What are the Essential Skills and Technologies needed to Become a Cyber Security Expert?

We are currently witnessing the shift of businesses to online and towards cloud storage. Thus, the demand for cybersecurity is at its peak presently. Consequently, the need for cybersecurity experts is also rising. You too can become one with the right cybersecurity training and certification course.

This is one professional that needs to have a lot of skills and knowledge of many technologies. But what are the essential skills and technologies needed to become a cybersecurity expert?

In this blog, we are going to take a closer look at who a cybersecurity expert is and what will you need to do to become one. So, without any further ado, let us begin!

 

What does a Cybersecurity Expert do?

A cybersecurity expert is responsible for safeguarding digital data. These individuals are hired to help in the prevention of loss of financial, sensitive, or personal information. They restrict the cyber attackers and viruses from accessing or corrupting the organization’s data. Thus, ensuring that the system of the organization is fully operational.

There are a dozen tasks that are carried out by a cybersecurity expert. Here are some you should know about –

• They are responsible for developing, testing, implementing, and researching security systems
• They are tasked with the job of producing security reports for administrators and managers
• They asses software and fix bugs
• Cybersecurity experts are behind creating all risk prevention measures
• They find potential vulnerabilities and combat any security threats they come across

 

Job Roles to Explore in Cybersecurity

Before we dive into the skills technologies needed to become a cybersecurity expert, here are some of the job roles you can explore.

• Information security analyst
• Security consultant
• Chief information security officer
• Software security engineer
• Penetration tester
• Information security crime investigator
• Security architect

 

Essential Skills and Technologies needed to Become a Cyber Security Expert

There is a long list of skills and technologies that you will need to ace to be able to become a cybersecurity expert. These skills involve technical as well as soft skills. First, we will give you a look into the technical skills you will need.

 

• Scripting

Scripting is like coding in the sense that it makes a programme do something. The difference lies in the fact that scripts can move test and images around while coding is static.

With knowledge about building tools and automating repetitive tasks using programming languages such as PowerShell and Python will empower you to become better analyst.

 

• Intrusion Detection

Since we are talking about skills essential to become a cybersecurity expert, monitoring network activity for any intrusion that comes along. Having knowledge about usage of intrusion detection software – intrusion prevention systems (IPS), intrusion detection systems (IDS), and Security information and event management (SEIM) is essential. This will help you in identifying any security violations or suspicious activities quickly.

 

• Operating Systems

No operating system is safe from the various security threats that exist on mobile devices and computers. You can gain success as a security analyst by getting familiar with Linux, Windows, MacOS, and their command-line interfaces.

 

• Cloud

More businesses are moving towards cloud environments and thus, the need to have cloud expertise is essential. In the coming years, the demand for cloud is going to increase and simultaneously, the demand for professionals with this skill is going to increase too.

 

• Controls and Frameworks

A cybersecurity framework offers an accumulation of policies, security protocols, policies, and tools to aid in securing the organization’s business operations and data. Control refers to the organization’s measures towards protecting itself from any attacks and vulnerabilities.

Depending upon the industry and the organization you are working with, the framework will be used differently. However, it is going to help you in the future to learn a few cybersecurity frameworks such as Data Security Council of India (DSCI), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and National Cyber Safety and Security Standards (NCSSS).

 

• Network Security Control

It is not uncommon for cybersecurity attacks to happen over a network of multiple connected devices. Thus, technologies that give a company the space to collaborate can also be the reason behind security vulnerabilities.

Knowledge of wireless and wired networks, as well as knowing how to secure them will help you keeping the organization secure.

 

• Incident Response

Every organization aims at prevention any sort of cyber scam or crime. However, under the circumstance that it might happen, it is important to respond quickly. This helps in minimizing the loss and damage. For effective incident handling, it is important for the cybersecurity expert to be aware with incident response plan. Along with this, you should also have essential skills in malware analysis and digital forensics.

 

• DevOps

Various security risks are known to exist within the application itself. Thus, more companies are inclining towards adding a security focus to their DevOps or software development and operations phase. This helps the organization in ensuring that their application is fully secure from the very beginning.

 

• Regulatory Guidelines

Cybersecurity is all about protecting organizations from loss, theft, and attack while complying with the industry regulations. You should gain all knowledge about it by examining the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Every domain or industry cybersecurity expert will need to gain an additional layer of understanding about that industry. for instance, if you are in the global business, you will need better understanding of CISA or Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act and GDPR or General Data Protection Regulation. Similarly, cybersecurity experts in the healthcare domain must know about DISHA or Digital Information Security in Healthcare Act.

 

• Threat Knowledge

In order to become better at your job, you must keep yourself updated with the threat landscape. You will gain this knowledge as you enroll with the right course. Additionally, reading new sources will also help you.

 

• Blockchain Security

Blockchain is gaining more and more popularity, partly because of the level of security it offers. As a new age cybersecurity expert, you must gain knowledge about blockchain and its role in handling security issues. This will further help you prepare for the future.

 

 

Now that we have covered the technical skills you will need to become a cybersecurity expert, let us look at some of the essential soft skills that will help you become better at your job.

 

• Communication

No matter how much technical knowledge you have, it is of no use of you cannot communicate it to others, be it team members, other teams, or to board members. Thus, prowess in both written and verbal communication stand out to be a key aspect of becoming a cybersecurity expert.

The right training course will help you get better at communication via training in the field. It is also important you try to get better at it yourself by taking essential measures. To get your right dues, you must move ahead with the right rapport with others and that requires good communication skills.

These skills also help in expanding network. Connecting with like-minded people requires you to express yourself and bond other shared interests.

 

• Risk Management

Risk management arises from rational thinking. Being confident in your work and abilities is a must for success but knowing that anything could alter any second is what makes a person truly grow.

Thus, you must possess the ability to think about the future, what could possibly go wrong, how wrong can something be, and what and how much impact it will create. These points will give you the ability to channel your energy, skills, and ability towards balancing out the risky notches.

 

• Critical Thinking

Working in the field of cybersecurity means you are dealing with high-stake decisions all the time. Every day you will wake up and make some decisions that can change the entire ground of an organization. Thus, you must possess the ability to get into critical thinking mode every day. This is one aspect of skill that will help you

• Identify your assumptions
• Draw data-driven conclusions
• Ask the right questions
• Understand context
• Consider alternatives
• Evaluate and assess data

 

• Collaboration

As a cybersecurity expert, you will not be working alone. You might be the only one in the security team if the size of the organization is not too big. However, you will still need to collaborate with other teams to ensure what needs to high on your priority list when it comes to it.

This is another integral skill that you will ace during your training and certification phase. Hence, it is essential you pick the right institute for this task.

 

Conclusion

One of the key things is to ensure you are getting Cyber Security training and certification from the right institute. Learning from industry experts will ensure you have the scope to expand and tread on the right path.

Thus, we suggest you begin with Grras Solutions now. Enroll with the best to become the best!