How to Become a Cyber Security Professional in 2022?

28-Jul-2021

In today's era,  Technologies requirements and demand are increasing day by day. So, by considering the demand and future scope, becoming a Cyber Security Professional would be a great career choice. Well, if you are wondering how do I become a Cyber Security professional, Just go through the entire blog and understand in detail. 

Points to be discussed in this blog:

• Who is a Cyber security professional?
• What are the eligibility qualifications and criteria for Cyber security professionals?
• The Roles and Responsibilities of a Cyber security professional
• Future scope and demand for Cyber security professionals 
• Cyber security professional career path

 Who is a Cyber security professional?

A cyber security professional is a person who looks after the security of web networks, databases, firewalls, and hardware. The task of any cyber security expert is to minimize potent virus risks and protect computer systems against unauthorized third-party interventions.

The entry is allowed only when the owner of the organization or the individual who owns the computer or the network gives authorization access to the data or information of the system or web network.

The main task of the cyber security expert is to control malicious user activity, create better protection plans, execute security actions and implement data control and privacy rules and regulations.

Today, the post of a cyber security professional is a significant high-paying standard. In 2022, all premier IT MNCs require internet security and data governing professionals and experts to ensure that the important files and data are safe and sound. 

What are the eligibility qualifications and criteria for Cyber Security professionals?

• For becoming a cyber security expert and helping a firm or organization in the protection of files and data, fighting powerful high-profile cyber threats and attacks, and in its various future endeavors, an individual needs to become a perfect fit.

• For this, an aspirant has to take in the best education in the needed area of expertise. The degree or certification training must be from any reputed institution. This is necessary to get skilled in various areas of cyber security and data governance.

The Educational Prerequisites:

Here we tell you which education degree or cyber security certification is a basic requirement to enter the world of cyber protection - 

• Degree:

➔        A degree in Computer Science. It can also be in Systems Engineering, IT, or in any relatable field. Any aspirant must have a bachelor’s degree, to begin with. An engineering degree is also perfect.

➔        A Masters’ degree in any of the above-related fields is also the best option for advanced learning in cyber security.

• Experience:

➔        Two years of professional and corporate experience in Cyber Security. Professionals can show up for internship certificates as well.

• Certifications:

➔        Any cyber security training certification that covers basic and advanced knowledge in computer science and incident/malware detection can be pursued by the learner on the board.

• Top Cyber security Certifications:

  • CSF (Cyber Security Fundamental)

  • CISA Certification Training

  • CISM Certification training 

  • Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

  • EHP (Ethical Hacking Professional)

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

The Roles and Responsibilities of a Cyber security professional

With the broad expansion of the IT sector and its functions in the past 5 years, the production of universal data and the usage of web-related services have seen a whopping leap.

Almost every human being alive today has his/her share in the generation and usage of data and information, online.

We won’t be exaggerating much if we say that more than 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are collected and assembled every single day that passes in 2022! Be it YouTube, Netflix, Instagram, various OTT platforms, Twitter, or Facebook, people are creating larger amounts of content, conversing, connecting, sharing, and adding to data all over the world.

Indeed, this data is being dealt with in the form of stored data clouds. But, how is this protected?

Here is the answer - the protection, conservation, and safety of this enormous data lie in the hands of trained and modern skilled cyber professionals.

Roles, responsibilities, and influences of Cyber Security experts

• The trained and well educated cyber experts and professionals are responsible for handling data that is stored in the cloud, setting passwords and high-level automated codes, checking the weakest entry areas, fighting and fixing them, and thus, stopping the entry of viruses and malware that can destruct or demolish an entire system.

• A good cyber security team is the one that best fights the ongoing and upcoming cyber challenges. The major responsibility of any cyber security specialist is to secure a private or public company’s communications.

These can be both internal and external reporting that uses a more advanced medium of communication in the world of the internet.

• In a military organization, the role of any cyber security specialist or chief is to have a keen look at mischievous activities of the hackers, cyber information looters, or information trespassers.

• These looters are more avid on entering the public governmental systems and have a better idea of the next move of any country’s military, armed or governmental forces.

For example - Currently, Biden’s US implemented an entirely new team for US cyber command. It was revamped to fight increasing ransomware attacks and other clueless facade workings of Chinese tech companies.

