Cybersecurity Specialist

There are also numerous opportunities for advanced training in cybersecurity. Cisco’s CCNA Cyber Ops advanced certification prepares candidates for careers in cybersecurity. You may be considering a career in cybersecurity because you’ve read about the high salaries, excellent benefits, and seemingly endless job openings and employers in the field. These individuals play an extremely important role in securing highly sensitive data. As a cybersecurity expert, you will work to protect databases, websites, and Internet-connected devices from malicious attacks. Using the latest computer science trade secrets, cybersecurity professionals thwart the activities of cybercriminals and prevent data breaches.

Companies such as Yahoo, Uber, and Target faced security threats that potentially exposed millions of Americans’ private information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers. With hackers and cybercriminals developing new ways to access sensitive systems and information, even the world’s largest companies must be vigilant for security breaches. Information security analysts or cybersecurity specialists are in greater demand than ever, and here’s why. Among the many cybersecurity jobs that companies in all sectors are looking for is that of cybersecurity specialist.

The nature of the jobs depends on the department and its specific needs. Job categories include: Cybersecurity analysts, ethical hackers, security architects, engineers, consultants, administrators, and information officers. All of these positions play an important role in an organization’s security. In government agencies, this type of work is doubly important, as the information that can be stolen may be information of a large number of people or government work that needs to be kept confidential. The cybersecurity field will benefit from more people pursuing cybersecurity education and degrees.

In addition to certifications and continuing education, applicants for a cybersecurity job would be well advised to contact internship opportunities and do a lot of reading, self-education, and networking. Recently, there have been numerous cyberattacks on the U.S. government. In just 9 years, the number of cyberattacks increased from 5,000 to 77,000 in one year. Just last year, Russian hackers attacked the State Department’s email system in what is often described as the worst cyberattack on a government agency.

A few years earlier, another cyberattack stole the fingerprints of an estimated 5.6 million Americans. Sensitive federal agency data is highly vulnerable to cyber threats, and experts are needed to protect it. Things like ransomware, distributed denial of service attacks, cyberbots, and cryptojacking are cybersecurity procedures just the beginning of the types of cyberattacks the United States faces. Hackers use malicious code, unauthorized access, scanners and probes, and research to penetrate government networks and steal information. Most, but not all, cybersecurity professionals require some level of technical expertise.

The program begins with a free professional aptitude assessment to determine if the candidate has the innate skills, abilities and personality traits to succeed on the job. First-Mile training provides a fast and globally consistent way to quickly advance a work group. Online exams make it easy to test skills and review candidates from anywhere in the world. Because cybersecurity degree programs are relatively new, many of those currently working in the field have a general computer science background, supplemented by certification programs and on-the-job training. In addition to a degree program, cybersecurity specialists must also complete a series of certification programs.

The report goes on to say that only a small percentage of government agencies are prepared for any type of attack, such as malware, security breaches or denial-of-service attacks. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the cybersecurity training options. If you’re looking for your first certification, Simplilearn’s CEH – Certified Ethical Hacking course is a good place to start.

In mid-level and senior positions, expertise, certifications, and skills are becoming increasingly important. Although computer forensics and cybersecurity are two distinct fields, they are closely related, and a foundation in computer forensics can help you excel in your cybersecurity career. To effectively protect an organization’s digital assets and prevent security breaches, you need to know exactly what happens when your efforts fail and how to recover compromised data. For this reason, most cybersecurity degree programs have a computer forensics component.