Learn How to Become a Security Specialist Education & Duties

In fact, cybercrime is forecasted to amount to $10.5 trillion by 2025 — which is just a few short years away. Combine this upward growth in the industry with the zero percent unemployment rate, and the result is a white-hot job market that features six-figure salaries. Cybersecurity specialists work on IT teams that are dedicated to protecting the integrity of the business’s network and data. Traditionally, network operations and IT technology supplemented the core business.

At times, an analyst might also organize security training for other employees. Finally, holding the position of security specialist might require helping co-workers adopt new technologies and security software as it develops. But most people are reluctant to change, especially if it requires learning a new operating procedure or work-flow. So the ability to articulate the reason for the change and the ability to relate to co-workers’ needs and objections is also important. The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification is also considered a more advanced cert because it generally requires that applicants have multiple years of work experience.

Related Job Descriptions

These top-rated online courses and degrees in cybersecurity are currently enrolling students. But being a key component of a company’s information technology needs can be a rewarding responsibility. It’s a good idea to let your employer know about your plans to study, as they might be willing to help with the funding. After all, the knowledge and skills you gain will benefit your career and, in turn, the organization. Both Master’s degrees and certificates can often be completed fully online, in the evenings, on the weekends, or on a part-time basis. This level of convenience and flexibility means many students manage to complete their studies while holding down a full-time job.

• IT security specialists leverage an in-depth understanding of cyber security threats, technologies and countermeasures to ensure secure computer systems.
• IT Security Specialists will interact with both non-technical and technical staff and should be good communicators.
• Most entry-level IT security jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree in cyber security, information assurance, or a related field of study; these programs typically take 4 years to complete as a full-time student.
• The Cyber Security Specialist must have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, telecommunications, computer engineering, or any related field.
• They are responsible for making sure that networks and computer systems are up-to-date and not vulnerable to software bugs.
• Important and high-profile individuals count on personal security specialists to keep them safe every day.

You might want to pursue a police or military background before getting involved in personal security. Many of you can learn useful skills in those fields that you can later apply to personal security. The education and training requirements vary heavily, since the needs of employers can differ from one to the next. Important and high-profile individuals count on personal security specialists to keep them safe every day.

IT Security Specialist Education Requirements

Some organizations require a master’s degree to become a cybersecurity specialist, but not all. Hiring businesses are looking for a mix of education, certifications and hands-on industry experience. Therefore, cybersecurity specialists and their IT security colleagues have become essential to all organizations — working on the front lines and behind the scenes to protect digital systems and assets from hackers, threats and vulnerabilities. IT security specialists can opt for a degree in computer science, cyber security and information assurance, or network operations and security. There’s also the option to go the extra mile and attain a master’s degree in categories such as information technology management. Choosing a reputable online degree program can make earning your bachelor’s or master’s more accessible by granting you freedom and flexibility in managing your course load.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, the IT security specialist job market will grow by 33% from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the 8% average for all occupations, placing it among the nation’s fastest growing career paths.
• Over the next few years, you can continue your education, such as by studying for an online Master’s degree in cyber security or one or more of the above certificates.
• Program outcomes vary according to each institution’s specific curriculum and employment opportunities are not guaranteed.
• They are responsible for the integrity and security of the organization’s network and must keep all data secure.
• In this role, you’d be hired on to guard such settings as business complexes, shopping malls, high-rise apartment buildings, or schools.

To accomplish this, they typically work with a team of other Cyber Security Specialists and usually work directly with other employees and department leaders as security issues arise. A Cyber Security Specialist’s responsibilities include using their skills to detect insecure features and malicious activities within our networks and infrastructure. They will implement customized application security assessments for client-based asset risk, corporate policy compliance as well as conduct vulnerability assessment. 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.

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Ultimately, you will work to ensure the security of our business information, employee data and client information throughout our entire network. In this https://remotemode.net/become-a-security-specialist/ role, you should be knowledgeable about security frameworks and systems. If you’re also a problem-solver and quick decision-maker, we’d like to meet you.

As you might expect, IT security specialists require extensive technical skills and knowledge to effectively do their jobs. And while it’s important to have fluency in programming languages and experience with UNIX-, Linux-, and Windows-based systems, it’s even more important to have a bachelor’s degree to be qualified for this job. Once you’ve gained a security specialist position, you can then start to think about the rest of your career development. If your https://remotemode.net/ career goals include obtaining a more senior role in a cyber security team, then you’ll need to deepen your knowledge and refine your skills. Over the next few years, you can continue your education, such as by studying for an online Master’s degree in cyber security or one or more of the above certificates. While their salaries may differ, one common ground between security specialists and patrol officers are a few of the skills required in each craft.

What a Security Specialist Does FAQs

Using security specialists and protective officers resumes, we found that both professions have similar skills such as “physical security,” “patrol,” and “customer service,” but the other skills required are very different. In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences that are worth noting. The sample may be used as a way of gathering ideas before crafting your own job description, or as a template that you can edit with the specific information about the job in question. Additionally, you can check out the list of general tips at the end of the information security specialist job description sample to ensure that your own job description is as good as you can possibly make it before releasing it into the wild.

• It is often said that a security architect must think like a hacker to successfully identify the tactics a hacker would use to breach their systems.
• Find out how different WGU is about personalizing and supporting your education.
• There are a variety of skills needed to thrive in a cybersecurity specialist position.

In fact, they’re 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Master’s Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree. Since a security specialist is essentially an entry-level position in the large world of cyber security, there are positions you can start out in at first and then, you can work your way up the ladder into a management role. It is a great career to enter as there are several roads to travel toward executive-level roles. Even though a cybersecurity specialist’s position is just the beginning, you caught a glimpse of what could be in store for you further in your career.

Salary

Welcome to ITCareerFinder, a world-class web portal designed to help IT pros advance their careers. Research and compare top-rated cyber security degree programs online and in your area. The median annual wage for IT security specialists in the USA is $104,000, according to the latest data from the U.S. We are looking for a Cyber Security Specialist to join our team to work closely with the stakeholders to ensure that cyber security projects meet objectives across our organization. They are responsible for various tasks, including process re-engineering and documentation of activities related to this area.