Top 5 In-Demand Skills For Cyber Security Issues
We live in the age of digital information. Our lives are so dependent on this data for day to day use. We rely so much on this information to access it at the swipe of a finger or the click of a button. This data contains details of users all across the world. It can be personal, technical, legal or even public data.
Whatever be the type of information, it needs someone to moderate it and also to protect it. There have been many attempts to steal the data from private and public domains. This has led to uncomfortable situations for the people affected by the data breach.
Words such as hacking, malware, ransomware have become familiar terms today. This shows how vulnerable the data protection system has become. There is a need to safeguard this confidential information of people. It needs to be applicable to both the private and public domains.
The field of cyber security has gained a lot of traction in the past few years. Job analysts predict that cyber security skills are going to be very much in demand in the future. Private firms, as well as government departments, are ramping up their security frameworks (also consider checking this perfect guide for cyber security certification). Effective measures are in place to prevent cyber crimes.
Getting a certification in IT security areas such as CISSP certification, CCNA Training, CCSE, CSFA and GSEC has become a given for data security experts. Having any one of these will keep you in demand in the job market. So if you are a hiring manager, what are the skills you need to look out for?
We present five of the in-demand skills that you should look for when hiring for IT security.
1. Strong networking foundations:
If a person is going to protect the information of a company, it will most likely be in storage on computer servers. These form an important part of the internal network.
The ideal person for this role would be one who has strong networking fundamentals. This person will be the single point of contact for all the networking protocols.
Experienced hires will have an appropriate knowledge of the networking protocols. They will know the design of the network and will be able to take precautionary action as required.
2. Security work experience:
The IT security professional must have some experience in the area of cyber security (also consider checking out this career guide for cyber security jobs). It can be in any organization but the common thing is they must have a security background.
The ideal person will have the work experience handling issues across security areas. It can be in web security, systems security or mobile security.
Before taking them on board, it is necessary to check their credentials for IT security. Some of them also come with professional certifications which can make it easier for you to hire.
3. Good programming knowledge:
A security expert needs to have good programming skills if they are to safeguard any network. He/she must have an overview of the latest programming languages and know how they work.
The web tools and applications are in a specific language and one needs to know the scripting skills. Languages such as Python, Javascript, SQL are in use for scripting work related code.
There are some parts of the IT area that can use automation. It helps in saving time and effort for more productive purposes. The knowledge of programming can help security experts delegate work into automation.
4. Reporting skills:
The IT security professional will be handling issues related to data security. They will ensure data breaches do not take place and that systems are safe from future cyber attacks.
During this process, the security expert will need to coordinate with other teams. They can be non-network related teams. This is done to identify the areas where the data can be vulnerable.
Getting the communication right with such teams is also a part of the security expert's work. If he/she can be effective in reporting the issue and solving the problem, it is a win-win situation for all.
5. Configuring operating systems:
Issues such as data breach, malware attacks, ransomware, adware arise due to vulnerabilities. Sometimes this can be due to the operating system loopholes. A network can also get hacked if there is no adequate security in place.
An ideal security expert will have knowledge of different operating systems. Since all the systems will not have the same setup, it is necessary to work and troubleshoot OS issues.
It will be most useful to have a certified expert in operating systems handle data security. They not only help re-configure systems but also ensure network security.
These are the five in-demand skills that a hiring manager should recruit for. The ideal security expert will tick all the boxes with regard to these five skills. They come with the experience and technical know-how to handle complex security issues.
A true success in hiring would be a candidate with proven expertise in data security. It is advised to keep these points when scouting for the best talent.