Workers in this specialty area may spearhead organizational efforts to create stronger passwords or limit web browsing to trusted sites. Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) applies behavioral analytics to the IT security field to improve the overall state of IT security. Certifications like ITF+, CompTIA A+ and Network+ give you the background you need if you don’t already have it, and CompTIA Security+ is recommended to begin your career as a Cybersecurity Professional.

Many organizations lost their equilibrium as they rapidly adopted new technologies during the height of the pandemic. Cybersecurity specialists can help organizations manage and improve information security. In addition to creating structures to protect interconnected devices, professionals in this sector safeguard sensitive assets for applications and data. At the app level, infrastructure security professionals develop and deploy effective databases to prevent access by bad actors.

How do I become a cybersecurity specialist?

But increasingly, the success of a business relies on the success and capability of its network. As a result, employees dedicated full time to cybersecurity have gone from being a luxury to a necessity. According to a recent PayScale questionnaire, most employees with the job title cybersecurity specialists responded that they have a high level of job satisfaction.

Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics, education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Finally, holding the position of security specialist might require helping co-workers adopt new technologies and security software as it develops.

Consider Certifications

It’s important to understand that cybersecurity specialist is not a defined job title. Instead, it refers to a specific skill set that a variety of cybersecurity professionals that practice cybercrime prevention and mitigation use. It’s never too late to get a degree that will support you in your pursuit of a cybersecurity specialist career. Majors that would benefit a cybersecurity specialist include computer science, information technology, cybersecurity, database management and network administration. The need for cybersecurity specialists will continue to grow, reaching about 234,000 by 2033.

Many IT professionals have an IT degree of some sort and experience working at the help desk. Getting their foot in the door to an entry-level cybersecurity specialist job role can be as easy as earning CompTIA Security+. The more cybersecurity certifications they earn, the more job opportunities will open to them. Many early-career cybersecurity specialist roles can advance to senior roles in a matter of years, as IT professionals gain more experience and certifications. For example, network administrators are often promoted to a network engineer role once they have sufficient experience.

Four key steps to becoming a cybersecurity specialist

Cybersecurity specialists earn a median annual salary of $112,000 – this is 142% higher than the median national wage for all occupations. Additionally, cybersecurity specialists promote network security by taking measures to block unauthorized access to the computer network. They also run diagnostics on any change that takes place in the IT infrastructure. A cybersecurity specialist is trained in spotting suspicious patterns in computer systems. They monitor all aspects of the computer infrastructure for threatening activities. These cybersecurity professionals also construct, install and operate firewalls and set and implement security standards.

These technicians also create and enforce security policies, carry out threat and risk analyses and perform vulnerability assessments. Cybersecurity professionals are in high demand, and two of the most common roles in this field are Cyber Security Analyst and Cyber Security Specialist. While both roles involve protecting organizations from cyber threats, they have distinct differences in terms of responsibilities, required skills, and educational backgrounds. In this article, we will compare and contrast these two roles to help you determine which one is right for you. In conclusion, both Cyber Security Analysts and Cyber Security Specialists play important roles in protecting organizations from cyber threats. By following the practical tips outlined in this article, you can start your career in cybersecurity and help protect organizations from cyber threats.

Partner Certifications

The CCNA Cyber Ops certification program provides practical, relevant, and job-ready curricula that aligns closely with the specific tasks expected of cybersecurity professionals. However, the qualifications required for a cybersecurity job can vary from employer to employer. By monitoring, detecting, investigating, analyzing, and responding to security events, cybersecurity specialists protect systems from cybersecurity risks, threats, cybersecurity specialist program and vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity specialists need to be comfortable in a world that is constantly moving and shifting. A cybersecurity specialist might wear many hats depending on the size and shape of his or her company or organization. As the job title implies, cybersecurity specialists are expected to have a certain level of training and expertise that allows them to give advice and training on the latest digital best practices.

For full-time students or those who haven’t started establishing their work history, a residential degree program could be a better fit. Use this Cyber Security Specialist job description to advertise your vacancies and find qualified candidates. Earning CompTIA Network+ in combination with two years of experience in IT administration with a security focus ensures candidates are prepared to earn CompTIA Security+. This role is critical because oftentimes data breaches come from inside the organization, either intentionally or accidentally. CompTIA certifications establish a baseline foundation of skills that you can build upon with other vendor or technology-specific certifications.

They should have an advanced understanding of TCP/IP, common networking ports and protocols, traffic flow, system administration, OSI model, defense-in-depth and common security elements. Bootcamps, official training materials, cybersecurity degrees, internships and related work experience can help candidates learn the topics covered by their certification exams. These companies may hold job fairs, put on conferences and provide resources for connecting with peers and employers.

• Instead of (or in addition to) a degree, cybersecurity certifications help qualify an IT professional for a cybersecurity specialist role.
• These IT professionals often gain and sharpen cybersecurity skills as they get hands-on experience in the workplace over a period of time.
• These companies may hold job fairs, put on conferences and provide resources for connecting with peers and employers.
• Project+ gives technical and non-technical professionals the basic concepts to successfully manage small- to medium-sized projects.

Consider some of the following professional organizations for cybersecurity workers. Cybersecurity workers and information security specialists both protect valuable information and data. However, cybersecurity prevents access by bad actors, and information security considers aspects like the availability and confidentiality of data. Information security specialists may handle aspects like multifactor authentication and access to physical information storage areas.

CompTIA Certifications

Having soft skills like problem-solving, leadership, teamwork and adaptability are also important. Professional skills like these help cybersecurity specialists prevent and mitigate security breaches by effectively leading cybersecurity teams and protecting IT infrastructures. Also, good communication skills are essential for cybersecurity specialists. A computer science degree provides a foundation in information technology (IT), including understanding TCP/IP protocols that are at the core of all networking. Further educational certification may help professionals get a job in cybersecurity.