Cybersecurity has recently become a dilemma that many people are concerned about. The reason is many cyber attacks and their severity. So companies need more cybersecurity strategists to protect their network data from threats.
This article will further clarify cybersecurity strategists’ roles, responsibilities, and basic skill requirements. Let’s check it out!
Job Description
First, let’s go through basic information to better understand the cybersecurity strategist’s responsibilities and roles.
What does a cybersecurity strategy mean?
From the CLO’s perspective, cybersecurity strategy means anticipating, managing, and balancing risks arising from cyberattacks.
Accordingly, organizations, businesses, and leaders will easily navigate the evolving legal landscape and better manage online threats.
In particular, they will quickly develop an incident response plan to limit and narrow the unintended data breach effects for the organization and its users.
In short, developing an effective strategy regarding addressing cybersecurity is essential. It is a dynamic approach that builds consistency, transparency and protection, legal governance, and risks.
Roles of the cyber security strategist
Cybersecurity strategists are responsible for protecting an organization’s IT infrastructure, network equipment, and database systems.
Specifically, they prevent, perform monitoring, and effectively respond to attacks and data breaches in cybersecurity.
Here are some of their core roles that you can refer to:
- Support communication and maintenance of an intelligent information security strategy
- Determine what your organization’s security needs to do in the future
- Protect the inside information threat landscape
- Consider the level of risk of critical areas in the organization
- The core focus on cybersecurity vision and trends across all strategies
- Provide information security architecture for enterprise-level initiatives, organizations
- Maintain a portfolio of high-level security capabilities
- Ensure alignment and correctness with strategy and vision
Responsibilities of the cyber security strategist
As information security threats emerge constantly and tend to reproduce over and over again, cybersecurity strategists need to fulfill the key responsibilities.
- Install and implement identity user access rights
- Continuously monitor network performance and network security
- Perform statistics, check and evaluate the system regularly
- Build and deploy tools to detect and prevent malicious cyberattacks
- Analyze development trends in the market and make adjustments to security strategies accordingly
- Adhere to security processes, leverage security standards, and configure modern deployments
- Work with HR or teams and build proactive partnerships with business and technology teams
- Regularly upgrade comprehensive vulnerability management systems
- Perform other duties as assigned by the organization
Where does the cybersecurity strategist work?
You can see cybersecurity strategists working in retail, hospitals, banks, and related government organizations. On the other hand, they work independently in many different departments that collect and process customer data.
In large corporations, you will work in a dedicated cybersecurity department. Accordingly, you will receive tasks from the department head to handle each stage, including input data collection and processing.
Education
Like any other profession or field, cybersecurity strategists set some educational requirements for you to succeed.
So what are the things you need to pay attention to? All are included in the presentation below, specifically as follows:
Education & Training
To get started in this cybersecurity strategy, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field first.
You fully meet the program requirements and earn a degree in computer science, information assurance, or MIS.
As a cybersecurity professional, taking courses and training sessions is essential for you to solidify your knowledge and hone your skills for your future duties.
On average, it takes you four years for a bachelor’s degree. You will learn about the software, tools, and technology systems used during your studies.
Some employers prefer or require their candidates to obtain a higher degree, such as a doctorate or masters.
I recommend investing more time to get a higher degree. It is a solid basis and premise for senior positions and opportunities for advancement in your career.
Certification Requirements
A cybersecurity practitioner must meet several certification requirements, for example, SANS, CISSP, CCSP or CSSLP, and OSCP certification.
These certifications are a great addition to your resume and make it easier to apply for jobs. It symbolizes the strength, knowledge, and skills you accumulate as you continue your education.
Additional Qualifications
To become an excellent and professional cybersecurity, equipping yourself with additional or advanced expertise is essential. Below, I will provide other qualifications that should be available to a cybersecurity strategist.
- Proficient in cryptographic controls and measures to ensure optimal security for database systems and applications
- Know the cloud API resources and use them smoothly
- The organization works well with one or more databases and key variants such as MongoDB, SQL Server, and NoSQL.
- Knowledge of ISO 27001, PCI, SOX, GDPR, CIS or SOC2, HITECH, or HIPAA.
- Familiarity with specialized operating systems such as Windows, Unix, and Linux
- Lawful
Essential Skills and Experience
As a cybersecurity professional, you need to complement yourself with many skills, including core skills and advanced skills. You also need to meet some previous work experience requirements:
Core skills
The role of a cybersecurity expert is significant. They protect the organization’s database systems and secure information networks from cyberattacks.
