How to Become a Cybersecurity Engineer

• Keep up to date with the latest technology developments
• Identify potential weaknesses in a system and create policies to resolve them
• Advise staff on how to stay safe when using company computers
• Evaluate new security policies
• Monitor a company for attacks and report on any problems that may occur

Cybersecurity engineers have an impressive job outlook — as companies become more reliant on technology, more cybersecurity engineers will be needed to secure their systems. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in cybersecurity are expected to grow by 32 percent by 2028, which is much faster than the average job, and faster than many other roles in computer science.

According to ZipRecruiter the average salary for a cybersecurity engineer is almost $120,000 per year. Entry-level cybersecurity engineers usually earn over $50,000, and more senior engineers can earn up to $188,000 per year.

The exact salary you will earn depends on the company you work for and your location. For example, cybersecurity engineers in San Francisco earn an average of almost $125,000, and some positions offer salaries of up to almost $363,000. In Atlanta, however, the average salary is around $120,000. If you are working for a cybersecurity company or a company with big data needs — Google, for example — then your salary will likely be on the higher side.

1. Pursue a degree in Computer Science at a traditional university
2. Attend a coding bootcamp focused on cybersecurity engineering
3. Learn cybersecurity engineering on your own through self-study

1. Malware Analysis.

   Protecting a system against malware is one of the most important parts of being a cybersecurity engineers. Cybersecurity engineers must stay up-to-date with the latest malware threats, and understand how they can protect against those threats.

2. Continuity Planning.

   In addition to actively protecting against threats, a cybersecurity engineer should create plans to ensure an organization can continue operations if there is ever an attack. This may include creating backup storage policies, recovery policies if data becomes corrupted, and other documents to ensure that an attack can be easily reversed.

3. Bash, C, C++, Python.

   As a cybersecurity engineer, you’ll need to have an active knowledge of at least one programming language. The most common you’ll encounter are Bash, C, C++, and Python, which are often used in cybersecurity tools. Most organizations will state upfront that they use certain programming languages which you’ll be expected to know. That said, having knowledge of additional programming languages such as PHP, Java, and Ruby on Rails may be helpful.

4. Risk Analysis.

   A big part of being a cybersecurity engineer is identifying risks before they become a threat to an organization. You’ll need to be able to find risks, track those which may present a threat to your organization, and ensure your systems are protected against certain risks. You’ll also need to conduct audits of existing company systems to ensure you have done everything to mitigate the risk of an attack on your network.

5. Cloud Security.

   Demand for cloud security skills is high in cybersecurity roles. This is because many companies use cloud technologies for everything from data storage to application deployment. You’ll need to be familiar with the basics of the cloud — how it works, why it is important — and have some knowledge on how to prevent against common cloud attacks.

• Communication.

  Every day you’ll need to communicate with other members of your organization, including people who may not know a lot about cybersecurity. Thus, you should be able to efficiently communicate information with other people, and know how to simplify your work so that other people can understand what you are talking about.

• Problem Solving.

  Being a cybersecurity engineer is all about problem solving. You’ll need to be able to figure out how to protect against risks, secure existing infrastructure, and more. The whole point of being a cybersecurity engineer is to be one step ahead of prospective attackers.

• Attention to Detail.

  Details matter in cybersecurity. Potential attackers are only looking for one problem in a system which could allow them to compromise the entire network. Cybersecurity engineers need to be comfortable with precision and focusing on every detail.

1. Learn cybersecurity engineering through university, a bootcamp, or self-study
2. Refine your technical skills
3. Build a portfolio, or start a blog
4. Craft a technical resume
5. Start looking for a job!