How to Become a Cybersecurity Engineer

Cybersecurity engineers recognize vulnerabilities and threats in software and systems.

Once they identify these dangers, cybersecurity engineers use their skills to implement resolutions to mitigate the threat. They protect against malware and ransomware, hacking, insider threats, and other types of cybercrime.

In the U.S, senior Cybersecurity Engineers can make anywhere between $67,000 and $138,000 as their base salary. The average salary is around $96,000, with beginners standing to make around $59,000.

It is important to note that the numbers will vary depending on:
● Geographical location
● Education
● Experience
● Job function
● Whether or not you are employed in the public or private sector.

A similar job title is Information Security Analyst. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay for an Information Security Analyst is $103,590 per annum. Employment for this role is estimated to grow by 31% within the next ten years, which is very fast. This is because demand is said to increase exponentially as cyberattacks increase.

Something that is always important to think of before jumping into a career is if the career offers job security. We know it can be quite disheartening when you’ve studied and gotten all the qualifications needed, but are unemployed.

The good news is that there is a growing demand for cybersecurity engineers because the need for cybersecurity is growing exponentially. With regards to job security and always having your skills be in demand, being a cybersecurity engineer is a really good career move.

Another thing to consider before moving onto a specific career path is where you can work in that field. The great thing about being a Cybersecurity Engineer is that cybersecurity is needed almost everywhere and anywhere. So, you’re likely to find work no matter where you are.

You can work in remote locations, coastal communities, or even heartland cities. You can also work across different industries such as finance, healthcare, technology, and government. Depending on the choices you make, cybersecurity can be a career that you will enjoy for many years to come.

Other than the technical skills that we mentioned above, a cybersecurity engineer is someone who also needs to be great at communicating and collaborating. This is because they generally need to be able to work and communicate with numerous stakeholders.

They also need to be analytical, work extremely well under pressure, and have outstanding problem-solving skills. Cybersecurity engineers also need to be able to constantly learn and adapt against new threats.

If you do not have high adaptability and learning capacity then it could become a problem when facing new trends and threats. You also need to have extensive knowledge of different operating systems. These include but are not limited to Linux, Windows, and macOS.

If you have ticked all those boxes, then cybersecurity might be for you!

Having the skills and expertise is usually enough to kickstart your fruitful career in cybersecurity. However, if you want to advance further in the career, having the right certifications is essential!

With these certifications, you can learn new skills, techniques, and technologies. Thus, you can become an all-rounded cybersecurity engineer.

The top 3 certifications we recommend are as follows:
CompTIA Security+
The great thing about this certification is that it is universally recognized. It will allow you to gain knowledge on attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities, systems design and architecture, operation and incident response, risk, compliance, and governance.

You can find out more about this certification here.
CISSP
The Certified Informations System Security Professional is one of the leading certifications in cybersecurity. You can find more information about the CISSP here
Certified Ethical Hacker – CEH
This certification is designed to keep you up to date with commercial hacking tools, techniques, and the methodologies used by present-day hackers. The great thing about this program is that it provides a lot of hands-on, practical hacking challenges that are usually extremely eye-opening. To find out more about this certification, click here

We do offer other certifications that could be extremely beneficial for your career in cybersecurity. You can find the information on these certifications here. Upskilling is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your career. Here at CIAT, we can help you get certified and improve your skills!

The job market is a scary place to be in, especially for recent graduates with no experience. So, it is right to wonder if you can get a job in cybersecurity immediately after gaining your qualifications.

Unfortunately, the answer is probably not. But, do not be deterred because there are a few steps that you can take to reach your goal of being a cybersecurity engineer. Firstly, you have to get a bachelor’s degree, as mentioned above.

Once you have earned your bachelor’s degree, You can get an entry-level job in an area such as risk management, network administrator, or program testing. This is related to security engineering so it won’t set you off your path.

After you have gained a few years of professional experience in that field, you qualify for the CISSP and many other cybersecurity certifications. Once you have a few certifications behind your name, you will be able to get a job as a cybersecurity engineer.

It will take a few years and a few steps before you are able to be a cybersecurity engineer. But, you will gain transferable skills along the way which will allow you to be the best you can be.

Perhaps you don’t want to become a cybersecurity engineer but you know that cybersecurity is the path you want to take. Here are few job titles that are similar that you can look into.

● Application Security Administrator. Someone who keeps software or applications safe and secure.
● Blockchain Developer/ Engineer. Someone who codes the future of safe transactions.
● Cloud Security Architect. Someone who secures applications and data which is in the cloud.
● Digital Forensics Analyst. Someone who will examine data that contains evidence of any cybercrimes.
● Disaster Recovery Specialist. Someone who plans and answers to system and data disasters.
● Ethical Hat Hacker. Someone who carries out legal security evaluation and testing.
● Information Security Analyst. Someone who plans and carries out security measures in order to secure the organization’s information systems and computer networks.
● Malware Analyst. Someone who notices and reverses malevolent software.
● Source Code Auditor. Someone who inspects software code in order to discover any defects, bugs, and/or breaches.
● Virus Technician. Someone who uncovers and reverses any computer malware and viruses.
● Threat Hunter. Someone who looks for networks to notice and identify any advanced threats.