A cybersecurity specialist identifies information security threats and data loss risks, develops and implements countermeasures and solutions to protect against data loss; ensures data integrity and confidentiality; and participates in the development and implementation of IT solutions.
Cell phones, computers, cars and, for some time, even household appliances connect themselves and their owners with a huge amount of data. Information systems in business, commerce and finance have reached gigantic proportions, as evidenced by the current cryptocurrency boom.
All this has led to the formation of new values created or transmitted in cyberspace. Along with this has come the threat of theft, damage, or substitution of these values. To counter attackers, cybersecurity professionals are needed to protect information, anticipate the actions of criminals, and create a secure data-use architecture.
Cybersecurity specialists work in large financial and IT companies, the value of such personnel is noted in government agencies, defense agencies, where their main task is to ensure national security and prevent infiltration into the state infrastructure.
The need for such specialists is especially evident now, due to the growing number of cybercrimes and cases of cyberterrorism. Hacker attacks are registered in all corners of the world.
Drivers of the profession
- The informatization of most areas of human activity
- Growing number of cybercrimes and emergence of new threats in cyberspace
- Precedents of cybercriminal interference in the national security interests of different countries
- Development of blockchain technology, formation of cryptocurrency market.
What tasks will the specialist solve
- Combating cybercrime in all its forms, including cyberterrorism and extortion
- Development of preventive anti-malware methods, protection of private information and intellectual property
- Ensuring stable operation of socially important information systems, preventing bank system collapse
- Protection and prevention of external interference in infrastructure, including power grids
- Searching for potential vulnerabilities in already existing systems, and eliminating them
What knowledge and skills should he have
- High level of programming skills
- Attention and accuracy when working with code, ability to find hidden and unobvious sources of infection
- Combination of programming skills with knowledge of physical properties of technical devices
- Analytical skills, ability to calculate the consequences of certain changes
- Ability to quickly assess threats and their sources
- Ability to handle large data sets
- Understanding of the principles of cyber-attacks, knowledge of possible ways to defend against them