How to get a job in cybersecurity

[Deleted member 178]

Cyber security is big business – and it’s only going to get bigger. In fact, the world will spend around $86.4 billion on information security products and services before the end of the year, according to figures collated by Gartner. This represents an increase of 7 percent from 2016.

Given the market’s explosive growth, perhaps it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to learn that there’s a significant skill shortage in the industry. ISACA, an independent organization that advocates for information systems personnel, estimates that there will be a global shortage of two million cybersecurity professionals by 2019.

The demand is clearly there, but getting into the industry can be a bit confusing, particularly when compared to other career paths. Lawyers go to law school, tradespeople take up apprenticeships, but where do you go if you want a job in cybersecurity?

To find out, we talked to a bunch of people at Emsisoft and reached out to those in the wider InfoSec community who are working hard to stay one step ahead of the cybercriminal. Here’s what they had to say:

Read more here

 

[aragornnnn]

My heart really wants it... but my brain... that's another story lmao

 

[Weebarra]

That was a good read @Umbra. I will never learn much in that world i'm afraid so i obviously voted no. How about yourself, how did you gain your knowledge ? I hope i'm not being too personal but i am a curious being and i am interested.


P.S. - sorry if i have gone a bit O/T, please feel free to ignore me.

 

[cruelsister]

I just composed and deleted an overly long response because the MOST IMPORTANT thing was left out:

To be a success in CyberSecurity you need to feel the stuff is FUN. You have to make your friends wait for you because you want to try one other thing ("just two more minutes- really..."). You have to have dreams where the solution pops into your head. Wanting to learn things should never ever be a burden (never ever).

And in the USA, getting arrested for a hack when really young doesn't hurt.

 

[In2an3_PpG]

And in the USA, getting arrested for a hack when really young doesn't hurt.

When you say really young, do you mean young enough to not be charged as an adult?

If so then i missed my chance.

 

[cruelsister]

Right after you put down Dolls. In Russia, Israel, and China they'll put you to work for them in lieu of Military service. In the USA they'll give you a scholarship (for when you are old enough to use it. You'll have to work for them for a bit, but if nothing else the Networking opportunities are worth it).

 

[Deleted member 178]

That was a good read @Umbra. I will never learn much in that world i'm afraid so i obviously voted no. How about yourself, how did you gain your knowledge ? I hope i'm not being too personal but i am a curious being and i am interested.

i started just like you, get interested by security because back in my youth days i was a hardcore gamer and i needed the lightest AV possible, i knew ESET NOD32 but i wanted more, so i discovered Comodo FW (it was just a FW at that time) and went for it.
It was a complicated soft so i started hang out on security forums, especially remove-malware.com (but it started to very inactive) where i made friends then we moved to MalwareTips in 2011 when it was at its early stage (maybe around 100+ members), i joined, contributed and learned, made reviews of softs and with time became mod here.
In the meantime, i got my computer technician degree, and started being active beta-tester for various vendors, reported my observations at every release (i keep doing it ), etc...

I don't have exceptional diplomas in computing (no developing or networking certifications, nothing very fancy) but i had passion, motivation and most of all FUN, fun to test, fun to report, fun to share; and the ability to listen and explain stuff simply.

And here i am, working for my favorite vendor, Emsisoft, the one i spend a lot of time beta-testing products and doing reviews.

conclusion:

- be interested and motivated. Choose the field you like most (malware research, networking, developing/coding, pentesting, support, etc...)
- spend time learning and testing.
- contribute and share.
- have fun doing all this, it must be a pleasure doing it, not a labor.

And maybe if you add the proper studies, you will get a job in cybersecurity.

 

[Glashouse]

Already working in cyber security so I voted: yes...

 

[tim one]

Yes, I'd like to work in Cybersec but now I'm studying to get a degree in Computer Science Engineering.
Let's say this is not a necessary requirement, but in my country if you don't have the degree you do not go anywhere.
In reality you can analyze malware and writing code for companies without a study title, working online.
For sure experience, skills and passion are really needed in each context.

 

[ZeroDay]

I don't have exceptional diplomas in computing (no developing or networking certifications, nothing very fancy) but i had passion, motivation and most of all FUN, fun to test, fun to report, fun to share; and the ability to listen and explain stuff simply.

What you have is a massive achievement and it doesn't get any more fancy than that. You set your goals and achieved them, that's fancy. Well done you should be very proud of yourself.

 

[boredog]

I voted no because I am retired but If I weren't retired I might like to do it. Like a lot of you I have been beta testing software at least from the 90's Norton being one of the first. The only thing I got out of it is being banned from posting at Wilders

 

[Glashouse]

And for all the people who would like to get a foot into cyber security.
There are companies doing security challenges from time to time where you can bring their attention to you if you perform well.
I know guys in my company who got the job because of such a challenge.
In this case it is not a diploma which is going to bring you in, it is just knowledge and the will to win.

 

[boredog]

Or you could spend five years in prison. The World's Top Security Testing Team | Mitnick Security

"Kevin David Mitnick is an American computer security consultant, author and hacker, best known for his high-profile 1995 arrest and later five years in prison for various computer and communications-related crimes."

Then there the famous rootkit writer, EP_XOFF , that had a fox avatar. He went to work for Microsoft.

 

[Glashouse]

I thought about ways not to get into trouble... And there are still options