Working in Cyber Security – What You Should Know

      

If you have a curious mind that you love to use solving problems, and you are interested in Information Technology (IT), working in cyber security may be for you. As hackers become more technologically advanced, so businesses need people who can help to keep their IT systems secure. After all, no business wants to risk the theft of customers’ personal data.

The field of cyber security continues to grow, and there are always job opportunities to be had. People take various routes to the role. They may have have taken a course such as Information Technology at Courses or they may have developed their skills through first taking an entry level IT role. Whatever route is taken, working in cyber security could be the next step.

What roles are available in cyber security?

Cyber security specialists usually either work as consultants, providing advice and support to clients, or for a company protecting its systems. There are several job titles which fall under this umbrella including security analyst, information security consultant and intelligence analyst. Some of the responsibilities you can expect to have, if you start working in one of these roles include:

– Keeping up to date with all recent security developments.
– Identifying potential threats and developing plans to mitigate against them.
– Developing a disaster recovery plan.
– Monitoring systems for attacks.
– Designing and developing security systems.
– Using ethical hacking to identify potential issues.
– Implementing protection such as firewalls and encryption.
– Monitoring for any access abuses.
– Advising stakeholders about issues and recommendations.
– Maintaining a risk register to manage the risk of threats.
– Developing security training for people within the business and delivering it.

This list of responsibilities is not exhaustive, but it does give you a good idea about what will be expected from you, if you undertake a role in cyber security.

What sort of working pattern can be expected?

If you are thinking of applying for roles in cyber security, you may be interested in what hours you will be expected to work. There is no one set answer to the question of working hours. Many security roles working for a business are 9-5. However, some do require shift work, in order to help maintain the security of systems throughout the day and night. You may also be required to be on call, should any problems occur.

Working in the corporate sector will demand a whole new set of skills and you’ll be responsible for implementing and managing systems like CIAM (Customer Identity and Access Management), analyzing network structures, and testing firewalls.

You also have the option of working for yourself. If you decide to do this, you may need to work long hours, in order to keep the work coming in. However, you do have more control over the jobs that you take on.

Hopefully, you are more aware of what is involved with working in cyber security. It’s a role which can be highly pressurised, and requires you to have a good problem solving mind. If you relish the challenge then it may be time to look for work in this area, and start developing your career.