Top 10 Cybersecurity Skills for Beginners

According to recent reports, cybercrime will cost the world over $6 trillion annually by 2021! In the simplest terms, cybersecurity refers to the technology that protects devices, networks and data from cyber-attack and unauthorised access to maintain its confidentiality. With the advent of the pandemic, and all the businesses being carried out online, companies and businesses are on the lookout for cybersecurity professionals now more than ever!  If you are a beginner in the field, this blog will tell you everything you need to know regarding the skills required to take up cybersecurity as a career.

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Is it a Viable Career Option?

The field of cybersecurity offers great scope in this changing world scenario. There is a high demand for cybersecurity professionals in every imaginable sector.  Businesses across all industries—from healthcare, finance, entertainment, retail, consulting management to sales—are at risk. Most companies have sensitive data such as employees’ personal details, intellectual property and confidential data that must be protected. Amid constant security breaches, companies across India are facing a lack of skilled/experienced cybersecurity personnel. While cybersecurity is a fascinating field, cybersecurity jobs can be challenging and stressful. Ensuring you have the right passion and personality can help in deciding if cybersecurity is the right field for you.

Related Read: Difference between Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking

Top 10 Cybersecurity Skills for Beginners

The first and foremost thing you need is a passion for the field. Candidates seeking cybersecurity roles should have a profound thirst for knowledge and a strong sense of curiosity. The cyber threat landscape is continuously evolving, so if you are transitioning into this field, you need to be prepared to continually learn, and perform the task earnestly. Following are the hard and soft cybersecurity skills for beginners to kickstart a successful career in cybersecurity:

Coding 

Coding is a computer language used to develop softwares. Understanding the basic principles of coding in languages such as HTML and Javascript will provide you with valuable insights into how they are prone to security breaches.

Networking

Next on our list of cybersecurity skills is Networking. Computer networks that are involved in regular transactions and communication require security. Businesses use all different kinds of networks in their day-to-day operations. Learning the intricacies behind how to set up and maintain local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), virtual private networks (VPN) is highly beneficial.

Security Incident Handling & Response

One of the main responsibilities of a cybersecurity professional is to handle any imminent threat of a current violation of an organization’s security policies or standard security practices. This involves understanding the incident management team functions and responsibilities, which are crucial when dealing with security breaches. Malware, ransomware, phishing, Advanced Persistent Threats, and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are some types of security breaches that you need to manage effectively

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Applications and Systems

Another useful cybersecurity skill is knowledge of applications and systems. Computer software and other applications are integral tools for businesses, so it’s advisable to learn everything that you can about them. By learning how to run, configure, and maintain databases and web servers, you will be better prepared to improve the security of applications by testing vulnerabilities.

Analytics & Intelligence

A security practitioner must be able to leverage analytics and intelligence gathering to identify and detect attacks as quickly as possible. Using analytics and intelligence allows the security practitioner to aggregate network and application data to prevent attacks from occurring in the future.

A diverse IT background

Acquiring knowledge about IT to get a sense of the systems and processes that form the foundation of the technology, is definitely a prerequisite. A skilled cyber security practitioner is analytical regarding understanding how incidents occur, and how to minimize cyber attacks. 

Systems

Another useful cybersecurity skill is intensive knowledge of systems. Systems are the bread-and-butter of cybersecurity. Learn everything you can about desktop and mobile systems by studying the unique characteristics of common operating systems and becoming comfortable navigating with command-line interfaces such as Linux’s Terminal or Windows’ Powershell.

Data Management Protection

You should have the ability to handle, analyze, and securely store all types of data. Data Management Protection is the most important cybersecurity skill in demand as of 2021! It is necessary to understand forensic tools and methods used to find data and malicious activity on the network.

Related Read: Career in Information security

Diverse Outside Experience

This might sound less important, but having knowledge other than technology and data-related information, is also equally necessary. Potential cybersecurity roles are so broad that even the non-tech-savvy fields are not protected from the dangers of cyber-attack, such as psychology, project management, marketing, and public relations.

Soft Skills

Last but certainly not the least, soft skills are extremely crucial in this field to understand the requirements of the companies and understand the motives of the attackers. Developing skills such as communications skills, critical thinking, leadership, collaborative attitude, etc, goes a long way.

Jobs Profiles for Cybersecurity Experts

Your job profile depends upon the level of experience and expertise that you acquire. Following are the level-wise job opportunities available for a cyber security professional:

• Entry-level: Systems Administrator, Network Engineer, Network Administrator, Security Administrator
• Mid-level: Cybersecurity Analyst, Penetration Tester, Security Technician, IT Auditor
• Senior-level: Cybersecurity Manager, Cybersecurity Engineer, Chief Information Security Officer

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Cybersecurity is one of the most fast-paced industries, constantly looking for experts and these cybersecurity skills will surely land you your dream job! A cybersecurity expert inculcates a solution and doesn’t stop until the threat is resolved. You have to be passionate about learning and professional growth to be successful. To know more about the courses and job prospects in the field of cybersecurity check out Kickstart Your Career in Cyber Security [The 2020 Guide] and follow Leverage Edu on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram for more exciting updates!