Firstly, the Cybersecurity Expert job within a company is to anticipate flaws related to data protection in the information system and secure them. They establish a diagnosis that enables them to identify all security flaws and then provide protection solutions.
With an obligation to achieve the results, they are also responsible for training the company’s staff in good data protection and information security practices.
Let’s look in detail at the steps involved in being a Cybersecurity Expert.
Performing a diagnosis of the information system
Sometimes assisted by volunteer hackers or intrusion professionals, the cybersecurity expert first studies the information system in its entirety. This diagnosis allows them to propose solutions for maximum security (protection from attacks, but also confidentiality). Through this diagnosis, they then mainly try to identify the weak points of the system.
Setting up various security processes
In close collaboration with IT specialists and the heads of the various departments, the cybersecurity expert defines a security strategy suitable for the company’s needs. This strategy consists of a comprehensive set of procedures, from password management to encryption (encryption and decryption of outgoing and incoming messages), via firewalls, antivirus software, etc.
Ensuring the durability of security systems
To develop solutions and ensure their sustainability, the cybersecurity expert must know the law and specific regulations and be well-informed about new technologies. They must also be able to update security systems according to new threats and the latest technologies.
Required skills of the Cybersecurity Expert
Solid knowledge
The Cybersecurity Expert must have a solid knowledge of security system development. They must also regularly update their knowledge on the latest threats on the Internet.
Anticipation and responsiveness
The Cybersecurity Expert must have an excellent sense of anticipation since their work is primarily based on prevention and vulnerability management. They must also be extremely responsive and know how to handle pressure when security problems arise.
A good teacher
This professional must be a good teacher and maintain a good working relationship with colleagues. Because these are two key elements that will help him/her raise awareness among colleagues about information system security.
Context
For the past few years, companies have been allocating more and more of their budget to IT security. Faced with the explosion of cybercrime, and with the increasing complexity of information systems, companies are often looking for new cybersecurity specialists.
Salary
The average daily rate for a cybersecurity expert is between 300 and 600€.
Education and training
In conclusion, to become a cybersecurity expert, it is necessary to have a 5-year degree. You can pursue an engineering degree with a specialization in computer security. Or to follow a master’s degree in computer science with a specialization in computer systems security. These two courses are highly appreciated.
The security of a company’s data is now a strategic issue. This is why cybersecurity will often have a special status within a company. After a few years of experience, the cybersecurity expert can move towards positions such as information system manager or director.
Ethical hacking can be the solution to some of our most serious cybersecurity issues. We interview Rickey Gevers, cybersecurity expert and founder of Scattered Secrets, a password breach notification and prevention service that is helping businesses and individuals protect their online accounts.
Here is how this Dutch security pro got into hacking, was arrested by the authorities, and went on to show how that his talents could also be a force for good.
My dad was really the one who introduced me to tech. I’m not a typical technical person. I like to play outside and those kinds of things. So, not necessarily being behind a computer. But my dad bought a computer when I was young, so I started playing with it at a young age too. I liked the Internet a lot because you could search for anything you wanted. I am a very curious person, so I was looking things up all the time.
But an Internet connection was very expensive back then, and at one point my parents had to pay a lot of money because of me. So, they used a Windows password. But I managed to break into the Windows user account and started using the Internet again. They got mad again, and then my dad used a BIOS password, which was a proper measure to keep me out for a month or so.
Then I managed to take out the whole modem, put it in my own computer, install all of the drivers and use the phone connection from the moment they left the house. And I put my computer in such a position that if they came home, I could see them entering and remove the cable, remove the modem, and put them back in my dad’s computer just in time before they entered the house. That’s how I sort of started hacking, in a pretty natural way. I wasn’t really busy with hacking or anything. I just wanted to get the things done.
Then, at the age of 13, you created Waarneming.nl, a leading community-driven platform where users collect and share data for nature conservation, research or education. How did you go from there to the major leagues of hacking?
