Top Cyber Security Career Paths in 2024 - The Complete Guide

Here is the table of contents:

1. Cyber Security as a career option
2. How to Begin Your Cyber Security career path?
   • Graduation Course
   • Certifications
   • Attend Events and Conferences
3. Skills required for cyber security job:
   • Quick Learner
   • Computer And Networking
   • Analytics & Intelligence
   • Implementation Skills
   • Attention to Detail
4. Highest paid Cyber Security jobs in 2023:
   • Chief Information Security Officer
   • Security Architecture
   • Network Security Engineer
   • Cyber Security Forensic Analyst
   • Information Security Analyst
   • Penetration Tester
5. Conclusion

Check out this video on Cyber Security Roadmap by Intellipaat:

Cyber Security as a career option

Cybersecurity has been one of the most well-liked job roles for several years. It proposes a range of thrilling and rewarding career paths. According to the HIPAA Journal, “83 infringements were attached to hacking/IT incidents and 9,662,820 records were uncovered in those infringements”.

Incidents like these have given huge opportunities for professionals eager to join the security domain.

Choosing a career in cybersecurity can be worthwhile, and more cybersecurity experts are needed than ever. Knowing which security job fits best your interests and personality traits can help narrow down your options and decide if cyber security is a good career for you.

How to Begin Your Cyber Security Career Path?

All cybersecurity careers commence with broad IT knowledge. You should know how technology operates before you can understand how to safeguard and defend it. As there is so much to learn in cyber security, the main question that arises is where to start from. The Cyber Security career path is widespread and complex. So, here is a complete step-by-step approach on how to start a career in cyber security and how to become a cyber security expert.

Graduation Course

If you are new to this field and want to start a career in this field, then you should first acquire basic computer knowledge. A graduation degree related to cyber security will help you in gaining basic knowledge regarding cybersecurity, you can complete a computing degree, computer engineering degree, or computer application degree as these will help you land different cybersecurity jobs as these degrees cover all the essential programming and networking skills.

Certifications

Though experience and skills are absolutely required to be a cybersecurity professional, certifications have their own set of benefits. Here is a list of top cyber security certifications that will help you to go ahead in your cyber security career.

Certified Cyber Security Analyst (CCA)

Cyber Security Analysts are professionals in Cyber Security who monitor computer networks, databases, computer infrastructure, etc. It is suitable for learners joining the workforce and experts changing careers. You should be comfortable working with computers, be ready to build new specialized skills, and enjoy problem-solving and communicating solutions.

CCSP

According to a study, the CCSP is the number one rated certification that IT experts intend to accomplish next in their careers. The CCSP certification is perfect for IT and information security managers accountable for employing the best methods to cloud security architecture, procedures, layouts, and service orchestration, including those in the following positions:

• Cyber Security Consultant
• Cyber Security Engineer
• Cyber Security Administrator

A CCSP relates information security professionals to a cloud computing environment and validates expertise in cloud security design, this professional skill is measured against a globally known body of knowledge.

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

It was introduced in 2003 by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), CISM is an executive-focused certification that encourages international security procedures and grants the individual who operates, layouts, and supervises and evaluates an organization’s information security.

Learn more about this domain from our blog on Cyber Security Tutorial!

Certified Information Security System Professional (CISSP)

CISSP certification is an advanced-level certification for those that want to possess a career in information security. It’s proposed by the (ISC)2 and is accepted globally for its principles of quality.

CISSP certificate holders are believed to be among those that have expert knowledge and technical skills required to build, guide, and handle security standards, policies, and actions in a company.

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certificate offers in-depth knowledge of ethical hacking stages. It will educate you on how cyber attackers think and act so you will be at a superior place to put up your security structure and secure it against attacks.

By giving an insight into system flaws and vulnerabilities, the CEH course helps students understand how to safeguard their company and strengthen their security  in order to minimize the threat of a cyber-attack.

Attend Events and Conferences:

Cyber Security mostly indulges insensitive and potentially harmful materials, building trust relations is a vital part as it is not adequate to just know the craft well. As the cyber security career path is complex and challenging, attending various events and conferences helps you gain more knowledge about cyber security from experts who have years of experience in this field.

Skills required for a cyber security job

To pursue a career in cyber security you will require a broad set of technical, trained, and practical skills, that will set you apart from the competition. Here is a list of top cybersecurity skills that will assist you in progressing in Cyber Security

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Quick learner

You should be intrigued by the new tools and knowledge that are used in resolving cybersecurity problems. Discover new tools that are built to help security professionals. Understand the problem quickly and employ the right method to solve it.