• In 2022, a new experienced pool of candidates is employed by many European nations like Ireland and Scotland. This is done to secure and protect the IT systems of many world-class MNC’s.

• A cyber security executive has to see if there are any modern changes in cyber technology. They have to stay updated and implement new changes in the strict and hard frames and rigid structures of any organization or firm.

• They have to be exceptionally well trained and educated in dealing with the new-day challenges and threats that can erupt in the technological areas of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and automation. Thus, the task of cyber security specialists is to have one-to-one expertise in AI and ML technologies.

Cyber security professional’s salary

It is not a thing to doubt that skilled cyber security professionals are in huge demand. This is the reason why many cyber security professionals get paid highly much early in their careers.

Due to the lack of the most relevant and industry-ready skills, the most skilled and corporate-ready professionals enjoy an edge in getting the best salaried and high incentive jobs on the go.

Let’s note the average salaries taken up by highly educated cyber security employees in 2022 -

• Cyber Forensics Analyst - $76,095 and $95,094.

• Cyber Analyst - $25,000 to $183,000

• Network Operations Specialist - $65,000 to $80,000

• Cyber Incident Responder -  $110,972 -  $115,000

• Cyber Infrastructure Support Specialist - $78,857 - $80,000

All of these salaries are not geographically specific. These may see a variation according to different countries and continents. Although, these are the median average salaries of the cyber security workers across the world.

Future scope and demand for cyber security professionals 

Looking for a career in cyber security? We suggest that you should go for it today, to build a productive, secure, and better future tomorrow!

The future in cyber security is not shaking. It will stay firm and thus, with more technology, AI, and ML advances in the future, and development in IT sectors, more job opportunities with high pays will increase automatically.

• Growth by 2025 -

By 2025, there will be a huge demand for cyber security professionals. There will be many vacant job vacancies. These will be only filled by real knowledgeable and talented cyber security workers.

• Growth by 2029 -

The cyber security jobs will grow 31% continuously by 2029 and beyond. This data is according to the newest data issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

• Growth by 2030 - 

It is estimated that the cyber security sector will expand and leave all other IT sectors behind. If we look at major cyber cities today, we can say that in the future the boost will be immense, huge, and almost never-ending.

Cyber security professional career path

Taking risks with technology can be financially heavy and largely devastating for almost all IT companies today.

Statistics show that many big companies have incurred losses in the wake of poor security and weak data regulation and information controls.

• Here we note some of the biggest data breaches and thefts of the world that will highlight why hiring a cyber security professional is just a matter of some pennies in contrast to losses calculated in billions! This will highlight the significance of a cyber security professional all the more for you!

➔        LinkedIn

Data breach on June 2021

In June 2021, the biggest professional web jumbo saw a data breach of over 700 million users. This included the personal and professional information of all those people who were affected.

The confidential information was stolen by a moniker of “God User”, who transferred the contacts and details of these users to a different website.

This was a clear breach and violation of LinkedIn’s terms and conditions as claimed by UK’s NCSC.       

➔        Alibaba

Violation on November 2019

In November 2019, Alibaba saw unauthorized scraping and use of personal data related to business. This involved as much as 1.1 billion pieces of user data.

The breach was related to a shopping website - Taobao. The software was created by the mischievous intruder, who was the developer. S/he was collecting data for his employer.

What ensued was that the employer was sent to jail, stating that it was a forceful act and no prior information of the authority was involved.

➔        Zoom

Violation on April 14, 2020

On April 14, 2020, Zoom teleconferencing accounts were sold! These were over 5, 00,000 accounts that were sold openly on the dark web. The credentials and other particulars of the users were involved. 

➔        In 2020, the United States was the only country that saw most data breaches with the cost of $8.64 million and above!

➔        According to the information issued by the University of Maryland, every 39 seconds, at least one person in the world is subjected to the forces of cyber threat or cybercrime.

These instances tell us why a professional path in cyber security is a rising career presently and why it will remain so for ages to come!

If you are planning to ride a bus on the road of cyber security, do so! It’s time to become the most sought-after and marketable professional of 2022 with the most gainful and lucrative packages. 

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