To be successful and fulfill the task well, a cybersecurity professional needs to ensure that he possesses the following core skill sets:
- Have extensive technical and analytical capabilities with in-depth backgrounds
- Knowledge of security fundamentals
- Practical problem-solving and analysis skills
- Proficient in data security & collaboration
- Skills in performing security, responding to incidents and risks
- Identity management skills and access permissions
- Continuity planning skills
- Solid understanding of network protocols and web-based operations
- Encryption and classification skills and data protection
Advanced skills
In addition to the core skills, cybersecurity practitioners should also equip themselves with advanced skills:
- Good handling of business risks from network security
- Advanced endpoint security skills
- Business acumen and broad vision
- Solid technical knowledge with a confident attitude to communicating and negotiate
- Clear and understandable application of strategic perspectives from high-level business goals
- Have the correct orientation
- Take authority and take responsibility for all tasks
- Threat hunting skills
- Advanced access management
Experience
Work experience accurately measures the core knowledge and skills you acquire over time. When looking for a cybersecurity professional, most employers prioritize and appreciate candidates with 5 years of experience in the field.
Yet, your experience also depends on your position and role in the accumulation process.
For example, people working in an application programming intensive background will receive significant preference. Experience proves that you have enough knowledge and skills to impress the employer.
Also, I recommend that you try to gain the following experience if you want to set yourself apart from others:
- Agile experience and software development life cycle (SDLC) practices
- REST and SOAP development experience
- Experience in security control and management
- Experience in JWT, XML, JavaScript, JSON, and JQuery
- API security experience
Essential Tools, Software, and Programming Languages
Cybersecurity strategists need the right tools and software for each use case, budget, and evolving digital technology.
These include:
Cybersecurity tools
Here are 10 valuable tools that you should know if you want to succeed on your career path to becoming a great cybersecurity expert.
- Bitdefender
- IBM QRadar
- Malwarebytes
- Imperva Sonar
- Metasploit
- Kali Linux
- SecBI
- Wireshark
- Silverfort
- Vulcan
Cybersecurity software
Using the right cybersecurity software is essential in any cybersecurity strategy. Keep in mind the cybersecurity softwares in the list below, including:
- Packet Sniffer Software
- Personal Cybersecurity Software
- Network Security Monitoring Software
- Vulnerability Assessment Software
- Network Intrusion Detection Software
- Employee Monitoring Software
- Wireshark
- Encryption Software
- Nessus Professional
- Teramind
- Nagios
Programming languages
Coding knowledge, including programming languages, is probably not the first requirement in every cybersecurity job.
Yet, I highly recommend that you understand and master some popular programming languages. Learning to code is an advantage to demonstrating your superior ability in this field.
Yet, don’t forget to study and hone your skills in languages like C and C++, Python, JavaScript, PHP, and SQL.
Job Outlook
Using the internet is an effective solution for businesses to connect and get closer to their potential customers, but it also contains many risks of confidential information leakage.
Cybersecurity strategists are essential in securing information and preventing cyberattacks on an organization’s databases.
Therefore, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is now higher than ever and is expected to increase sharply for many years.
Salary
Cybersecurity salaries vary from position to position. However, as long as you meet the complete set of skills, degrees, and certifications, employers will be willing to pay you the best salary, even if you are starting.
The average for a cybersecurity strategist in the United States is $99,002. It equates to about $48 per hour worked, or $1,903/week, and $8,250 monthly. Most salaries range between $72,500 – $119,000 per year.
In short, the cybersecurity salary range is highly variable and tends to vary markedly based on each person’s skill level, location, and years of experience.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Cybersecurity is a vast career field that, like any other, has its pros and cons. Let’s continue to look at these in depth.
- Good salary, increasing with years of experience, position, and skills
- Flexible workplace, online or offline
- Career prospects soar
- Many career advancement opportunities
- Working hours are pretty stressful and demanding
- Difficult to keep up with the trend
FAQs
Can you make 200k USD in cybersecurity?
The answer is yes. As long as you have the required experience, qualifications, and high skills, you have a chance to receive 200,000 USD per year.
Is cyber security complex?
To be a cybersecurity strategist is not as difficult as you think. It’s one of those tech fields that doesn’t require a solid background or an advanced degree.
Yet, you will find it difficult with some concepts and coding if you want to work in a higher position.
Is cybersecurity a lot of math?
No. You don’t need to master in-depth math knowledge, and you can still hold entry-level and mid-level positions as a cybersecurity analyst.
Even so, I think you need to know and master everyday math operations to handle programming and problem-solving effectively.
Is cybersecurity well-paid?
Yes. Cybersecurity is a high-demand profession, and many employers are willing to pay high salaries to potential candidates. A beginner can also get an average salary of 102,600 per year.
Are cybersecurity jobs stressful?
That most cybersecurity professionals feel stressed in this job. The reason is that they have to fight and stop threats that tend to increase daily and hour by hour.
Career Advice
To succeed as a cybersecurity strategist, you need to know how to leverage effective communication and teamwork.
Besides, don’t just follow theoretical security procedures and principles but actively assess possible risks. It is the best way for you to understand and provide timely solutions to minimize security vulnerabilities.
Building more lines of defense to strengthen the protection system will certainly better prevent a cyber attack from outside. Also, you need to set security priorities based on the level and frequency of risk.
Last but not least, try to hone, accumulate and improve your professional skills and knowledge.