Enroll in our Cyber Security courses to learn more!

Computer and Networking Skills

It includes knowledge of working with a range of tools, involving local area networks, wide area networks, network divisions, intranets, software, and hardware. You should be proficient in using Microsoft Windows, Linux, and UNIX operating systems.

Finally, you must know the basics, such as: creating computer systems, methods required to establish computer parts, procedures used in updating systems, and also hands-on coding experience, preferably in Python.

Analytics & Intelligence

As a cyber security professional, you are also required to own other abilities, such as the capability to analyze complicated data, called analytical skills. It refers to the capability to gather and analyze information, decision-making, and problem-solving.

You will assist them in improving their performance and promptly improve their efficiency. In this context, obtaining great analytical skills means that you will be able to calculate system or network implementation, and also examine modifications to computer systems.

Implementation Skills

A good cybersecurity professional understands how to analyze a company’s security setup from a complete view, including risk modeling, requirements, execution, analysis, and vulnerability evaluation.

They also know security problems associated with operating systems, networking, and virtualization software. But it is not just about knowledge; it is also about execution.

They examine the architecture of networks and systems, then use that data to detect the security controls in place and how they are utilized.

Attention to Detail

Being able to safeguard a company against cyber contraventions needs you to be highly cautious and detail-oriented, in order to successfully identify weaknesses and dangers. You will be responsible for constant network checking and will need to be able to instantly detect troubles and come up with real-time security answers to tackle them.

Highest paid cyber security jobs in 2023

Cybersecurity experts are in progressively great demand as organizations have started giving more attention to designing safe storage systems. Here are a list of the highest paying cybersecurity jobs in 2023 and their average salary ranges, so you have better salary insights.

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

The chief information security officer (CISO) is an official accountable for a company’s information and records security. In the past, the position has been barely defined along those lines; these days the title is often used interchangeably with CSO and VP of security, showing a more extensive position in the company. He/She is responsible for security operations, cyber risk, and cyber intelligence and security architecture.

Prepare for your job interview from our blog on Cyber Security Interview Questions and excel in your hiring process!

Security Architecture

Security architecture merges hardware and software experience with coding expertise, research skills, and strategy development. Security architects predict potential risks and create systems to pre-empt them.

Security architect responsibilities needed strong communication and administrative leadership skills. Often tasked with top teams of Information Technology specialists, security architects may convey and distribute computer security policies and methods across a company.

Network security engineer

Network security engineers are mainly responsible for retaining a private network’s security by designing, creating, enhancing, and checking network systems. They constantly troubleshoot methods to enhance network productivity and protect data from bugs and infringements. Their job serves to supervise existing risks and to get rid of these risks.

Cyber Security Forensic Analyst

An average salary of a cyber security analyst is around US$99,200 per year. An IT Forensic Expert, also known as a Forensics Expert or Forensic Engineer, is accountable for identifying, collecting, and then inspecting all the prospective evidence of cybercrime from personal computers, networks, and other related data and IT gear.

Cyber forensic analysts must be acquainted with traditional computer operating systems, networks, and hardware as well as security software and document-creation products. Analysts must have knowledge of hacking and intervention methods and prior knowledge of defense testing and computer system diagnostics.

You may have made up your mind now to get yourself certified. Enroll in Cyber Security Certification to take that first step.

Information security analyst

An average salary of an information security analyst is around US$94,442 per year. Their main duty is to install defensive software like firewalls to computer networks. They propose, carry out and examine security procedures to ensure security and safeguard data structures.

When cyberattacks or infringements occur, analysts work to identify faults in their systems. They can work in the public sector, or for private organizations as consultants.

Penetration Tester

Penetration testers assist enterprises and organizations detect and solving security liabilities and weaknesses affecting their digital resources and computer networks. The main responsibilities of a penetration tester are to obtain, detect, and make efforts to breach current weaknesses in digital systems and computing networks. These methods and networks include websites, data storing systems, and other IT assets.

Conclusion

The need for cybersecurity professionals has hit the roof in the past couple of years, and it is not just the requirement, even the salary of a cyber security professional is considerably high compared to many other IT jobs. If you want to begin your career in cyber security, then it is the right time for you to enhance your skills, knowledge and become a cyber security professional.

If you have any queries related to cyber security career advice, then you can reach out to us on our Cyber Security Community.