Cyber Security Training: How to Become a Cyber Security Engineer?

Introduction

As per Statista, there are 4.1 million cybersecurity professionals globally, up from 3.5 million in 2020. Coming to job vacancies, in the US alone, there is a need for 188,300 cyber security engineers by 2030 as per BLS. You can now ideate the popularity and demand for cyber security professionals at present times.

But, why there is so much demand for cyber security professionals?

With every business, its processes, or data going digital, the risk of data breaches and tampering is becoming more prominent. Thus, to keep the integral data or process over virtual networks safe, IT companies are actively hiring cyber security engineers, who can secure the company’s networking assets from malicious threats or attacks.

Cyber Security (CS) field may sound challenging, however, through proper cybersecurity training, one can land lucrative jobs. A career in CS is very rewarding from a remuneration plus job security perspective. It doesn’t matter if you belong to the core IT background or not, the job role of cyber security engineer is suitable for anyone interested in this branch of information technology (IT).  

You may also read: Cyber Security Career Path 

Wondering how to make efforts to be a part of such job role demand? In this blog, we will answer all the following queries as mentioned below:  

• Who is a cyber security engineer? 
• What is the cyber security engineer jobs scope
• What are cyber security prerequisites
• How to become a cyber security engineer?

Let’s dive in further for an insightful experience!

Who Is a Cyber Security Engineer?

Cybersecurity engineers are one of the important critical sections of a company’s human capital helping businesses protect their computer systems and online data from a range of cyberattacks. Hence, more and more young professionals are enrolling in cybersecurity training programs these days.

Through cybersecurity training certification, you learn to take preventive actions to protect and encrypt the important data of enterprises from getting manipulated and stolen by hackers or high-level cybercriminals. 

Cybercriminals are always looking to create & implement malicious ways to infiltrate inside the organization’s pivotal databases - to either spoil the company’s image.

The role of CS experts is to manage, monitor, and test the business systems timely to ensure that their defenses are in the activation and haven’t become obsolete. The CS engineer is also known as a web security engineer, data security engineer, or IT security engineer. These job roles vary from company to company.

Why Cybersecurity Training Is Important in Current Scenario?

Here are some of the reasons why cybersecurity training & need of skilled cyber security engineers have become all the more important. 

.1). Increasing Number of Complex Cyber Threats

The fight between organizations and cyber-attackers continues. As long as cybercriminals keep finding security vulnerabilities in the business systems and networks and take advantage of them, cybercrimes will continue to follow.

Industry analysts and cyber security researchers all agree that business owners need to stay updated with the latest cyber security measures to negate the threat. Some of the complex threats are-

a) Cryptojacking:  Mining for cryptocurrencies remains a valuable business, although the BTC has recently fallen below US$8,000. Mining for a single coin can be equivalent to using as much energy as a smaller nation consumes. This is the reason why cyber attackers are after breaching company networks for their gain. 

The result? A growing number of cryptojacking attacks. In the first half of 2019 alone, this figure stood at 52.7 million according to a report. As per Statista, the XMRig family was responsible for most of the cryptojacking crimes accounting for 35% in 2020. All this has made the need for cyber security engineers across the world.

b) IoT Threats: As more and more employees use their own devices at work, the greater the likelihood of exposure of their businesses. That doesn’t include the security cameras and other smart devices that organizations use. All these elements can serve as additional entry points for cybercriminals who are still on the lookout for security vulnerabilities to exploit.

c) Geopolitical Risks: Organizations risk losing more than just their reputational damage when their systems are breached. Cyber attacks on top companies, government organizations, and agencies can damage the image across the world. 

Besides the loss of data, customers, revenues, the brand image of the company gets hit across the world. People across the world will lose trust and will not do business with a company in question again. It also brings a bad name to the country in which the company is headquartered!

d) Mobile Malware: As per Statista, there were more than 800,000 mobile malware installation packages detected in 2021. Though there is a decrease in the number of cyberattacks on mobile devices, the threat is there to stay in days to come.

