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We live in the era of the great and mighty world wide web, one of the brightest realities of modern life. And one of the most valuable things in today's world is information. Moreover, as most of the Earth's population has moved online to work and entertain, there are more online criminals than in the dark streets nowadays.
Modern business has also adopted the internet for its purposes. Thus, the more secure the information and the site it is stored on, the more successful the company is. Therefore, it is not surprising that cyber security specialists are among the highest-paid professionals in the IT industry, and cyber security jobs are among the most demanded ones, according to the latest global IT recruitment figures.
The simplest answer to the question “What is cyber security?” is a set of methods and practices for protecting computers, mobile devices, electronic systems, servers, networks, and personal data from intruders’ attacks.
Thus, cybersecurity finds application in varied areas, from the business sphere to the internet and mobile technologies:
Ensuring the integrity and privacy of data during its transmission and storage.
Ensuring information archives’ integrity and privacy and providing their protection. Management of permissions for network access and procedures for storing and transferring data.
Protection of computer networks from various threats, targeted attacks, hacks or malware.
Protecting devices from threats that cyber criminals can hide in programs and then use them to gain access to sensitive data.
Protection of data and applications of cloud services and storage. Security control development and implementation of security tools protecting companies’ cloud infrastructures from cyberattacks, hacks, and data leakage.
Timely response to a security incident or intruders’ actions that can disrupt systems or lead to data loss. In case of disaster recovery or to maintain business continuity, a specific list of procedures is created and maintained.
Checking the security system for weaknesses by hacking the system, as a potential hacker would do, and eliminating the system’s vulnerabilities before hackers can exploit them.
A cyber security specialist protects IT systems from hacks and malware, stops and prevents thefts and data leakage, predicts possible risks and vulnerabilities of the system, and eliminates them, strengthening its protection. Such a specialist is responsible for on-site and remote cyber security.
The most in-demand cybersecurity specialist’s skills, according to the OnHires recruitment agency’s cyber security job statistics in recent years, include experience and professional knowledge in the following fields:
The required skills include the following:
Again, in accordance with recent years’ statistics, the list of the most demanded specialists in cyber security and cyber security developers includes the following jobs in cyber security:
The cyber security analyst builds and monitors the best security practices, protocols and procedures and ensures that the techniques are properly implemented and followed. They analyze reports from security tools to detect unusual or abnormal network behavior. They also control file access and credentials, network updates, and firewall maintenance. In addition, they perform penetration testing, scanning system vulnerabilities, and recommend appropriate changes to improve security.
A cybersecurity engineer builds security systems and IT architectures and protects them from unauthorized access and cyberattacks. They develop and enforce security protocols, plans, standards, and best practices. They also make up contingency plans. Plus, they create and install firewalls and intrusion detection systems and update software, hardware, and security tools. They evaluate new security means to implement and run encryption programs.
The network security architect helps improve the reliability of the company’s architecture while maintaining network performance, efficiency, and availability. They also help transform business needs into functional systems and define appropriate procedures for those systems. They control budgetary and operational constraints. They perform firewall and antivirus configuration and penetration testing to ensure continued security throughout a network’s lifecycle. Plus, they monitor changes in the network and conduct network and system analysis to identify and select the best control mechanisms for the required level of security.
A cybersecurity architect is in charge of building, developing, and implementing a company’s security infrastructure. They work with the company’s CISO to create a comprehensive security strategy that considers the latest threats and the company’s business objectives. They also design and oversee the implementation of security controls such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption technologies.
They build software and add security to it to protect against potential attacks and intrusion.
These specialists are also known as “white hackers” who act as would-be hackers to understand real hackers' approaches and possible actions. They conduct penetration testing to find vulnerabilities and gaps in security protocols for networks, OS, devices, and web applications and offer appropriate patches to prevent attackers from exploiting these weaknesses promptly.
This specialist is responsible for the overall security system of the company. They develop and implement security strategies, policies, procedures, and protocols to protect the company’s data and systems from cyberattacks and unauthorized intrusions. CISO also supervises the work of other security experts.
This specialist is an independent contractor who provides expert services to enterprises on how to improve their cybersecurity. They evaluate the current security practices and make recommendations on how to make them more effective. They also conduct training in cyber security best practices.
Their primary duties are to protect the company’s computers, networks, and data from computer viruses, security breaches, malicious hacks, and intrusions.
A cybersecurity manager is in charge of maintaining day-to-day security operations, preparing budgets, mitigating information security issues in the company, overseeing cybersecurity consultants and analysts, and developing policies and strategies to improve the security of the company's networks and systems.
This specialist ensures that developers follow secure coding practices at every stage of SDLC. They also help developers test the application against certain risks and its security settings before it is released. In addition, they are in charge of secure software development.
This professional is responsible for the security of the company’s computer systems and networks. They also take security measures to protect sensitive data from cyberattacks and leakage effectively. In addition, they perform log analysis and other network forensic investigations. Plus, they document network configurations and projects to help execute efficiently.
The recent years’ cybersecurity salaries impress. The rating of specialists in cyber security according to the annually cyber security salary sums is as follows:
According to recent statistics, the high demand for cybersecurity professionals is increasing steadily. And while the workforce gap in the field has narrowed from 3,12 million to 2,72 million since last year, the global workforce in this area needs to grow another 65% by experts to protect critical data worldwide effectively.
So, taking into account these dynamics, cyber security jobs are becoming more and more attractive.