How Can You Become a Cybersecurity Specialist for A Successful Career?

The cybersecurity domain is evolving at an unprecedented rate. Cybercriminals are using AI and machine learning techniques to make their attacks undetectable, accurate, and highly successful. At this time, the traditional security measures may seem to be obsolete and ineffective. This has led to an increase in demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals who can protect organizations’ critical assets and sensitive information from various kinds of cyberthreats.

The role of cybersecurity specialists is one of them. These are the professionals who wear many hats and offer all round protection to an organization's digital infrastructure. This cybersecurity job role demands high technical skills and a solid business acumen. If you are looking to make a career in cybersecurity, then this is one role you must aim for.

But what do these professionals do? And how to become one? Let’s explore.

What are cybersecurity specialists?

A cybersecurity specialist is a specialized cybersecurity professional responsible for securing their organization’s overall digital assets from theft, damage, and unauthorized access. They help prevent loss of sensitive information including personal or financial data by blocking viruses, malware, cyberattacks, or any other kinds of digital threats. They make sure their organization remains safe and protected from evolving and emerging cyberthreats.

Depending upon their organization, they can be found doing a variety of work including conducting penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, or looking after security and data privacy compliance audits to determine effectiveness of security measures.

Based on their findings, they create a detailed report and come up with suitable recommendations to strengthen their organization’s overall security posture. They can also be found providing advanced cybersecurity training to educate other employees regarding cybersecurity best practices and emerging technologies that can make their security defense stronger.

Cybersecurity Specialist Job Outlook and Salary

As per Indeed, the annual average salary of a cybersecurity specialist in the US is around $100,586. Of course, this salary figure depends upon a lot of factors such as company, location, experience, cybersecurity certifications, and qualifications; the salary provided to these professionals is very lucrative, and this cybersecurity job role offers great growth opportunities.

If we look at the growth prospects of this cybersecurity career path, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, though, does not provide a specific job outlook for this role, but tracks information for a closely related role of information security analysts, which is projected to grow at a rate of 35% by 2031, which is much higher than the average growth rate of all other occupations by 5%.

What do Cybersecurity Specialists do?

Cybersecurity Specialists do a wide range of tasks. Here’s a brief overview of their work.

1.      Develop, test, implement, and research security systems

Cybersecurity specialists work closely with business leaders to design and implement effective security frameworks. They thoroughly analyze business goals, identify vulnerabilities, and create customized security solutions to protect critical assets. They regularly update their systems to ensure their organization is safe and protected.

2.      Fix software bugs

They check their security software, such as firewalls, encryption tools, and monitoring systems, to ensure there are no bugs or glitches in it. They identify such problems and fix those minor issues so that they can perform optimally and protect their data. This ensures the security systems are running smoothly and prevent accidental security lapses that might happen because of software malfunction.

3.      Find threats

Cybersecurity specialists also help to identify vulnerabilities within their organization that can be exploited by malicious actors. They perform penetration testing and simulate attacks to find weaknesses in their software, applications, networks, and devices. This helps them devise future policies and strengthen overall defenses. Moreover, this helps organizations address the vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by real attackers.

4.      Create security strategies and prevention measures

This is an essential responsibility where these cybersecurity professionals analyze their strengths and weaknesses and develop effective cybersecurity strategies. This might include handling budgeting, resource allocation, team management, etc., along with encouraging employees about safe cybersecurity practices.

5.      Regulatory compliance

Cybersecurity specialists ensure their organizations adhere to various data privacy and security standards and regulations. They conduct regular audits and keep up with regulatory changes, and update the security systems as and when required.

How to Become a Cybersecurity Specialist?

This is a senior-level cybersecurity job role therefore, you need a blend of education, experience, and skills to reach this role. Here’s a simple roadmap that you can follow:

·       Earn a degree – A Bachelor’s or Master's degree in computer science, IT, network administration, cybersecurity, and related fields is recommended.

·       Gain experience – You need to have demonstrable experience in the field of cybersecurity. You can gain at least 4-6 years of experience in IT security, pen testing, network security, etc., to climb to this role.

·       Master relevant skills – Before you apply for the job of cybersecurity specialist, ensure you have mastered the relevant cybersecurity skills required to excel in this field.

·       Industry certifications – Earning a credible cybersecurity specialist certification like Certified Senior Cybersecurity Specialists (CSCS™) or CISSP can significantly enhance your employability and credibility in the industry.

Cybersecurity certifications won’t only help you gain the relevant and latest skills but will also validate your knowledge and expertise to potential employer increasing your chances of hiring and getting higher salaries.

Are you ready to become a cybersecurity specialist?

This is a demanding and rewarding cybersecurity job role. They are responsible for overseeing all the security operations within their organization. Therefore, they earn handsome salary as well.

By mastering the essential skills, gaining sufficient experience, and obtaining industry recognized cybersecurity certification, you can easily secure your position as a successful cybersecurity specialist.