Becoming A Successful Cyber Security Engineer in 2024

With rapid digitalization, utilization of the internet has increased dramatically in recent years and will keep on increasing at the same rate. From ordering food to ordering apparel, and making financial and accounting transactions, to utilizing social networks and mobile applications, we do almost everything through the internet. A cyber security engineer is an expert with a deep understanding of this.

All of these applications contain sensitive data that could cause serious problems if leaked. Attackers are always looking for vulnerabilities that can lead to data theft, currency or computer scam.

These experts make sure that the organization's digital infrastructure is protected and user data is not leaked. This is a promising and well-paying career option, and if you are passionate about it, you should know how to become a cybersecurity engineer. You will need it to get certified and start your career in this field. To get the right skills, you need to take cybersecurity training.

Cyber Security Engineer Job Description

A cybersecurity engineer must have an analytical mindset and a thorough knowledge related to cybersecurity approaches. Cybersecurity engineers must pay attention to every detail associated with malicious activities and should have excellent problem-solving skills so that he/she can easily protect the digital infrastructure of an organization.

To succeed, cybersecurity engineers must demonstrate a deep understanding of technology infrastructure with firewalls, VPNs, DLP, IDS/IPS, web proxies, and security audits. They need to be familiar with many technical and security issues and troubleshooting network issues.

Becoming a Cyber Security Engineer: Steps to Understand

What it takes to become an inexperienced cybersecurity engineer is a common question asked by freshers. Some have turned professional, but their interests force them to change their field of activity. In such cases, an additional validation process makes sense.

You need something that shows employers your skills and gives them a reason so that they can recruit you. Henceforth, it can only be possible if you take an additional course or an online certificate while learning the basics of the subject. You'll also learn about the latest tools and techniques that will help you through the process. Through this, you can gain lots of knowledge, and then the experience level will not matter, and you will leverage lots of new opportunities in the job market.

1. Get a bachelor's degree: 

The initial step to becoming a cybersecurity engineer is earning a bachelor's degree in IT or CS. A bachelor's degree is needed if you are a fresher in the field. Graduates also have the option of becoming experts but will need add-on coursework and previous work experience in the same field.

2. Acquire necessary skills:

A thorough understanding of network and systems architecture is an essential skill to start a career in cybersecurity, even if you don't have any experience. You should also know how to improve network security on different operating systems. Also, an in-depth of programming languages ​​too will help.

3. Good understanding of necessary tools & languages: 

Before starting your career as a cybersecurity professional, you need to master some basic programming languages. This consists of knowledge of programming languages ​​like C++ and Java. In addition, in-depth knowledge of the advanced tools is required to deliver cybersecurity expertise to your projects. So make sure this knowledge will help you land a job you don't have experience with.

4. Become familiar with different operating systems: 

All operating systems present security risks on desktop and mobile devices. Therefore, engineers should be familiar with these operating system options and their features for enterprise network security.

5. Thorough understanding of cybersecurity concepts:

Explore different cybersecurity concepts to familiarize yourself with the field and manage projects professionally. Ensure that you know the different categories like network security, application security, etc. This information is optimum to initiate your career.

6. Gain comprehensive experience: 

You might be a fresher in the cybersecurity industry, but lacking comprehensive experience is not the right choice. If you've never worked as a cybersecurity professional before, you might want to know how to gain hands-on experience. The easiest way to do this is to do a real-world project. The course you take will guide you through a series of case studies, giving you plenty of real-world experience. You might also consider a pre-employment internship as a suitable work experience.

7. Earn crucial credentials

As we discussed above, online certifications or courses can be very helpful for professionals without previous understanding. This certification module consists of all the crucial topics a cybersecurity engineer must know. These courses are also suitable for those who understand what they need to learn to become a cybersecurity engineer.

Some of the certifications you can choose from in this field are: 

• CompTIA Security+ (SY0 601) Certification

• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH v12) Certification

• Certified Public Accountant in Information Systems (CISA) Certification

• Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) Certification

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Certification

Apply for the position of Cybersecurity engineer

In the end, you can easily become a cybersecurity engineer if you find a job in this field. To do this, you need to start by applying for the jobs. Make sure you have completed your graduation and are well-qualified in the field. If you meet all the eligibility criteria, go ahead by checking the online job portals.

Choose an organization that needs a specialist that matches your profile and apply there. If you meet the requirements and have deep expertise you will get best package. Earn Cybersecurity certifications and you will land on the best jobs.

Salary and Job Prospects

As per talent.com, an average cyber security engineer's salary in the USA is $126,758 per year or $60.94 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $107,250 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $170,000 per year. According to ZipRecruiter, as of Jan 2, 2023, the average annual pay for a Cyber Security Engineer in the USA is $121,827 a year. According to Glassdoor, The average salary for a Cyber Security Engineer is $92,663 per year.

Conclusion: 

The cybersecurity industry is rapidly growing, and it is certain that demand will increase in the coming years. All companies need a more secure network and protected digital infrastructure and aim at keeping their sensitive information secured. Henceforth, they look for professionals who can detect the risks or vulnerabilities in the security policy, can create plans for cyber ​​and data security and prepare a fallout disaster management strategy.

Therefore, you need to hone your skills, earn certifications by taking the Cybersecurity certification course from Vinsys, and land on the best job. Get in touch with our experts now!