A Cyber Security Engineer plans, performs, oversees, and upgrades the security of computers and network systems. The individual responds promptly to tickets which users raise regarding issues affecting their computer systems.
Cyber Security Engineers fix and protect computer systems from data theft by staying abreast with the latest technological developments. They collaborate with the IT team of their organization to install an emergency arrangement so that systems recover fast after they are taken down by viruses, malware, spyware, etc. Because threats can affect computers and network systems at any time, engineers must be ready to work round-the-clock 365 days a year.
It is the reason mentioned above that prompts enterprises to accord high priority to information systems security. A security system is said to be well established if it is multi-layered connecting various fragments, such as computers, network, data, etc.
Since every organization has an IT infrastructure, it is the technicians’ responsibility to protect them from cyber-attacks. So, don’t let threats bother you, ensure you protect every element by providing the best possible security. If you build a rugged security framework, it ensures that the organization is not at risk.
Cyber Security Engineer’s Job Description, Role & Responsibilities:
Cyber Security Engineers design information security plans and extend support in carrying out the strategy. Being security professionals, they propose enhancements to the existing model. Listed below are some of the responsibilities that a Cyber Security Engineer has:
- Checking for Susceptibility
- Detecting Security Issues
- Inspecting Security Risk
- Researching and constructing the best possible security system
They are, in fact, responsible for troubleshooting all security issues that their organizations face. To do that, these engineers have to analyze, research, and arrive at the most reliable security solutions for their workplaces. It is, therefore, imperative that they don the role of security analysts, as well.
Classification of Cyber Security:
The major Sectors that Cybersecurity Covers are as Follows:
Application Security:
It is the process of using software and hardware to protect the applications from external threats. It emphasizes the developers’ responsibility in creating safe applications which are not prone to threats because APPs are widely accessible over various networks.
Network Security:
It aims at protecting the network usage uniting the network and data. These days, people are using machine learning to prevent threats, comprising both hardware and software.
Cloud Security:
Many firms are shifting to the cloud environment, it is a good practice, but in parallel, we should investigate its security aspects, as well. Here, the main concern lies in understanding the users’ behavior which is a daunting task.
Information Security:
It is an approach to defend the information suite from being misled. For this, we should maintain ultimate integrity and protection of business data. Besides, there are many other areas which should be provided with utmost security.
In addition, there are different areas of cybersecurity that engineers have to focus on.
- Penetration testing is an area which entails engineers try to hack systems for ensuring their security.
- If the software is not written securely, it becomes difficult to safeguard it later. Therefore, programmers should be trained on that before the development stages.
- Enterprises must train their personnel to thwart or defend cyber-attacks. For this, some organizations create virtual environments so that trainees can try to attack their systems
- If an organization is facing a threat of distributed denial of service (DDOS) at one of its servers, it should use attacking systems that are closer to it to jam the traffic so that it mitigates the damage to a large extent.
- Organizations have to ensure that algorithms are secure before they are implemented.
In a nutshell, by making use of cutting-edge security technologies, security engineers ensure information assurance of their clients and also of that within their organizations.
Education Qualifications and other Requirements for Cyber Security Engineer:
They should have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or cybersecurity Engineering or information systems or any other relevant discipline. Along with that, they should have strong knowledge of IT supportive skills which include LAN, good command of framing security systems, and capability of detecting malware. Additionally, if they have certifications, such as Cisco CCNA or Security+ from CompTIA, it adds value to the candidate’s resume.
If an aspiring engineer learns certain programming languages, such as C, C++ Python, SQL, JavaScript, HTML, and assembly languages, the individual will be able to protect the security of computer systems better.
Prospects for Cyber Security Engineers
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that job opportunities for information security analysts are expected to grow 28 percent during the ten-year period of 2016-2026, higher than the average for all professions. It adds that security experts will be more in demand, as they need to come up with creative solutions for foiling the attempts of cybercriminals from instigating problems for computer networks or for outwitting them in their efforts to get away with vital information.
Meanwhile, Forbes.com, in an article published in the first week of August 2018, cites recent estimates, which opine that there will be a shortage of 3.5 million security positions in the information technology industry by 2021. This scenario has caused businesses anxiety, as it would cost time and money to recover from a critical breach of data.
Next-generation technologies will depend majorly on security, speed, and the ability to meet the growing requirements of businesses promptly. More distributed technologies will make their presence felt in the IT sector, causing a massive need for dynamic security solutions, which will be cloud aware.
Meanwhile, Gartner expects that 20.4 billion devices will be connected to the Internet globally by 2018. As the numbers of Internet-connected devices grow, more cybercriminals will exploit the Internet of Things (IoT) to commit cyber offenses.
Cyber Security Engineer’s Salary:
According to payscale.com, the average salary for a Cyber Security Engineer is $92,407 per year in the United States. Freelancers, on the other hand, can earn $34.24 per hour.
How Field Engineer can help
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