Cyber Security Career Path – How to Make a Career in Cyber Security starting from Scratch

As of August 2022, the Cam4 data breach in March 2020 was the greatest data leakage that has ever been recorded. This breach exposed more than 10 billion data records. The Yahoo data breach, which happened in 2013, was the world's second-largest data theft. The corporation first announced that just one billion data records had been exposed, but following an inquiry, the company revised its estimate and revealed that three billion user accounts had been compromised.

Corporations and governments all over the world have been expanding their dependency on technology to gather, analyze, and retain personal data as the world continues its progression into the digital age. Naturally, this has led to an increase in cybercrimes, which can range from relatively modest breaches to assaults on a worldwide scale that affect billions of people.As compared to 498 cases of data breaches 10 years ago, there were reports of 1,506 data breaches in 2019, just in the United States of America. In the meantime, the number of personal accounts compromised due to cybercrime in the United States reached an all-time high of 471 million in 2018.

As digitization continues to grow, so does the need for Cyber Security Professionals. Organizations are beginning to understand the grave importance of hiring good cybersecurity teams. This is illustrated by the fact that in the second quarter of 2022, internet users worldwide saw approximately 52 million data breaches which is a 56% reduction compared to the previous quarter.

If the road to cyber security is one that you are considering, this article will tell you all you need to know to make the decision, as well as how to begin without much prior experience.

What does Cyber Security mean?

Cybersecurity is the process of protecting computer systems, including their hardware, software, and data, against malicious cyberattacks. Cybersecurity protects computer systems that are linked to the internet. People and businesses employ this strategy to guard against unauthorized access to data centers and other digital systems. A robust cybersecurity plan can provide security against hostile attacks that are meant to gain access to, modify, delete, destroy, or extort sensitive data and systems that belong to an organization or user. Taking necessary precautions against attacks that aim to disable a system or device is absolutely necessary. Engineers, security testers, and other trained specialists work towards preventing and mitigating these attacks.

This has led to a drastic rise in job opportunities for cybersecurity personnel.

How Much Do Cyber Security Professionals Make?

Even at beginner levels, cybersecurity experts often receive competitive pay for the value of their talents. When you have more experience and take on more duties, your salary will often increase as a result. According to Glassdoor's estimates, the following are some typical salaries of a few different types of cybersecurity positions available in the United States as of July 2022.

• Security engineer: $111,691
• Security architect: $143,931
• Chief information security officer: $163,013
• Cybersecurity manager: $106,176
• Ethical hacker: $94,995
• Information security analyst: $82,030
• Penetration tester: $81,727
• Junior cybersecurity analyst: $81,170
• Cybersecurity consultant: $80,326
• Digital forensic examiner: $73,509
• IT security administrator: $70,929
• Incident response analyst: $51,420

The Cyber Security space has a vast array of roles available, and all of them have great scope for making a good living.

How to start a career in cybersecurity?

If you're just getting started in the field of cybersecurity, you might choose to begin your career in an entry-level position in the information technology industry, such as a help desk technician, network administrator, or software developer. After gaining some expertise in information technology, the majority of people who work in cybersecurity begin their careers in the industry as junior information security analysts.

Spend some time honing your fundamental information technology abilities, such as programming, network and system administration, and cloud computing, before you submit an application for your first position in the field of cybersecurity. If you want to work in cybersecurity, you don't need a degree to do so; nevertheless, having some kind of formal training might help speed up the process of finding work in this field.

It is natural to be frightened by the possibility of gaining and keeping up with the technical skills necessary in the business if you are pursuing a career in the cybersecurity industry. It is without a doubt difficult to acquire some of these talents, but if you have the appropriate mindset and a game plan, you may lay the groundwork for a career that is both satisfying and in high demand. Below are a few tips and steps you can take to aid your journey.

Tips to ace the road to a career in cyber security

The field of cyber security provides job seekers with a variety of opportunities to establish or advance their careers. Here are a few tips to get you ahead of the game.

