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What Are The Best Entry Level Cybersecurity Jobs?

By: Divya Bora

December 15, 2021

WHAT IS CYBERSECURITY?

Cybersecurity is the practice or process of protecting or defending networks, systems, and programs from any malicious digital attacks performed by hackers. These malicious digital attacks are also known as cyber-attacks.

The various types of cybersecurity used for organizational safety are:

Network Security

Comprises securing the organization's computer networks from hackers, attackers, or malicious files used for unauthorized intrusion. Tracking user activities using third-party cookies and preventing any fraud are also tasks of the network security team. Upgradation of network security policies and their implementation is essential for organizational safety. Network security policies may include encrypted communication, firewalls, new passwords, and extra logins.

If one wishes to learn more about Network Security, one can enroll in a Cyber Network Security course.

Cloud Security

Comprises securing cloud computing environments against internal and external cybersecurity threats. With an abundance of data to store, organizations are shifting towards cloud resources like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, IBM, or Microsoft Azure. It is more feasible to store data in the cloud than storing data in physical form. So these cloud storage which consists of financial and confidential information, should be monitored and secured as they are prone to cyber malware attacks.

If one wishes to learn more about Cloud Security, one can enroll in a Cloud Security course.

Application Security

This comprises securing sensitive information and data at the application level. The security measures are usually implemented before the application's deployment. An antivirus program, encryption programs, and firewalls are a few measures used to secure the application.

Critical Infrastructure Security

This comprises deployment techniques to secure the systems that contain critical infrastructure. Some critical infrastructures on which most people rely are traffic lights, hospitals, and electricity plants. Even though they are not related to cybersecurity, the endpoints that monitor and operate the infrastructures can undergo malicious attacks like breaches and malware attacks. So critical infrastructure security is essential to secure and evaluate the potential damage in an attack.

If one wishes to learn more about Infrastructure Security, one can enroll in an Infrastructure Security course.

Internet of Things (IoT) Security

This comprises securing the IoT systems from threats or breaches and identifying, monitoring, and fixing the vulnerabilities. Organizations use IoT to provide their users with critical and non-critical assets such as printers, wifi routers, and sensors. But if not secured properly, IoT can pose threats to organizational security. So IoT security is often integrated with systems to receive valuable insights and a secure network in most cases.

If one wishes to learn more about IoT Security, one can enroll in an IoT Security course.

SCOPE OF CYBERSECURITY

According to the Center for Cyber Safety and Education report, there will be 1.8 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2022. This means there are insufficiently skilled professionals to fulfill these jobs, creating more jobs worldwide. A study stated that data professionals had reported a lack of experts to cater to their dangers. Therefore, more professionals are expected to take up cybersecurity-related certifications to enhance their skills in this domain. Cybersecurity is the most suitable option for career growth and increased pay professionals as most cybersecurity jobs provide a lucrative package.

Security and Operations Management professionals have a worldwide demand. The Middle East, Latin America, and Africa require Incident and Threat Management professionals. Cybersecurity is a career with unlimited growth as its use cases keep on increasing day by day. It is not just limited to security, but forensic investigation and crime scenes have also started utilizing cybersecurity skills for their tasks. Artificial intelligence and robotics also demand skilled cybersecurity professionals.
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TOP ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS

Some of the top entry-level positions are:

Security Specialist

A security specialist is responsible for maintaining or automating an organization's security systems and employee identification databases. They are the point of contact for any security system-related issues. A few other tasks that a security specialist performs are designing and implementing safety measures and data recovery plans, analyzing IT specifications to assess security risks, inspecting any vulnerable access points, and acting on privacy breaches or threats. They are also responsible for installing, configuring, and upgrading security software and ensuring the digital safety of all the end-users as they are security experts within the organization.

Average Annual Salary: $76,000 (in 2021)

Cryptographer

A cryptographer is one of the most interesting cybersecurity jobs on the list. They are responsible for securing computer and information technology systems by producing various ciphers and algorithms. They also decipher algorithms or ciphertext to decrypt information, create and test cryptology techniques to identify weaknesses or vulnerabilities, and implement new encryption solutions. They ensure secure data transmissions and incorporate industry-wide security standards.

Average Annual Salary: $121,000 (in 2021)

Security Auditor

A Security Auditor is responsible for creating and executing audits based on an organization's policies and government regulations. They assess and inspect all the security controls and practices and work with people. They also identify risks and inadequacies through IT system tests. They evaluate all the computer security techniques and methods like the firewalls and encryption protocols as they require expert supervision.

Average Annual Salary: $84,000 (in 2021)

Penetration Tester

A penetration tester is also known as a pentester or ethical hacker. They are responsible for identifying and resolving existing security issues within the organization's infrastructure that affect digital security. They are mostly either a part of the internal cybersecurity or IT team; they work in firms to provide their special services directly to the client.

Average Annual Salary: $110,000 (in 2021)

Source Code Auditor

A Source Code Auditor is responsible for comprehensive program and application source code analysis. They use programming standards and conventions to identify bugs, weaknesses, or violations in code, which would decrease the code's efficacy. They also review authorization protocols, perform penetration tests, and assess authentication mechanisms at times. Source Code Auditors also identify non-security-related potential issues within code and search for vulnerabilities that expose an organization's personal information.

Average Annual Salary: $83,000 (in 2021)

Security Analyst

A Security Analyst is responsible for identifying, resolving, responding, and protecting the network security systems within the organization from any weakness or threats that exist. They use various software to ensure encryption and protection of data. They increase and strengthen their digital data's security from time to time. They also work with other security professionals to design security protocols and protect organizational data from potential breaches.

Average Annual Salary: $70,000 (in 2021)

Incident Responder

An Incident Responder is responsible for the protection and improvement of organizational security. They prevent, averse, and mitigate recent or potential security threats. Incident Responders create security plans, protocols, training, and protocols to prepare their organization to respond promptly and efficiently to any kind of incident that might occur. They often perform system assessments, testing, monitoring, and analyzing to identify and rectify any security flaws or breaches.

Average Annual Salary: $99,000 (in 2021)

Security Architect

A Security Architect is responsible for assessing and identifying their organization's IT and computer systems strengths and weaknesses. To evaluate the safety level of an organization, Security Architects conduct risk analysis, ethical hacks, and penetration tests on the LAN, WAN, and VPN within the organization to assess their safety level. To determine efficiency and efficacy, they evaluate firewalls and routers. When it comes to identifying vulnerabilities, Security Architects plan and implement architectural changes to boost the organization's security infrastructure.

Average Annual Salary: $125,000 (in 2021)

Forensic Analyst

A Forensic Analyst is responsible for the investigation of any cybersecurity incident. They recover encrypted, deleted, or hidden information likely related to the case and ensure data integrity by following a chain of custody; this makes the evidence admissible in court. They also offer expert insights to law enforcement personnel regarding the validity of their digital evidence and also prepare the evidence before criminal trials for the case are held.

Average Annual Salary: $67,000 (in 2021)

Security Engineer

A Security Engineer is responsible for securing the data (i.e., clients' financial and confidential information) from any security breaches or leaks. They also protect the organizational data and reputation. Security Engineers implement breach detection systems, install firewalls, and work with other cybersecurity engineers to resolve security-related problems. They test security systems and analyze risks, then resort to their findings to make further recommendations to the organization regarding their security infrastructure.

Average Annual Salary: $90,000 (in 2021)

Introduction of IT and Cybersecurity is a course designed for beginners to understand cybersecurity. Fundamentals of Cybersecurity Architecture is a course to get a deeper understanding of the fundamentals so one can decide whether they should pursue it as a career or not.

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