Cybercrime costs a total of $10.5 trillion annually. It is the third-largest economy in the world, after only the United States and China. The situation looks something like this: everything we do has become significantly more digitalized since the pandemic. This creates new levels of personal and professional freedom, but it also establishes a much larger attack surface for cybercriminals.

The modern threat landscape is nuanced and multifaceted, including supply chain attacks, zero-day exploits, AI-powered threats, nation-state actors, and ransomware. Frightening though these threats are, they are thwarted day in and day out by cybersecurity professionals trained in strengthening digital defenses.

In this article, we take a look at the frontline defenders who keep the world safe from cybercriminals.

Overview

In the next several headings, we’re going to look at careers that exist on the other side of a cybersecurity degree. While the list below is comprehensive, it is also incomplete.

There are many different roles you can pursue as a cybersecurity professional, ranging from employment within established businesses to entrepreneurial opportunities as a cybersecurity consultant or small business owner. There are so many possibilities with this type of degree.

The Digital Watchdogs of Security Operation Centers

Security operation centers provide a first line of defense against cyberattacks, particularly those targeted toward infrastructure, national security, and other institutional organizations that influence the lives of millions. These centers feature triage-based security alert systems designed to immediately identify the biggest and most relevant threats and address them as quickly as possible.

People working in these facilities are responsible for monitoring security dashboards, collecting data from firewalls and other antivirus programs, and investigating security alerts as they arise. Part of their job is to distinguish false positives from genuine threats while escalating confirmed incidents to the appropriate response team. They do all of this through endpoint detection and response software, manual network monitoring, threat intelligence programs, platforms, and other technology.

It also requires a significant amount of training and knowledge. Professionals working in these environments need to understand threats, respond quickly, and think on their feet, particularly in high-pressure situations.

Challenges of Modern Threat Monitoring

One of the biggest obstacles people working in first-line defense centers experience is alert fatigue. Approximately 85% of daily alerts are false positives or threats that can be addressed through automation.

A big part of the job is manually reviewing threats and determining their significance. The goal is always to respond as quickly as possible to minimize potential ramifications.

Average response times have slowly but steadily been declining, but they are still slower than desirable. On average, attackers are able to go undetected for about two weeks, which is less than the three weeks previously established in the early 2000s. Nevertheless, this timeframe is more than long enough for damage to be done.

Penetration Testers

Penetration Testers orchestrate authorized cyber-attacks. Their goal is to simulate real threats to test existing security protocols for gaps or weaknesses. In other words, they break into a system preemptively to stop an actual bad actor from doing the same thing.

Penetration Testers, sometimes called Ethical Hackers, often use automated scanners to identify vulnerabilities and then attempt to exploit them. The detailed reports they produce help organizations protect themselves from digital threats.

Threat Intelligence Analysts

Threat Intelligence Analysts collect and analyze information concerning potential cybersecurity threats. They source their information through a wide range of resources, including data from firewall software as well as social forums on the internet. This could include everything from Reddit threads to social media posts and even dark web gathering points.

Threat Intelligence Professionals work in a wide variety of environments, including both public and private sectors.

Security Architects

Security Architects plan, design, and oversee the implementation of organizational security infrastructure. They are often brought in by organizations or institutions that require custom solutions to very specific problems—entities that need more than cookie-cutter tools can provide.

Security Architects are involved in long-term strategic planning. They may build systems from the ground up or evaluate existing systems, identify inadequacies, and develop solutions to address the problems.

How to Get a Job in Cybersecurity Plus What it Pays

Getting a job in cybersecurity begins with an undergraduate degree in a related discipline. However, most people go on to get a graduate degree. Most people interested in a more advanced career will go on to get a graduate degree. A graduate degree in cybersecurity requires a time investment of two to three years and can cost $30,000 or more total, but is worthwhile for people who want to expand their options and sometimes dramatically increase their earning potential.

Salary expectations for cybersecurity professionals can vary pretty dramatically, from upper five figures to mid–six figures depending on your position, your credentials, and your skill level. Getting a graduate degree does not necessarily ensure that you’ll find your way to the higher end of that fairly dramatic spectrum, but it does improve your chances.

That said, tech careers are famously nuanced in how they are accessed. Yes, credentials will open doors, but employers really just want to make sure that you can do the work that they require. People have found high levels of success through certification programs, skill boot camps, or no professional credential at all. The important thing is that you showcase an ability to do the required work at an extremely high level.

Getting a graduate degree is one of the more linear routes you can take to success, but at the end of the day, it’s important to find the path that makes the most sense for you. Cybersecurity careers are lucrative, in high demand, and can be personally fulfilling. While getting your foot in the door does require time and effort, the outcome is very much worth the input.

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