2). Lack of Skilled Cyber Security Engineers

Due to all these reasons, there is always growing demand among students to enroll in cybersecurity training. However, the supply of skilled professionals is less. As per a recent survey, 53% of the organizations agreed that they lacked skilled cyber security engineers. But, a lack of skilled manpower also means an opportunity for you if you possess all the necessary skills to get hired. 

Here comes the importance of cybersecurity training which prepares budding professionals to be a leader in this area.

3). Prioritizing the Threats

There is a range of cyber threats occurring each day. So, it is important from a company’s point of view to prioritize these threats. This is only possible through a robust cyber threat management policy backed by skilled cyber security engineers.

With the expansion of IoT, the frequency of attacks will eventually increase. The risk is growing each second. Hence, the hiring of passionate, dedicated, and intelligent CS experts is never getting shorter. As a result of this, the demand for CS experts is increasing 3 times more than the common IT jobs and 12 times more than the general jobs.

The salary of a cyber security engineer is quite high as well. If you have cleared your cyber security certifications successfully, you can expect good perks. While if you are a seasoned professional who is already working in the field of CS, you can upskill yourself through cybersecurity training and ride the path to glory with a decent salary hike! 

How to Become a Cyber Security Engineer?

Now, comes the real deal, how to become a cyber security engineer? We all know that cybersecurity training certification is the gateway to be one. But it is important to know the roles and responsibilities of a cyber security specialist and pre-requisites first. So, let’s check out!

You can also check: Boost Cyber Security Salary For Freshers, Experienced [Updated 2022]

What Are the Roles & Responsibilities of a CS Engineer?

Here is the list of tasks that cyber security engineers need to perform throughout their tenure:

1. Plan, implement, monitor, manage, and update the organization’s databases, systems, and networks.
2. Discuss and communicate information security goals with the departments within the organization.
3. Represent the trusted point-of-source for information security to the business & its customers.
4. Perform log analysis from various sources (for example firewall, IDS, endpoints) to figure out and investigate security threats and vulnerabilities.
5. Perform malware analysis in both static and dynamic versions, file format analysis, and binary triage.
6. Perform packet-level analysis (for example tcpdump, Wireshark, tshark) by applying knowledge of TCP or IP protocols (OSI layers 3-7) to investigate network traffic.
7. Deeply manage monitor and configure the data backup systems, disaster recovery, and physical security.
8. Monitor and allow technological improvements and ensure mini to massive changes to the information security environment.
9. Identity and control of the budget allocated by the business for technological training.
10. Manage and align the coordination of security teams and other departments.
11. Create, manage and improve the security strategies for better protection & security.
12. Conduct routine penetration testing, scanning & troubleshooting the systems for error and breaches.
13. Treat breaches and intrusions on time.
14. Participate actively in the change management process.
15. Onboarding and providing training to the new or junior IT security personnel. 

Responsibilities of Cyber Security Engineers:

• Cyber risk & strategic analysis
• Vulnerability and detection assessments
• Cyber incident report
• Network/systems engineering
• Digital forensic

You can also check: Top Cyber Security Certifications

What Qualification Is Required to be a Cyber Security Engineer?

You must possess certain educational qualifications to be eligible for cyber security engineer job roles. Here are some of the cyber security prerequisites required for aspiring professionals: 

• First, in cyber security requirements, candidates must obtain their Bachelor/Master’s degree in CS computer science, IT, engineering, or any other IT similar field.
• Must have fluency with web technologies & languages like C++, Python, Ruby, Go, Java, Power Shell & Node.
• They must be well-versed with the handling and maintenance of Firewalls and other endpoint security measures.
• Around 2 -3 years of experience in performing cybersecurity-related job roles (subjected to already working professionals).

Please Note - The above educational knowledge and experience depend on the basis of a company’s requirements and its size. While some companies might ask for the above qualifications as it is, others may include some additional requirements as well.  

