People are so dependent on the internet today that it is difficult to imagine life without it. With a smartphone connected to the internet, we are able to accomplish so many tasks. As a vast amount of data is available on the internet, the issue of its security has become more urgent. There are malicious hackers who always search for ways to gain unauthorized access to such data and launch a cyberattack for their personal gain. The field of cybersecurity was introduced to deal with such hackers and keep the systems and networks of an organization secure.

Today, professionals who are well-versed inCybersecurity Basics are in high demand across the world. Cybersecurity is an exciting adventure for those who have a passion for technology. When you start exploring the career paths in cybersecurity, you will come across a number of job roles and might get confused. Beginners in this field are actually not clear what domain they want to step into. So, in this article, we have tried to simplify the cyber security career options and the prior knowledge required for entry-level professionals in this field.

Cybersecurity Career Options

One can categorize cybersecurity jobs based on different factors, but for your ease of understanding, we have classified them into three sections:

• Defensive cybersecurity
• Offensive cybersecurity
• Research-oriented

Defensive cybersecurity refers to deploying a proactive approach to security. Here, efforts are taken to develop and deploy preventive and protective measures that can help prevent cyberattacks. Professionals working in this area have a thorough understanding of a system environment and analyze it to identify potential network flaws. Some of the top job roles in this category are – security architect, incident responder, secure software developer, forensic expert, blue teamer, and cyber compliance and risk advisor.

Offensive cybersecurity tries to put you into the shoes of a malicious hacker and mimic a cyber attack. Instead of relying on analysis and taking steps related to preventive measures, offensive cybersecurity uses ethical hacking techniques to exploit security vulnerabilities and tries to eliminate the guesswork of what might take place during an attack. Apart from ethical hacking, this category involves domains like application security, penetration testing, red teaming, cloud audits, and code reviews. Some of the top job roles in offensive cybersecurity are red teamer, cloud auditor, penetration tester, ethical hacker, application security expert, and bug bounty hunter.  

Lastly, research-oriented cybersecurity involves domains like threat analysis, security trend analysis, malware analysis, and zero-day and exploit development. For example, cyber threat analysis refers to the assessment of the cyber activities and capabilities of unknown intelligence entities or criminals. Similarly, malware analysis focuses on identifying and mitigating any potential threat caused by any virus and enhancing the security of any website, application, or server.

Prerequisites to Learn Cybersecurity

Now that you are aware of the different career paths, it will be easier for you to understand what prior knowledge is associated with each category of cybersecurity. Here are some of the concepts to help you get started with cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity vocabulary – Make yourself familiar with common cybersecurity terms, which will help you make the learning material seem less overwhelming. Understand terms like malware, trojan, ethical hacking, phishing, ransomware, forensics, cross-site scripting, honeypots, and so on.

Operating Systems – One should understand the working of operating systems like Windows, Linux, and mobile operating systems like Android and iOS. You should be familiar with various security features offered by them and their limitations that can be abused.

Web applications – There are many concepts related to web applications that come in quite handy in a cybersecurity role. This includes the components of web applications, their communication, working of the HTTP response, security headers, CSP, and browser security features.

Computer Networks – Networking is indeed a tricky concept, and it may take some time for beginners to grasp it. Topics like firewalls, TLS, ports, routing, TCP/IP, protocols, MAC, and UDP are important, and you need to understand how these features of network security work.  

Programming languages – Coding is nearly required for all IT jobs, and so is cybersecurity. Knowledge of programming languages like C++, Java, Python, PHP, Perl, JavaScript, or SQL is essential when starting with cybersecurity.

Training and certifications – Online training program is one of the best ways one can start learning any new skill. You can take a cybersecurity basics course online and start learning all the concepts from the comfort of your home. Through such courses, you also get a chance to work on industry projects based on real-world data that will enhance your practical knowledge of the field.

You can also consider achieving renowned cybersecurity certifications to develop foundational skills in this domain. Some of them include:

• CompTIA Network+
• CompTIA Security+
• Cisco CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate)
• GIAC: Web Application Penetration Tester 
• GIAC Information Security Fundamentals
• ISACA CSX Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate

These certifications are highly valued among companies and help you kickstart your cybersecurity career. Usually, such certifications require candidates to pass a thorough exam and demonstrate their skills.

Now that you have got a complete overview of what are the prerequisites related to a cybersecurity career, you shouldn’t delay your learning.