Five things to know before pursuing the field of cybersecurity as a career

Cybersecurity has been one of the most sought-after career options in the post-pandemic world as industries across the spectrum have transitioned into the online world. For a country like India, where most of the business is driven by SMEs and Startups, the need to have secure cyber operations has catapulted the need for cybersecurity experts.   

During the pandemic last year, most small-scale businesses went online overnight without worrying about the challenges such as phishing and hacking. In the mid of 2020, there was a slew of cyber-attacks on mostly small-scale businesses and startups that made headlines worldwide. It was evident that the need for more secure cyberspace was the need of the hour and should have been in place before these companies ventured online.  

As per a recent industry report, startups and small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain the most vulnerable segment in India when it comes to cyberattacks. Credit card hacks, ransomware, crypto jacking, phishing, online data theft, etc., are the few challenges these small businesses face in the online world. So it has become more critical than ever for companies to hire cybersecurity experts as they play a pivotal role in securing information systems and protecting the integrity of any organisation's network and data. Even government needs cyber defence and offence capabilities.  

This explosion in demand has resulted in high wages and excellent benefits for qualified applicants, making the cybersecurity domain a promising space for individuals to carve a successful career. These professionals work virtually in every possible industry, responding rapidly to real-world threats.

Here are the top 5 things to keep in mind before entering the cybersecurity employment market:

1. Integrity and Discretion are two essential thumb rules: Working in the cybersecurity field requires sensitivity to an organization's security and vulnerability issues which demands the ability to tackle those concerns in a way that engenders trust.

2. A sound understanding of security principles: An understanding of basic security principles, such as privacy, confidentiality, authentication, access control, and others, results in a greater chance that systems will be less vulnerable to failures and attacks.

3. Programming skills: A variety of scripts and programming tools are required to design effective security programs and analyze cyber-attacks and breaches. Therefore, experience in system and network programming is a must. In fact, "security and privacy in design" – any design – has become a critical industry need.

4. You will be challenged on a regular basis to solve new problems: As more of the world comes online and begins to interact with the global cyber community, new ideas and creations will emerge. Due to the unpredictable nature of the future, a cybersecurity career will never be static and stale.

5. Communication Skills: Like every other field, strong written and verbal communication skills are a must for cybersecurity professionals.

A career in cybersecurity is both promising and rewarding, and the opportunities are limitless. Plus, if you live in the modern world, you are already on a solid starting line for a future IT security career.

Note: The views expressed in this article are that of the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies [UPES] and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha