What Types of Careers Are There in Online Security?

Since the dawn of the twenty-first century, the internet has become an increasingly important part of people's lives all over the world. In fact, most of us now spend hours at a time online doing everything from buying to working to watching videos to researching.

However, as a result of this increased usage, cybercrime poses fresher threats to users that could be more serious. In every part of the digital universe, cybercriminals are continually coming up with new and intricate ways to prey on unsuspecting victims, and the more sophisticated the software, the more heinous the crime can be.

The world's internet security specialists are the first line of defense against cybercrime, using their extensive knowledge bases to thwart, disrupt, and defend against the attempts of cybercriminals to steal from both corporations and individuals. Making the internet a safer place for everyone is one of the responsibilities of a cyber security career.

In this article, we'll explore the specifics of how someone might begin a career in cyber security, including the opportunities that are available and the steps you can take to apply for them.

Why is online security so important? 

Cybersecurity has an enormous role in keeping you, as both a professional and an individual, safe while you browse the web or work online. Online security keeps you protected from a range of potential cyber attacks that can threaten your:

Privacy – With so much of the admin and communications of our personal lives taking place online, an advanced cybercriminal can be gifted a number of opportunities to steal your data and to find deeply personal information about you that you may not wish to be shared, such as medical history, bank details or text messages between your colleagues or your friends and family. This information can then be sold on to malicious parties for it to be used against you.

Electronic devices – Cyber attacks go beyond just your data and your online identity – they can also target your electronic devices and information technology such as phones, laptops and tablets. Particularly nasty examples of malicious software include things like viruses, trojan horses and worms – the worst of these can significantly slow down your computer, lock your files for a ransom, or completely wipe everything. This can be particularly problematic for businesses because it can upend processes and waste invaluable money, time and IT resources.

Online identity ­– As we saw above, with everything from banking to medical profiles being managed and updated online, a lot of our personal data can end up online, either by our own choosing or through the actions of malicious cybercriminals. One of the problems that can happen when this data gets stolen is where criminals will use your identity to carry out activities against your will and that you more than likely won’t be aware of. These activities can sometimes be illegal, and can be traced back to you, which can cause very real problems offline.

It is because of threats like these that your online security is exceptionally important – so having the best computer security measures available to protect you, your data and your electronic equipment is paramount.

What jobs are available in online security? 

For those looking to take their first steps into online security, the good news is, there are an array of different roles available. These include:

IT security engineer – An IT security engineer is a computer technician working for an organization. They are in charge of ensuring the organization’s IT systems are protected from cyberthreats – this includes things like managing antivirus software, running security checks to identify weaknesses, reviewing database network security, creating data backups in the case of an attack and much more.

Information security analysts – Information security analysts oversee the development of cybersecurity systems within an organization. Unlike a security engineer who manages the day-to-day running of those systems, a security analyst acts like a developer who organizes the security measures, sourcing and installing the right software and creating response plans in the event of a cyberattack.

Security software developer – Security software developers are tasked with programming and developing new and more advanced security software to help businesses and individuals stay protected against viruses and malware. As a programmer, these cyber security professionals are also used by organizations to create specific solutions to specific threats.

Penetration testers – Penetration testing roles are a little different to other cyber security positions in that penetration testers actively seek to breach the cyber security systems used by businesses. They are paid by businesses to do this so that they can identify potential breaches before they happen, and they know where to focus their cyber security efforts from the penetration tester’s report.

How do you get a job to work in online security?

Cyber security is a very knowledge-heavy field which requires specific training, education and experience. This is because online security professionals need to be able to quickly identify security issues and to know exactly how to deal with them when they do come up. These responsibilities need insights that can only be taught by other security specialists.

As the field of cyber security becomes more established, so too do the opportunities to study become more numerous and more accessible. Many online courses can provide the kind of training you need to embark on a career path in the online security field.

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