Must-Have Skills to succeed in Cyber Security

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The Cybersecurity field is rapidly growing and so is the demand for talented cybersecurity professionals. Jobs in cybersecurity are lucrative making it one of the most sought-after IT career option. In this blog, we discuss some must-have skills to succeed in the cybersecurity field that include technical and soft skills.

Technical Skills

Intrusion detection through Penetration Testing (Ethical Hacking): Businesses are becoming more aware of the importance of being proactive in safeguarding their critical assets. Being aware of process and system vulnerabilities and closing those gaps have saved organizations millions of dollars. Intrusion detection aids in vulnerability management through regular penetration testing. Conducting these in-depth tests keeps you ahead of hackers and uncovers potentially harmful activities before they escalate. As cyberattacks continue to evolve, Penetration testing skill is a must-have and one of the most in-demand skills employers look for.

Cloud Security: Cloud computing has become extremely popular with its affordability and convenience. However, it also brings with it security concerns about data stored on a public cloud. Service providers such as Microsoft’s Azure and Amazon’s AWS do provide security services but those are not enough. Extensive security measures need to be undertaken on the business level when accessing data stored on public cloud platforms to ensure the protection of sensitive data. A secure cloud architecture remains a top priority for organizations making cloud security skills important to have.

DevSecOps: DevSecOps stands for Development, Security and Operations. It ensures security is present during every stage of a software development lifecycle and makes everyone accountable for security. Security is integrated into applications continuously during development instead of post-development reducing the cost of compliance by eliminating mistakes and downtime due to attacks. This is done by using the right DevSecOps tools and processes. Cybersecurity professionals who have Development skills and can add security to workflows are in high demand in this relatively new but fast-growing field.

Encryption: Encryption is the process that makes use of an algorithm to transform data and make it unreadable to users that are not authorized to receive the message. It protects sensitive data such as personal and financial information by transforming them into unreadable ciphertext that can be made readable only with a key. With so much information online such as credit card numbers and other identifiers, encryption is essential for the safety of sensitive information. High profile breaches of personal information in recent times has made encryption skills valuable to employers and the demand keeps growing.

Internet of Things (IoT): We live in a connected world and the number of internet-connected devices continues to grow. Although IoT has revolutionized technology, connectivity can leave networks and systems vulnerable to breaches. Hackers are looking for ways to squeeze in between gaps in interconnected devices making IoT security critical. IoT security experts with knowledge specific to IoT breaches, threats and countermeasures are an important asset to organizations and find themselves with lucrative career options.

Although there are several other technical skills that are critical for success in the cybersecurity field, the above five are a must-have and will see continual growth in demand. In addition to technical skills, a combination of soft skills will make you a sought-after cybersecurity professional.

Soft Skills

In addition to technical skills, soft skills have become equally important these days. Employers are looking for professionals that have great communication skills and thrive in a collaborative environment. Security is everyone’s responsibility and the ability to communicate and collaborate with co-workers makes for an effective cybersecurity culture. Leadership skills are also very desirable in the cybersecurity realm. A thought leader can provide actionable insights to management and help the team make informed decisions. Other soft skills include being analytical, insightful and proactive. Finally, due to the dynamic nature of the environment, having an inquisitive mind with a constant need to learn new technologies is also highly valued.

Conclusion

Are you trying to make your way into the cybersecurity field? Cyber Chasse has helped numerous IT professionals with breakthrough training and placement services. To learn more about our consultancy and how we can get you to accomplish your desire to work in this lucrative field, get in touch with us today.