What does it take to work in cybersecurity?
15 July 2021
Head of Marketing and Communication
Did you know that Spain is on the podium of countries most at risk of cyber-attacks? In fact, we are in third place. And the fact is that only in the year 2020 cases increased by 125%. Teleworking and increased use of mobile devices, due to the health situation, were the main causes of attraction for cybercriminals.
In fact, every day in our country, we suffer an average of 40,000 cyber-attacks. Websites of all kinds have been hacked: public bodies, companies or even celebrities' computers. Hackers are aware that the information you have on your PC is very valuable, and as a result of this, many people have come to think about what you need to study to become a hacker.
This is why companies are increasingly choosing to hire cybersecurity or IT security experts.
What does it take to work in cybersecurity? These professionals are in charge of preserving all the information generated by the entity, regulating its access protocols and preserving all the data from possible external threats such as computer viruses.
Thus, we can say that a IT security specialistis also a ethical hacking expert. Yes, there are ethical hackers. That is, hackers working for companies, as well as for public institutions (such as the police).
This type of hacker performs tasks related to cybersecurity and, in this way, helps the various organisations to identify their weak points in terms of cyber information.
If we continue with the example of the police, this institution holds data on millions of citizens (ID cards, passports, criminal records...), which need to be preserved. On the other hand, we cannot ignore the fact that this body holds a lot of confidential information.
This is why this professional figure is so important: because one of the worst ways to damage a company is through an IT failure.
First of all, to be a cybersecurity professional, it is necessary to master computer science, especially the software or logical part of the computer. Thus, cybersecurity tasks are very varied: system architecture, research, malware analysis, monitoring, network surveillance, cryptography...
Therefore, before studying cyber security as such, it is advisable to take a cyber security course. Degree in Software Development Engineering. A university education that lays the foundations in this vast digital world.
On the other hand, it should be noted that it is not only professional or academic skills that are required. There is an innate part to the IT security professional..
Personal skills such as: quick problem solving, intuition, self-learning, initiative and commitment to your company.
A cybersecurity engineer You must be disciplined - as you can work independently or in a team - and, of course, you must have the desire and interest in your profession. This is why retraining is always a good option.
Recycling can start by reviewing the different language codes. Or at least a few of them. Because the vast majority of data will be in encrypted files, where a vast knowledge of programming will be essential.
Poorly written code leads to computer system vulnerabilitieswhich means a greater chance of being hacked. The fact is that, in order to operate software and digital tools, you have to know how to programme. Therefore, you have to know how the code works.
Finally, in order to have all of the above available, it is essential to study cybersecurity. In particular, specific training to complement the studies of a computer engineer.
There are also many job opportunities (project manager, consultant, network administrator...), so that an cybersecurity training is a safe bet for the professional future.
And if you ask yourself where to study cybersecurity and how to study computer security in Spain, next Master's Degree in Cybersecurity in Madrid is the answer you need. At IMMUNE you can study cybersecurity in the modality that best suits your needs, with the possibility of studying in person or by taking a course in the online master's degree in cybersecurity.
However, as most of the concepts covered in this master's degree are related to advanced computer science and programming, we recommend that you have previously studied the degree in Software Engineering.