Cyber Security Engineer Job Outlook, Salary & Skills

In this section we will talk about why to enroll in cybersecurity training courses. You will get to know about the career scope and salary information of cyber security engineers along with the skills needed to be one.

Scroll down to read further!

Are the Cyber Security Engineer Jobs Still in Demand?

Let’s understand cyber security engineer jobs are in demand or not through the following facts:

• As per the ISACA report, almost 61% of respondents have claimed their CS engineer team is unstaffed, while half of them said that it takes around 3 months to fill in such positions.
• As per the ISACA report, almost 70% of Information Security Organizations claimed that the demand for CS engineers with lucrative pay & strong technical skills is massive but the supply of such candidates is quite short.
• According to the job outlook report, there will be a 12 % of increment in the demand for CS engineers between 2016 and 2026 which is quite faster than the average of all other professions. 
• Though the cybersecurity field has been claimed as the “fastest-growing job field”, the saddest part is the job role faces a wide huge skill gap. According to ISACA’s survey in 2021, 50% of respondents claimed that most cybersecurity applications do not meet eligibility criteria. What’s more baffling is that only 31% of respondents opined that HRs understand the cyber security needs well. 

So, here comes the importance of a cyber security engineer in the current scenario when just last year an estimated amount of cybercrime damages were worth $6 trillion. To minimize the skill gap only education qualifications and knowledge will not work. An intense and real-world cybersecurity training is needed of the hour for aspiring professionals. 

Finally, we can infer one thing the field of cybersecurity is the best job role at this moment. As the demand is only hiring each year, the field won’t ever witness a recession anytime soon. 

The industry is offering rewarding packages to skilled individuals to cement their skills gaps or shortage of supplies. Taking about the rewarding packages, let’s find out the cybersecurity engineer salary below.

Cybersecurity Engineer Salary

Here we will talk about cybersecurity engineer salaries in the top 4 economies of the world based on data from Glassdoor & Payscale. 

• As per Glassdoor, the starting salary of cyber security engineers is $71,000 per year. While the average annual salary is $101,548.
• As per Glassdoor, cyber security engineers earn $61,000 per year at an entry-level position in Canada. While the average annual salary goes up to $99,102.
• As per Payscale, in India, cyber security experts can earn Rs. 274,000 at entry-level positions. While after gaining some experience, one can earn Rs. 659,000 on an average per annum.
• As per Payscale, cyber security experts can earn AU$61,000 at entry-level positions in Australia. While the average annual salary can go upto AU$90,745.

Please Note: These salary figures are an estimate are subject to change as per the hiring companies’ demand or requirements. Since most companies are on the lookout to fill their empty spots, cybersecurity training and certification can help you bag a good salary package.

Before moving ahead into the skills section, let’s take a look at some of the top companies hiring skilled cyber security engineers!

Leading Companies Hiring Cyber Security Engineers

These are the top ten companies that are hiring skilled cyber security engineers:

1. Microsoft
2. IBM
3. Cisco
4. CyberArk Software
5. Lockheed Martin
6. FireEye
7. Amazon (Amazon Web Services)
8. BAE Systems
9. Symantec
10. Check Point Software

What All Skills Are Required to Get Hired as a Cyber Security Engineer?

Here are the few skills required by cyber security engineers to get hired by top MNCs around the world.

• Must have strong knowledge about various network security technologies, their functionalities, and limitations that include:
• Network IDS/IPS Solutions
• Network Access Control solutions
• IPSec and TLS based VPNs
• Network monitoring solutions
• Expertise in handling multiple OS like Mac, Windows, Linux, and others.
• Must be familiar with various networking protocols and the OSI Model. 
• Must be familiar with key security practices & standards and implement the same.
• Must be familiar with transaction security measures & virus protection software. 
• Must have knowledge of programming languages like Python.

