What do I Need to get a Job in Cyber Security?
Cyber criminals appear to be a growing threat. Some of the most notorious break-ins that have occurred in recent years include:
- Sony films -- theft of employee data, executive salaries, unreleased films
- Home Depot -- credit card data from 56 million customers hacked
- Target -- 40 million credit card numbers stolen
Over 2017, even more shocking security breaches occurred, with the theft of data from Yahoo, a phishing fraud involving Google, a Verizon data breach that involved 14 million customers and a sensitive data breach affecting 143 million Equifax customers.
Criminals keep looking for more elaborate ways to circumvent security measures. Interpol, the international police agency, divides cyber-attacks into three general categories:
- Financial crimes involving online fraud and phishing schemes
- Cyber security attacks, targeting software and hardware
- "Sexploitation" abuse
One factor that is contributing to the expansion of cybercrime is that criminals are becoming more organized. Formerly, cyber criminals tended to be individuals or small groups; nowadays, most cyber-attacks are committed by criminal organizations working with technology professionals out to make a buck.
In most cases, the breach occurs because companies and individuals rely on software security measures. When security software is breached, companies need a backup plan. With the advent of cloud and mobile computing, cyberspace is becoming more difficult to control, and the risks of cyber-attacks are increasing.
Careers in Cybersecurity
Once a career for those in government or defense work, cyber security is now in the mainstream. Many industries, including finance, retail, transportation and utilities must hire cyber security professionals to protect data and prevent malware attacks.
In most of these industries, the cyber security professional might work in a variety of capacities, with the ultimate goal of keeping data from falling into the wrong hands.
Some of the jobs a graduate with a degree in cyber security might apply for are as follows:
- Technical support and help desks
- Network and Security infrastructure support
- Information security analyst
- Network security analyst
- IT supervision/management
- Information technology solutions providers
- Network Security implementation
Experts expect the cyber security workforce to expand, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting the need for information security analysts to grow by 28 percent by 2026. Doubtless, new types of jobs will come with this expansion.
Preparing for a Career in Cyber Security
At minimum, you should obtain an associate's degree in a computer field for an entry-level job, but you will have better opportunities if you obtain a bachelor's degree in cyber security, or some other computer-related field such as information technology or computer science.
In time, after you land your first job in the field, you may want to go on and earn a graduate degree. Often, employers can help underwrite the tuition and expenses for this type of advanced education. Most cyber-security professionals will also go for certifications in new technologies to boost their skills while they are working.
As you search for a program to enroll in, you should look for one that offers training in some of the following cyber and network security skills such as these:
- Maintaining network software and hardware
- Using customer needs to design, interpret network requirements
- Installing security software
- Evaluating problems, monitoring networks for availability to users
- Monitoring networks for security breaches
- Planning, implementing network security measures
- Risk management, disaster recovery
- Ethical practices
- Troubleshooting, problem resolution
- Installation of client and server operating systems, security tools
As you study the various curricula of the programs you are interested in, check to see if they offer coursework in some of these areas:
- project management
- service desk fundamentals
- programming
- cloud solutions
- network
- fundamentals of cyber security
- databases
- operating systems
- computer applications
More specific to cyber security would be the following courses:
- routing and switching
- network protocols
- Windows client and server
- Windows active directory
- network scripting
- ethical hacking
- advanced defense and countermeasures
- web interface design
- email services
- storage area networks and disaster recovery
- network virtualization fundamentals
- security systems administration
- Linux administration
Plan to also take arts and sciences courses such as communication; college composition; physics, biology or other sciences; algebra; psychology; and statistics.
Once you successfully complete your course work and obtain your bachelor's degree, you should be qualified to apply for jobs in a computer field where you can do the following:
- Plan, design, configure, administer a network and security infrastructure
- Troubleshoot a network security infrastructure
- Implement security controls to protect an organization from cyber security threats and vulnerabilities
Are you interested in a career in cybersecurity? If you want to make a different and earn a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science Degree with a Major in Cyber and Network Security - Cybersecurity Track, ECPI University offers this course of study at an accelerated rate. For more information about this exciting program, connect with a knowledgeable admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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Gainful Employment Information – Cybersecurity Track - Bachelor's
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