1. Work on your basics – Get certified

If you take a class in cybersecurity, not only will you be able to improve fundamental skills in an organized learning setting, but you'll also have the opportunity to gain direct experience in the field and see what it's all about. Make the most of this chance to investigate on your own whether or not a career in information security would be a suitable fit for you. If you begin by gaining a general understanding of the topic, you will have a better notion of the talents you currently possess, the area of cybersecurity in which you might be interested in working, and the skills you will need to develop in order to get there.

In addition, obtaining a certification will help your CV stand out from that of other job applicants and make you more competitive for open positions. It's possible that certain professions will need you to have one in any case.

Readynez has a host of cyber security courses built to help you learn in the easiest and best way possible. If you are unsure of which course is for you, get in touch with us,and we would be thrilled to assist you with your course selection. Conversely, you can have a look at all our courses on our website.

2. Become an ethical hacker

‘Doing’ is one of the most effective ways to gain knowledge. Ethical hacking is one approach to gaining first-hand experience with the tools and strategies used in the cybersecurity industry. Ethical hacking is described as "the process of detecting vulnerabilities in an application, system, or organization's infrastructure that an attacker can use to exploit an individual or organization." This definition comes from the EC-Council, which is the organization that offers the popular Certified Ethical Hacker certification.
You can improve your cybersecurity skillset by participating in authorized, gamified activities on a number of different websites that don't cost anything. Some of these websites include: Hack the Box, Hack.me,Hack This Site,WebGoat

Additionally, you may want to consider looking into bug bounty programs. These are programs in which firms pay monetary rewards to independent security researchers who uncover vulnerabilities in their software.

Readynez also offers an EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker Program to get you trained and certified by top industry experts.

3. Apply for internships

Both the dangers and the technology associated with cybersecurity are constantly evolving. Professionals in the field of cybersecurity who are successful tend to be lifelong students who constantly improve their abilities in response to changing threats. When looking for a career in cybersecurity, you should give some thought to organizations that engage in continual training for their employees. This applies to internships too. Apply for internships that are bound to teach you a lot as well as give you resources to expand your knowledge base. This may not only help you save money, but it may also help you save time.

The opportunity to obtain experience that you may list on your resume is among the most beneficial advantages of participating in an internship. Experience is typically required for entry-level positions in the cybersecurity industry. One approach to getting experience is through the completion of an internship. You may also be partnered with a manager or senior member of the cybersecurity team if you decide to participate in an internship program. This gives you the potential to work with a mentor, and soak up a whole bunch of essential information.

4. Read Read Read

If you are just getting started or already on the path to a cyber security career, it is always important to keep information fresh in your mind as well as keep it growing. Reading is a foolproof way of staying informed as well as for getting a grasp on the basics of the subject. Some books to get you started include:

• Cybersecurity For Dummies: This book will help you understand the basics of cybersecurity. It also covers different cybersecurity threats, ethical hacking, etc.
• Cybersecurity for Beginners: This is the perfect book for those who do not have a technical background. This book simplifies cyber terms into plain text and in non-technical English.
• Hacking: A Beginners’ Guide: This one covers all things hacking.
  Also Read:How to start an Ethical hacking career?
• Practical Malware Analysis: This book is a guide to every kind of malware and helps you to analyze and debug malicious software.
  
  

5. Build a Community

It might be extremely beneficial for you to get involved with people who are on the same path as you, or are part of the same industry and have knowledge and experiences to share. Join online groups and forums where you can ask questions, find relevant anecdotes, network, and also learn about job opportunities.

In Conclusion

Cybersecurity is a problem that is important for a broad variety of organizations and circumstances, including government agencies, startup enterprises, medium and large businesses, and even individual users. The days when firewalls and antivirus software were the only two types of security you required for your computer are long gone. The age of digitization has brought on a whole new requirement for cyber security.

Because cyber attacks may come from any level of an organization, it is crucial for companies to arm themselves with as much defense as possible. The risk that is connected with cybersecurity is rising, and any company that does not have access to solutions for cybersecurity will be unable to defend itself against data breach operations. Hence, there is an infinite pool of requirements for proficient cybersecurity personnel. This is a great time to get started in the field.

Readynez is prepared for the digital transformation that is underway. We understand the growing need for professionals that are well-trained in cyber security. Hence we have put together a host of courses to help you get the information and certifications you need. Please feel free to contact us or start a live chat for instant support.