Here are the few personality skills that the CS engineers should be well-versed with:

• They must have strong analytical thinking.
• Must know how to conduct under tight deadlines.
• Must be effective & efficient at problem-solving.
• Must possess commendable & fluent written & verbal communication skills.
• Must be good at logical reasoning.
• Must be willing to travel domestically or internationally.

The Ultimate Question - How to Be a Cybersecurity Engineer?

So till now, we have discussed what a cyber security professional is, their job roles & responsibilities, education requirements, career scope, and salaries. Now, let’s know about the steps to become a skilled cyber security engineer that every company seeks to hire. 

1. Basic Education Requirements

Earlier it wasn’t mandatory to have a bachelor’s degree but now organizations are asking for it. The beginners need to have a bachelor’s degree in programming, computer engineering, software engineering, computer science, information security fields. 

Because a large number of organizations have a requirement for professionals who are degree holders. One can also pursue a cybersecurity associate’s degree or a master’s degree. 

2. Cyber Security Certifications

Further, you can enroll for the certification exams of cyber security to create an edge in your resume. There are various cybersecurity certifications you can opt for. You can opt for just one or more than one, it depends on your capacity. 

There are plenty of certifications for a cyber security engineer, but let us highlight the few important ones that most companies accept. The popular are as follows:

• CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• GSEC / GCIH / GCIA: GIAC Security Certifications
• CISA: Certified Information Systems Auditor
• GIAC: Web Application Penetration Tester
• CCNP Security: Cisco Certified Network Professional Security
• CEH: Certified Ethical Hacker
• CompTIA Security+: Security Certification by CompTIA
• CompTIA Network+: Network Certification by CompTIA

Get detailed information about certifications: In-Demand Cyber Security Certifications 

These cybersecurity training certifications will add the right ingredient to your skillset and resume. It will help you stand better than your peers and help you build a reward from the beginning. These certifications are easy to pass provided that you avail the right cybersecurity training programs. 

3. Books 

Books can be of real help to learn any art or skill. You can definitely take the help of the following books for self-study:

• Cybersecurity for Dummies 
• Hacking: A Beginner’s Guide
• Cybersecurity for Beginners
• Practical Malware Analysis

4.  Experience

Another important aspect of securing a Cyber Security Specialist job is to demonstrate relevant experience. This can be in the form of related work experience or structured internship or any other mode of hands-on learning. 

5. Network

Join any community or social media platforms to connect with peers, successful cyber security experts, or HRs of companies. Thus, you will get notified about various vacancies and apply to them. 

Networking can also lead to a great learning experience as well. Github, Reddit, LinkedIn, Quora, Facebook are a few such platforms that you can join and explore. You can also subscribe to JanBask Training’s YouTube channel to get in-depth guidance on how to become a Cyber Security Specialist. 

Finally on How to Become a Cyber Security Engineer!

By now you must have clearly understood cyber security engineer roles and responsibilities, cybersecurity engineer salary, and plenty more. There is tremendous opportunity in this industry however the skill gap in this market remains. So, you can put your hands up to help bridge that gap by learning cyber security skills that matter in real-world situations. 

For that, you must take up cybersecurity training programs from a renowned e-learning firm like JanBask Training. We provide you with a 360-degree study approach. Our learning is based on industry-based projects, so when you are done with the training, you will stay a step ahead of others.

Our instructor-led virtual classrooms are based on real industry-project-based learnings, where our experts will teach you about corporate infrastructure and how to deal with data breaches. 

We will help you by providing the conceptual & practical knowledge of cyber security, which you can utilize in scoring your CS certification & further in your industrial job roles. The course is inclusive of resourceful and comprehensive study materials in the form of PPTs, eBooks, question banks certification exams and interview processes & more. 

So what are you waiting for? Enroll in our demo Cybersecurity Training Classes at JanBask to become a certified CS engineer and help organizations save their precious online assets and data.

You can also share your career journey in the cyber security field or any suggestions in the comment section. Till then stay safe and happy learning!

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