By Rajesh Kumar

Cybersecurity is a rapidly expanding field. As the risk of cyberattacks is greater than ever, companies are fighting to fill their ranks with professionals that can protect their information and networks.

Once a practice primarily associated with government agencies and defence contractors, cybersecurity is now mainstream. In almost every imaginable sector, cybersecurity experts are found: government agencies, businesses, universities, financial institutions, medical, banking, manufacturing and even defence/aerospace companies. From analysts to penetrators and cybercrime investigators, and data protection roles, there’s a position for everyone in the field from cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity pay-scale can be lucrative because of the vital nature of the work. The job can be challenging, requiring a combination of fine-tuned technical skills with imagination and versatility. Although job duties vary from one area to another, one thing is true across the board: standing on the front lines of the information security activities of an organisation.

While job titles vary from business to business, here are some of the most important job roles:
> Security auditor,
> Incident analyst/responder,
> Cybercrime investigator,
> Cybersecurity specialist/technician,
> Cybersecurity analyst,
> Cybersecurity consultant,
> Penetration tester,
> Cybersecurity architect,
> Data security engineer,
> Data privacy officer.

Also, in due course, it’s expected new-age industries will evolve based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. It means now is the best time to get involved in this industry. To get a foothold in cybersecurity, a background in technology and IT is a prerequisite. The rate at which developments are happening means a cybersecurity experts need to constantly update with not only the latest tools and gadgets to hit the market, but also with the latest trends and happenings in the domain.

While the roles played by cybersecurity experts will differ from profile to profile, the basic skill remains the same: To monitor, investigate and advise on how to stay safe in the cyberworld.

The author is director, Cyber Security, Netrika Consulting