCry have generated in the past, the UK’s startling deficit of cybersecurity professionals is concerning. Robust cyber security has become a necessity for every organisation since there have been numerous cases of data breaches all across the world.

The digital age that we live in today offers a lot of comforts as well as dangers. We generate an enormous amount of data every day and gathering that information doesn’t require much effort. As the techniques used by hackers continue to become advanced, cyber security professionals need to upgrade their skills to remain relevant in the job market. The growing adoption of digitalisation has led to newer ways of penetrating computer systems and compromising sensitive information.

Programmers, web developers, and software engineers are just a few of the technical jobs where the skills you already have will be transferable to a cyber security role.

• Being a programmer will help you know what malicious code looks like, and how to protect against it. Web developers will be quick to learn how to defend against cross-site scripting, if they don’t already know how to.

• Software engineers know how to mitigate vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows.

• Security analysts spend their days studying the devices in use, analysing network structure, and testing security measures like firewalls and software permissions. They look for weak points and aim to shore up defenses. They should regularly report to senior management and may have to present findings and recommendations. Security analysts sometimes work with other departments to ensure their colleagues understand the organisation's best practices for information security.

Companies have now understood the importance of hiring cyber security talent looking at the current scenario of IT security. As new variants of malware are being developed every year, you can start thinking like a hacker, protect your organisation’s systems against any such threats and earn a substantial income.

GovUK:       ITProPortal:       KnowledgeTtrain:       Springboard:     Cyber Degrees:       Cybersecurity-Insiders:

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