There is a misconception that cybersecurity is a universal profession of preventing cyberattacks. These attacks are numerous; You can’t address her with just a hat.
Cybersecurity is a broad career with different areas of specialization. Would you like to work in industry? Here are the different fields to be aware of and consider.
1. Threat Information
Cyber security is a protective measure against various threats that systems and networks are exposed to. Threat intelligence is a process of collecting, sorting, and analyzing threat-related data about specific networks.
Invaders work in different ways. To manage them, you need to understand how they behave. Effective threat intelligence gives network owners and administrators insight into how threats can be prevented and mitigated.
To specialize in threat intelligence, you must have a deep understanding of various vulnerabilities and cyber incidents so that you can identify them. They must also have the skills to collect, process, analyze and implement data information.
2. Digital Forensics
The aftermath of cyberattacks doesn’t always end within the purview of the network host or administrator. They could also face litigation, especially if they held someone else’s data prior to the attack. You need to provide evidence of the incident during the court hearing – this is where digital forensics comes into play.
Digital forensics collects, documents and evaluates digital evidence of a cyber incident. As a digital forensics analyst, you can determine the outcome of a court case based on the evidence you present. You must have an eye for investigation and the ability to extract evidence and recover lost data.
3. Cloud Security
Many people and organizations have switched to cloud technology for their computing needs. It offers more storage space, access control and convenience than on-premise systems. However, cloud applications are not completely secure as the shift has more security vulnerabilities and ultimately cyber criminals have more opportunities to attack them.
Cloud security provides techniques to protect cloud-based systems and their data. It combines a set of policies, procedures, processes and applications to increase the security of cloud systems against intruders.
To specialize in cloud security, you must have a very good understanding of software-as-a-service (SaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS).
4. IT audit and consulting
It is almost impossible for mainstream organizations to function without an IT infrastructure as most of today’s business activities are digital. The health of an organization’s computer systems and practices often determines its fate in cyber incidents.
IT audit and consulting is a standard assessment of the operation of an organization’s computer systems to identify vulnerabilities that can lead to attacks. An IT audit and consulting specialist examines not only the applications used, but also the policies that guide employee behavior in relation to cybersecurity. The auditor or consultant must have expert knowledge of security-related laws and regulations in the organization’s industries in order to make them compliant.
5. Computer Network Defense
Cyber attackers are always looking for their next targets, so people and organizations need to take strong security precautions to secure their systems. Computer Network Defense (CND) is an area of cybersecurity that anticipates and prevents threats. It uses advanced technology to monitor, detect, analyze and protect systems from threats that may hamper their operations.
CND is most common among government agencies and large corporations that manage highly sensitive data. Attacks on their systems can endanger national security. CND specialists are some of the most skilled cybersecurity professionals because the stakes are so high on their job.
6. Software Development
Software development is the creation, modification, deployment, and improvement of software applications. Software includes programs that instruct systems about actions to take. While cybersecurity experts develop software for good causes, cybercriminals use it to launch attacks. This makes the job of these professionals more difficult as they need to back up their software.
Programmers and programmers are the main people who develop software. They are experts in software development specialties such as system software, application software, programming software, and embedded software.
7. Application Security
As programmers and developers create applications to fulfill various computing needs, it doesn’t take long before threat actors try to exploit these applications for their malicious profits. Application security takes into account all possible vulnerabilities within an application in its development phase. It employs a security-by-design approach to secure all aspects of a computer system from the start.
Application security applies to both software and hardware devices. Even after launching applications for use, application security personnel continue to maintain their security. They perform regular checks and updates to ensure high performance.
8. Cryptography
When dealing with experienced hackers, there is only so much you can do to deny them access to targeted data. However, you can improve data security by making it difficult for them to interpret or understand the data if they accidentally access it.
Cryptography is a process of writing data in codes that only authorized people and systems can understand. It uses mathematical algorithms to convert messages into undecodable formats. Digital signing is a common cryptographic technique. Only legitimate components with an attributed digital signature can pass the authorization and authentication process.
9. Secure DevOps
The term “DevOps” is an acronym for development, operations and security. It is an area of cybersecurity that enables synergies between IT infrastructures and user experiences. An application can meet the developer’s standards, but when it is deployed to the market, it fails to satisfy the user due to glitches.
Secure DevOps provides continuous services to correct anomalies and errors in applications to achieve optimal performance at all times. In addition to the internal applications, DevOps teams can integrate third-party applications into their services. You must ensure that these vendor tools are free from any threats or vulnerabilities.
10. Internet of Things (IoT) security.
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the various devices connected to each other with sensors to track interactions. These tools exchange data that explain user behavior patterns through interpretations.
Devices in the IoT are not exempt from cybercriminals’ radar – they infiltrate these systems to harvest user data. IoT security focuses on protecting connected devices from unauthorized access to maintain privacy, especially as they generate critical data about users’ daily activities.
Secure digital assets with specialized skills
Cyber criminals know their strengths. They focus on launching attacks in areas they are extremely knowledgeable in, and this often results in a high success rate. They can even improve on these techniques over time as they gain more knowledge and skills.
Cybersecurity is too broad for the same professionals to work in all areas. By specializing in specific areas, they have the in-depth knowledge to withstand the most sophisticated attacks on systems under their oversight. This is a way of leveling the playing field between the good guys and the bad guys.
