With breach rates growing and cyberattacks becoming a daily occurrence for business, IT leaders are looking to beef up their security teams. This is good news for anyone who is considering a career in information security. But as new talent begins to navigate breaking into the field, many may wonder: What skills should I focus on developing for a security career?
Most security hiring managers are looking for a blend of skills and backgrounds. Here are 10 things you need to enter the cybersecurity workforce today.
- Technical prowess
While some career paths in security may not require technical skills, many demand a clear and solid understanding of the tools and tech required. Whether learned through an educational program or on the job, you should be able to speak knowledgably about technologies such as encryption, automation, web monitoring, authentication, analytics and others.
- Business understanding
Gone are the days when security was simply the “department of no” and spent its time enforcing rules that hindered business operations. CISOs, and their teams, are now expected to implement a security strategy that helps forward the business mission and demonstrates ROI. Without some understanding of business, you will be hard-pressed to make the case for why executive management should invest in your security project.
- Cloud
Cloud is exploding and it is no longer a matter of if, but when an organization turns to cloud for various workloads to save money and minimize complexity. Some knowledge of cloud and cloud architecture is now key in the security department because once the CIO decides to invest in cloud, you will be called upon to figure out how best to secure it.
- DevSecOps
DevSecOps is another growing trend in security. It is the practice of integrating security into the DevOps process at the outset. Many believe it is the future of how security will work with the rest of IT in an organization and will change the way technology drives business innovation. Don’t get caught without at least some understanding of DevSecOps when you hit the job market.
- Project management
Security pros also need to be project managers. There is the daily work of risk mitigation and then longer-term initiatives that security teams must work on before they deploy a new tool, technology or process.
- Threat detection
It is critical to understand the current threat landscape and how it evolves and changes each day. Threat detection is also a vital skill because many threats go undetected on a network for weeks, or even months, before they are discovered. Understanding the fundamentals and techniques used for threat detection will be an important part of working on a forward-thinking, proactive security team.
- Forensics
Security is not just about preventing incidents. It is also about learning from them if they happen in order to stop them from happening again. Security professionals should understand the tools and investigative methods used in digital forensics in the aftermath of an incident.
- Hacking
Ethical hacking is an extremely valuable skill set in security now. The ability to deconstruct systems and find vulnerabilities is another way to help your organization identify its security holes and shore up defenses.
- People skills
The security team is often expected to evangelize security’s message throughout an organization. Today’s security pros must be able to work with all members of the organization to enhance awareness and help everyone understand how to best keep the company safe.
- Passion
Security is not a career for the faint of heart. It has one of the highest burnout rates there is among professions. But the people who work in security often do it because it is meaningful work with an important purpose, and they are passionate about helping to secure their organization.
Find more tips for building critical skills in the (ISC)2 Breaking into Cybersecurity eBook.