Usually, when I talk about the things that I have achieved, I see Waarneming.nl as the brightest thing that I’ve done. I didn’t make any money from it, but it contributes a lot to society. And at one point the website got hacked, which I will never forget. One guy just took it offline and put some defacement posters on it. I put the website back online but, after half an hour, the guy defaced the website again. It a lot of fun for him but, of course, it was not for me.
I decided I didn’t want this to happen anymore in the future. And the only way to stop it was to understand how hackers work. So, I started to learn to hack and, pretty quickly, I hacked my first computer. I kept on challenging myself. Back in the day, nobody got arrested for it. I didn’t break any computers ; didn’t delete any files or whatever you can imagine ; I just hacked the computer and that’s all I did. So I started aiming for higher targets. I went from one computer to a computer network. I went to universities because they had fast Internet connections. And I moved up the ladder and eventually was able to basically hack any network, move laterally within the network and become the main admin. And that’s sort of where my story ended.
For some reason, the University of Michigan did a forensic investigation, found me and arrested me. As I said, this was back in the day, so not a lot of hackers got arrested. I had also hacked NASA, to just give you an example. And I remember one guy got arrested for hacking NASA, but at that time, it was very normal to hack computers at NASA.
What exactly happened with the whole University of Michigan incident?
Well, the University of Michigan was sort of my playground, because the Internet connection there was very slow. So, if I wanted to try some new tools that I had found, I usually tried to do it on a network there, which is probably one of the reasons they caught me. But they did a proper forensic investigation and they determined that I was in the network, that I had full control of the network, but that I didn’t do anything else. So that’s why the FBI basically did not chase me.
Then the high-tech crime unit here in the Netherlands was established and they contacted the FBI and asked them if they had anything they could do for them. So that’s when the FBI said, well, we have a file here. We know its name, we know where he lives, so maybe you can pick up the case. And that’s basically what they did. I got arrested by the high-tech crime unit as one of the first hackers they arrested, I believe. They thought I was a really big hacker, which I wasn’t, of course. I did hack a lot of computers, but I never did anything with it. So, I was basically a huge disappointment.
Then, after some years under trial, and a suspended sentence, you went back to hacking, but with a different approach. You went on to create Scattered Secrets. What was your thinking?
At first, when I went on trial, I wondered “should I continue this?” But after two years, I was like “well, I’m only good at one thing, so let’s just fight back and show everybody that I’m on the good side and that I don’t have anything to do with criminals or whatever.” And I started hacking again.
I did a lot of penetration testing, and at one point I noticed that you can easily hack any company and you usually do it with the same trick. That’s when I started building Scattered Secrets, because I believe you can hack any company by simply looking at the passwords that have been leaked. So that’s what we’re trying to fight against right now. We’re basically doing the low hanging fruit for most hackers. It’s not that interesting. It’s not that advanced. But, in our opinion, it’s the most dangerous and easiest way to hack any company right now.
So, you basically monitor for passwords that have been hacked and leaked. Where do hackers get these passwords?
The funny thing is that most passwords are leaked through only a few databases. We have a few enormous leaks. One of them is MyHeritage. The other one is MySpace. And the third one is LinkedIn. That’s where most passwords come from. It’s often the small databases people are in, but once every two years, you have an enormous breach.
Given these ongoing data leaks and recent headline-grabbing global breaches, how do you think we are doing in terms of cybersecurity?
Often, if you talk to security experts, they say we’re not getting better. But in my opinion, there won’t be a single day without hacks. That’s simply because you have the human factor, and the human factor is always vulnerable. We can build secure systems, but there’s still a human using them, so it will always be vulnerable. So, we have to deal with the fact that there will always be hacks.
At the same time, when it comes to multinationals – back in the day, in 2014 or prior to that, we had these flat networks, and you could easily become the administrator. It was pretty easy to hack large companies. I think most multinationals now have a certain base level. And, sure, in the news we see the ones that don’t have that base level. But we’re getting more and more mature. I think that’s the most valuable lesson.
