Data breaches are becoming a great problem for a considerable number of growing businesses across a wide range of industries.
That is why the demand for highly skilled cybersecurity is rising day by day. After the coronavirus, more and more businesses are set up online and become more technologically advanced.
The issue of information security is set as a priority, and the individuals who have a piece of great knowledge and skills about cybersecurity are in great demand.
Because as businesses grow online, their data become more vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
If you are one of the individuals who have an interest and passion in information technology, computer science, and cyber-crimes, you have a great career. You can work in the cybersecurity field.
Don’t forget that cybersecurity is a broad field, and information security specialists have to fulfill various responsibilities. They will need a particular skill set and qualifications.
Many of you might be curious about the qualifications that a cybersecurity job demands.
I would highly recommend that if you believe that you possess several skills and are passionate about information security, you should consider pursuing your career in cybersecurity.
If you are at the start of your career, one of the straightforward and best ways to get into the information security sector is to get a relevant degree.
Although you don’t need to have a degree in a relevant subject only, many people move from other information technology roles into cybersecurity jobs.
But don’t forget, this way is becoming more difficult as cybersecurity careers increase in popularity and more and more people are pursuing their careers in cybersecurity. So it can be difficult for you.
But if you are passionate about your cybersecurity career, the below-mentioned degree subjects will help you achieve your cybersecurity goal.
● Information technology
● Cybersecurity
● Forensic computing
● Network engineering
● Mathematics
● Physics or any other STEM subjects.
If you are already working in the cybersecurity sector, you also need to have some other qualifications to further your career in cybersecurity.
With various industry-related certifications, professionals in this field only take modules according to their specialism.
Table of Contents
The List of Qualifications that cybersecurity might want to consider is given below
● Systems Security certified practitioner (SSCP)
It is great for the professionals who have just started their careers in cybersecurity. It only demands one year of experience and provides you with a perfect opportunity to prove the technical skills and security knowing you have in the field.
What are the things required to gain a systems security certified practitioner qualification?
To qualify, you just need to have a comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of all the skills and information required in the cybersecurity industry.
It would be best if you also had modules covering all the topics related to cybersecurity like risk identification, cryptography, etc.
If you have studied for the SSCP, you will be assessed by a three-hour exam.
● Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
This is one of the most common qualifications that cybersecurity specialists have. It is even essential to develop your career in the industry.
Individuals who experience approximately four or more four years and tend to be a consultant or at a managerial level can only get this qualification. These are the requirements if you want to qualify.
What things do the Certified Information Systems Security Professional qualifications cover?
This qualification covers all the eight disciplines of cybersecurity involving technology, people, and processes to enable assured operations that protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.
It also involves asset security, security engineering, and identity & access management.
A six-hour exam is conducted before culminating.
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification is a globally recognized achievement of excellence.
It is also a requirement for ISO/IEC Standard 17024. This simply means you should have the certificate of this qualification for ISO/IEC Standard 17024.
● Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
This is one of the most significant ways by which you can further your career. You should have at least five years of experience in the cybersecurity field to get this qualification.
You must have completed five years of experience, which includes at least three years in an information security management, before obtaining the CISM qualification.
What are the requirements to get the certification?
It is necessary that you should have completed the five years of experience within ten years before applying for the CISM qualification.
The CISM certification course has four domains. Domains refer to the organization of exam content.
Following is the process that you should follow to get certified:
There is four steps process, including registration, completion, etc.
Registration for the exam
You can register yourself for the exam within a 365 days eligibility period.
Completing
The exam contains 150 questions in the MCQ format, and you will be given a time of four hours to complete the exam. You must secure at least 450 marks to pass.
Apply
The third thing that you have to do is apply for the certificate. Before applying, there are three things that you have done:
Passing the exam
Have full-time work experience of ten years.
Paid the registration fees.
Maintaining your certification
You have to ensure that you have an adequate level of current knowledge and proficiency in the security management field. This proved that your skills and knowledge are up-to-date.
Skills Required for a Cybersecurity Career
I have told you about the qualifications that will help you go ahead in your cybersecurity career. Now you might be curious to know the skills required for building a career in cybersecurity.
Are you not sure if you are a good fit for a career in cybersecurity? Then read the skills, and if you possess the skills, you should consider building a career in cybersecurity.
Suppose you are passionate about becoming an information security analyst, penetration tester or computer forensics investigator.
In that case, you should not worry because you already possess the skills that are required to build a career in cybersecurity. You need the following skills to make your career in cybersecurity:
● Analytical skills and good observational skills for spotting trends in data.
As you will be working to protect the data of individuals, it is essential to have analytical skills so that you can analyze cyber threats. Analytical skills are essential to keep the data safe.
● Ability to make sound decisions confidently and show initiative.
As you are choosing your career in cybersecurity, it is necessary that you can make decisions confidently because you have to prevent threats, and sound decisions will help you to do so.
● Able to work under pressure and can work according to deadlines.
If any cyber-attacks happen, it is obvious that your mind will be under pressure to save the data. You often need to do other things under pressure, which is why it is crucial to have a skill like this.
If you are working somewhere, then it is vital that you have to submit the work on time; deadlines are given to submit your work. If you have this skill, it will become easy to work.
● Attention to detail and work logically.
You should be able to focus on small details and work logically because you can’t work illogically if you are responsible for protecting someone’s data.
● You should be well organized and able to manage your time properly.
● Able to work creatively.
As you are thinking about building your career in cybersecurity, you must be able to work creatively because you have to find solutions for a lot of problems. And problem-solving requires creativity.
● Good communication skills, as you might have to adapt different communication styles to suit your audience.
● Good understanding of confidentiality and laws related to this.
Confidentiality is one of the five pillars of cybersecurity, so it is crucial to understand this if you want to build your career in this field.
● Keen interest in the information technology sector.
I hope this has helped you to make up your mind if you want to build your career in cybersecurity or not.
