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Last updated August 22, 2024
Cyber Security consists of technologies and best practices to protect networks, computers, software programs, and data from attack, damage, or unauthorized access. Cyber security is used in everything from mobile apps to web platforms. Entities like governments, banks, healthcare companies, and shopping applications are the biggest users of cyber security, but every company needs cyber security!
Common job titles in Cyber Security include:
Many cyber security jobs require some form of degree. If you don’t already have a college degree, you should strongly consider getting a degree in Information Technology, Information Security, or Cyber Security. An associate’s degree is sufficient for some entry-level positions. A master’s degree in Cyber Security opens doors to higher-level Chief roles as well as higher salaries.
If you already have a college degree in any field, and you want to pivot to a cyber security career, consider a bootcamp! We've curated a list of the Best Cyber Security Bootcamps, but it’s still important to do your research: read reviews, talk to alumni, take an intro course, and ask about job outcomes data. Most cyber security bootcamps are not for complete tech newbies, so if you’ve never coded before, you should consider a general full stack coding bootcamp first. Information Security (InfoSec) classes are a big help for beginners, too. Most security bootcamps require one to two years of IT systems or development experience. Bootcamp tuitions cost up to $19,000 and they range in duration from 9-20 weeks, but most bootcamps offer financing options.
Depending on the position, cyber security professionals generally safeguard information systems by identifying, troubleshooting, and solving any security problems. They protect the system by building or maintaining firewalls, defining access privileges, and controlling structures. They may be asked to anticipate requirements by evaluating trends and assessing the current state of the security system. The cyber security professional will perform upgrades and regular maintenance. Some cyber security roles will require the Engineer or Analyst to communicate with clients and create performance reports.
The duties of Cyber Security Engineers and Cyber Security Analysts differ from company to company. A Cyber Security Engineer may analyze computer networks and ensure they run securely, try to predict possible security issues, and design computer systems equipped to deal with disruptions and attacks. A Cyber Security Analyst plans and carries out security measures to protect a computer network. Analysts should expect to be evaluating and tracking threats, monitoring network security, and executing plans.
Depending on your cyber security role and the company you’re working for, you’ll need to know some programming (such as Python), operating systems, and cloud computing systems. You’ll also need a variety of valuable soft skills.
Here are the hard skills most cyber security bootcamps will teach:
For higher level positions, you’ll need deeper knowledge of:
For a security job at any level, you’ll need to know the OWASP Security Principles:
Don’t overlook the importance of soft skills as a Cyber Security professional. If you want to progress in your career path and move into a management/officer role, you will need to be able to communicate well with your team, clients, administrators, and engineers, and demonstrate effective leadership. Other important soft skills include keeping up with the news, continuous learning, and problem-solving.
In today’s market, cyber security threats and hacks have created a high demand for Cyber Security Engineers who can keep hackers and other criminals from stealing sensitive data, information, or causing chaos in computer networks. In fact, the employment of Cyber Security Engineers is projected to grow 32% over the next decade, which is much faster than the average for all occupations, with 16,800 openings forecasted for each year.
As of May 2023, the median salary for a Cyber Security Engineer was $120,360, depending on the field. Location is less of a salary factor in Cyber Security, as it is possible to work remotely. Education, however, makes a difference in potential earnings, as over 90% of Cyber Security jobs require a degree in IT, Information Security or Cyber Security.
Job opportunities are growing for information security and cyber security professionals. According to a 2022 report from Cyberseek, cyber security job demand has increased by 43%, compared to 18% growth in demand across all occupations. It’s safe to say that if you learn cyber security skills, you will be in demand for the foreseeable future.
According to Manju Mude, a mentor at Springboard, “The only prerequisite for cyber security is that you think and understand risks and threats.” If you’re looking for jobs and not sure if you want to commit to a bootcamp and certifications yet, she recommends starting off with a job on the compliance team of a legal department. You can also consider the following Cyber Security Certifications:
Like most career paths, you start out in an entry-level position in Cyber Security, and then move on to mid- and senior-level roles. Where you start depends on your background and experience. A typical Cyber Security career path might look like the following:
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eCornell is Cornell University’s executive education unit and offers online, part-time professional development certificate courses covering a variety of topics, including digital marketing, user experience design, data analytics, and cybersecurity. Courses are authored by Cornell faculty members, and certificates are electronically issued by the appropriate school or unit at Cornell.
Ultima School offers online bootcamps in digital marketing (24 weeks), Python development (32 weeks), UX/UI design (32 weeks), data science (32 weeks), software testing analysis (32 weeks), and data analysis (32 weeks). Students will complete projects throughout the course to build up their portfolios before graduation. The course format is a mixture of live online instruction, video lessons, and hands-on exercises to give students real world experience.
University of Maryland Global Campus offers self-paced, online bootcamps covering cybersecurity, software engineering, and data analytics. These bootcamps are aimed at working adults and service members. Bootcamp students will be guided by a student success team and a 1-on-1 industry mentor.
Vertical Institute is a bootcamp in Singapore offering 3-week, part-time programs covering data analytics, UI/UX design, data science, digital marketing, cybersecurity, and blockchain. Vertical Institute is accredited by the Institute of Banking and FInance. Bootcamp instructors are all industry experts.
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