To you, what’s the most challenging aspect of cybersecurity?
As a security researcher, I think the most challenging part is that you have to keep up with your knowledge, you have to continue learning and working. If you stop doing certain things, your knowledge starts to lag behind. It’s a constant battle to keep your knowledge at a certain level.
And what are your go-to cybersecurity education resources to stay at that level?
Without a doubt, the SANS Institute. In my opinion, they’re the only real experts. It’s very expensive, between six and eight thousand euros, but it’s absolutely worth the money. I try to do a course every year, but it’s not always easy to find the time.
It’s the perfect time to be a cybersecurity professional. Here are a few guidelines about cybersecurity careers to help you navigate the field.
When it comes to cybersecurity, one thing is certain: things only get more complex over time. Therefore, spurred by the global health crisis and the business world’s increasing reliance on IT systems, cybercrime is on the rise. At the same time, the industry is facing a rapidly widening talent gap that makes securing company networks and infrastructure doubly difficult. Moreover, the leading cybersecurity professional organization (ISC)² estimates that the global cybersecurity workforce needs to grow by 145% to meet the demand for skilled cybersec talent. Message received about cybersecurity careers: it’s the perfect time to be a cybersecurity professional
But it’s not always easy to identify the right career path in this ever-changing and all-encompassing area of IT. Here are a few guidelines to help you navigate the field.
Three levels of roles
All cybersecurity job titles fall within three levels or categories: entry-level, mid-level and advanced. Examples of jobs at the various jobs available depending on the level of experience include:
Entry-level: System Engineer, System Administrator, Network Engineer, Security Specialist
Advanced: Cybersecurity Manager, Cybersecurity Architect, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Cybersecurity careers : How to get a job
Although the previous distinction seems obvious at first glance—most careers have the same three levels—it is important to note that these don’t necessarily imply a linear progression, especially when looking to access mid-level cybersecurity roles.
That is due to the fact that a large proportion of security experts started out as experienced IT professionals with deep technical expertise, only moving into cybersecurity after mastering the ins and outs of networking, cloud and other core areas related to the security practice.
While accessing the cybersecurity industry through an entry-level role is possible and quite common—companies like to hire recent tech graduates who can quickly learn the basics and adapt to their particular workplace culture—most cybersec professionals are more on the senior side.
According to (ISC)², the average cybersec pro has worked for 9 years in IT roles, having spent 5 of those working on cybersecurity-related projects.
Top skills for cybersec pros
Since cybersecurity has many specialisation fields, there is not a unique set of skills that applies to all positions. Those interested in more technical tracks will have to gain full proficiency of the protocols, environments, devices and applications that are important for their specific niche.
Some of these technologies include:
Operating systems & databases (Windows, Unix, Linux, SQL…)
Once that is covered, security pros tend to go onto focus on a particular field or family of technologies, including:
Cisco and Microsoft
Cloud computing
Wireless
Database modelling
Cryptography
In addition, managerial roles will require the ability to plan and conduct training, write technical specifications, evaluate risk and the compliance with legal regulations.
Soft-skills are also critical for a successful career in cybersecurity. Team building and collaboration, a curious mind with a passion for solving puzzles, the business acumen to navigate corporate environments. All of these
Cybersecurity careers: certify yourself
Finally, and as it is often the case with technical careers, certifications are absolutely vital. There are several world-renowned organisations and companies offering certifications based on the area of focus:
CompTIA
EC Council
(ISC)²
ISACA
Cisco Systems
Microsoft
Besides validating your expertise within the industry and justifying, for instance, a career change into cybersecurity, certifications will often allow you to earn more money.
According to (ISC)² estimates, the average salary for cybersecurity experts holding a security certification is €60,000, way more than that of those who don’t —about €7,000 on average.
