NetworkTigers explores what you learn in a cybersecurity course.
Cybersecurity experts are in demand more than ever. Living in the digital age means cybercriminals have endless opportunities to exploit businesses, government institutions, and even individuals.
Companies are willing to pay cybersecurity professionals handsomely to remove vulnerabilities and protect their sensitive data against security breaches and cyber threats.
What are cybersecurity study programs?
Cybersecurity programs equip you with skills that help you protect data, networks, and computer operating systems from cyberattacks. During the course, you learn how to monitor networks and mitigate attacks when they occur.
While each module will have a specific focus, the overall objective is to help you learn the computing skills required to prevent threats and protect an organization’s privacy and information.
What do you study in a cybersecurity course?
A good cybersecurity expert possesses a diverse skill set. Here are the top 6 cybersecurity skills that will help you get into cybersecurity.
1. Networking and system administration
A career in cybersecurity requires an in-depth understanding of networking is needed. Learning networking is crucial as it will help you understand the technical aspects of transmitting information, enabling you to secure data.
Thus, taking up networking certifications is advisable. It is also essential to master system administration which is all about maintaining and configuring computers. You must be curious to learn all the aspects of your computer settings and features.
2. Network security control
Network security control refers to the various devices employed to improve an organization’s network security. You must understand how firewalls, routers, networks, and other devices work.
A firewall is a software or hardware that blocks incoming or outgoing traffic from the internet to your computer. As an expert, you must use a firewall to filter and prevent unauthorized traffic on the network.
Understanding intrusion prevention systems, intrusion detection systems, remote access, and virtual private networks (VPNs) is also essential. For instance, you must know how to operate the IDS and identify malicious traffic on the network, plus any security policy violations.
3. Coding
Familiarizing yourself with a few coding languages is advisable since having zero coding knowledge can limit your cybersecurity opportunities in the future. Below is a list of some of the coding languages you should learn for a successful cybersecurity career.
- HTML – HTML is one of the easiest languages to understand. Cybersecurity experts should learn the language since most websites use it.
- SQL – Criminals use this language to destroy stored information; one example is the SQL injection attack. Thus, it’s crucial to have a good understanding of SQL.
- Python – This high-level programming language will help you identify and fix vulnerabilities.
- Assembly language – It will help you understand how malware works to learn how to defend against it.
- C and C++ are low-level programming languages you need to understand as a cybersecurity expert.
4. Knowledge of virtual machines and operating systems
A cybersecurity professional must be knowledgeable about operating environments like Mac OS, Linux, and Windows. As a professional, you should be able to work on any OS. Some learning institutions allow you to train and research in isolated environments to help you maximize your skills
Learning Kali Linux is also essential since it is the most known Linux distribution for penetration testing and ethical hacking. It comes with numerous tools related to malware analysis, computer forensics, penetrating testing, and security research.
5. The Internet of Things (IoT)
More than 30 billion Internet of Things devices will be connected globally by 2025. Such a large number of devices presents more opportunities for security breaches. This means in the near future, IoT security will become a top priority and an essential part of maintaining the safety of the internet system.
IoT security emphasizes protecting connected networks and devices over the internet since these devices access networks without human oversight. Therefore, it’s essential to implement proper security measures so that IoT devices can perform their functions automatically without cybersecurity professionals having to figure out how to keep out unauthorized intruders.
6. Cloud security
Businesses are looking for experts with security skills applicable to hybrid and public cloud platforms like Azure and AWS. Companies use cloud infrastructure to implement technologies and policies that protect cloud-based devices and systems.
Cloud security also involves developing secure systems from scratch. Cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge and experience in managing large platforms like Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure are in demand.
Bottomline
Cybersecurity experts are in high demand today, and this demand will continue to increase in the future. We hope you now know what you’ll learn to start your cybersecurity career on the right path.
