The safety of digital channels is a matter of global concern and growing importance. News stories about computer takeover scams, data breaches and virtual surveillance are frequent and alarming. Those who want to help address these threats — and enter a well-paid profession with plenty of job opportunities — should consider preparing for a career in cybersecurity.
What Is Cybersecurity?
Although cybersecurity is related to fields like computer science and information technology, or IT, it is distinct from those two disciplines.
“At a very, very broad level, I would characterize it as defense of everything IT-related,” explains Stephen Rejto, division head of cybersecurity and information sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology‘s Lincoln Laboratory.
While conventional IT work involves managing computers, networks and systems, “cyber jobs are much more focused on the security aspects of … the electronics,” he says.
Cybersecurity usually concentrates on identifying and patching loopholes in software and hardware that a criminal might exploit, and it may include building hacker-proof technology. It’s different than straightforward programming and narrower in scope than computer science.
“The key distinguishing feature of cybersecurity is that we worry about computer systems performing as they should even when they are under attack by an adversary who tries to get at our data or break down our systems,” says Lujo Bauer, a professor at the Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Mellon University, which is home to the No. 1-ranked undergraduate cybersecurity program in the U.S. News rankings. “Even under those circumstances, we want our systems to work, and that’s the cybersecurity part.”
[Read: What Can You Do With a Computer Science Degree?]
Training and Coursework in Cybersecurity
Future cybersecurity professionals may want to earn a degree in cybersecurity, if that option is available at their chosen college or university, or they can major in a related academic discipline like computer science, data analytics or math. They could also concentrate on a type of engineering pertinent to cybersecurity, such as software engineering.
However, college majors and graduate degree concentrations aren’t usually a significant factor in hiring decisions within the cybersecurity sector, according to industry experts.
“Potential cybersecurity workers can come from almost any background,” Melissa Rhodes, senior director of human resources for the cybersecurity, intelligence and services business for Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a division of Raytheon Technologies, wrote in an email.
“While a technical degree of some kind is certainly helpful, people don’t stop learning when they complete their highest institutional education level,” Rhodes says. “They should have a general working knowledge and understanding of information technology, since that’s the primary mechanism for cyber attacks. However, some of the most valuable lessons can be taught outside of academia and some of the best and brightest minds out there don’t necessarily have the resources or upbringing to obtain the education they need.”
Raytheon recruiters assess candidates for starter jobs in a holistic way, Rhodes says. “When reviewing entry-level candidates, we are most likely to reach back out to someone who demonstrates technical aptitude, attention to detail, communication skills, and intellectual curiosity,” she adds.
Credentials matter less than abilities within this industry, Rejto says. In fact, creativity and problem-solving skills are what some cybersecurity employers value most.
However, it’s hard to accomplish much in the cybersecurity field without knowledge of how computers and software operate and experience as a coder.
People looking to enter the cybersecurity workforce should take basic computer science or tech-related courses, Rejto says. Classes in computer architecture, software engineering and programming languages are especially valuable. “You can get a fair amount of that online, but of course that’s what an undergraduate degree in computer science would give you,” he says.
Graduate education gives students more advanced knowledge of cybersecurity than they might get at the college level, including expertise in highly complicated or rapidly evolving cybersecurity tools such as artificial intelligence or cryptography.
One way to gain cybersecurity skills outside of a classroom is to participate in competitions that involve discovering flaws in computer programs and proposing viable solutions. Such contests are available for elementary, middle and high school students, and some are accessible to adults. Many of these types of challenges are associated with annual professional conventions, such as DEF CON.
[READ: Degrees That Can Lead to CIA Jobs and How to Work for the CIA.]
Potential cybersecurity workers should take courses about operating systems and internet-connected devices, in addition to an overview class on cybersecurity, Bauer says.
The U.S. National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies, NICCS, has a list of reputable certification programs for the cybersecurity sector on its website.
Reasons to Enter the Cybersecurity Sector
There is a worldwide shortage of cybersecurity professionals, according to NICCS, which estimates that the sector currently has 1.8 million fewer workers than it needs.
Cybersecurity professionals often receive six-figure salaries, and they have plenty of job options. The median salary among U.S. information security analysts in 2020 was $103,590, and employment within this occupation will likely be 33% higher in 2030 than it was in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Because of these solid employment figures and other data relating to work-life balance, this profession received the highest rating among all career paths evaluated in the 2022 U.S. News Best Jobs rankings.
[Read: Why Information Security Analyst Is the No. 1 Job of 2022.]
Cybersecurity is also an area of the technology industry where someone can make a meaningful contribution to society.
“You’re helping humanity,” Rejto says. “You’re helping folks secure themselves and not get hacked.”
Searching for a grad school? Access our complete rankings of Best Graduate Schools.
More from U.S. News
How to Evaluate Different Types of Engineering Degrees, Jobs
What Can You Do With a Math Degree?
10 Certification Programs for Careers That Pay Well
How to Prepare for a Cybersecurity Career originally appeared on usnews.com
