7 Types of Cybersecurity Careers

Types of Cybersecurity Careers

Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field that requires specialized skills, knowledge, and experience. With the growing importance of cybersecurity and the ever-increasing cyber threats, cybersecurity professionals are in high demand.

New opportunities are opening up all the time, from entry-level positions to executive roles, and the range of job titles and duties is constantly expanding. For those looking to enter the exciting and dynamic field of cybersecurity, there are many different types of cybersecurity careers to choose from. 

Whether you’re looking to get started in the field or are already established, there is a multitude of cybersecurity careers available to choose from to suit your individual interests and skills. Today, we outline 7 types of cybersecurity careers.

Table Comparison: Cybersecurity Careers

Roles can range from system administrators and security analysts to ethical hackers, penetration testers, and risk managers. Each of these roles requires different skills and experience, but all are essential to keeping our networks and systems safe. Here is a table comparison of the various cybersecurity roles and responsibilities.

Aspect	Cybersecurity Analyst	Cybersecurity Architect	Ethical Hacker
Role Focus	Monitor and respond to security incidents, analyze threats, and implement security measures.	Design and plan the overall security architecture and strategy for an organization.	Identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in systems by simulating attacks and security breaches.
Responsibilities	Incident response, threat analysis, security monitoring, vulnerability assessment.	Security architecture design, policy development, risk assessment, technical oversight.	Identifying vulnerabilities, penetration testing, ethical hacking, security assessment.
Skillset	Strong analytical skills, incident response, SIEM tools, vulnerability assessment.	In-depth knowledge of security protocols, architecture design, risk management.	Deep understanding of hacking techniques, tools, and methodologies.
Security Strategy	Focused on day-to-day security operations and incident management.	Focuses on long-term security planning, creating frameworks, and aligning security with business goals.	Focuses on identifying and addressing vulnerabilities to strengthen security.
Scope	Primarily handles operational security tasks and incident response.	Focuses on high-level security architecture and policy development.	Concentrates on proactive security testing and vulnerability assessment.
Planning and Design	Limited involvement in architectural decisions.	Primarily responsible for creating security architecture and design.	Limited involvement in planning, primarily focused on finding security gaps.
Certifications	Common certifications: CompTIA Security+, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).	Common certifications: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).	Common certifications: Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), CompTIA PenTest+.
Typical Day	Monitoring logs, responding to incidents, analyzing threats, managing security tools.	Designing security architecture, creating security policies, collaborating with IT teams.	Scanning for vulnerabilities, conducting penetration tests, analyzing results.

1. Cybersecurity Architect

A cybersecurity architect is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing an organization’s overall security architecture. They develop the security infrastructure that organizations use to protect their networks, systems, and data from cyber threats.

The security architecture can include policies, procedures, and tools that are used to protect the organization’s assets. Cybersecurity architects identify potential risks and vulnerabilities, evaluate security solutions, and coordinate with other teams, such as the IT and network teams, to ensure the security solutions are integrated into the organization’s systems.

They also work to ensure that the organization’s security architecture meets all regulatory and industry compliance standards. Additionally, they may be required to manage security projects and provide training to employees on security best practices. Finally, cybersecurity architects monitor new developments in the field of cybersecurity and recommend changes to the organization’s security architecture when needed.

2. Cybersecurity Analyst

A cybersecurity analyst is responsible for identifying, investigating, and resolving computer security incidents. They also analyze security threats and develop strategies to mitigate them. Additionally, they are responsible for developing and implementing security solutions to protect an organization’s networks, systems, and data. 

Cybersecurity analysts monitor networks and systems for suspicious activity, analyze system logs, ensure compliance with security protocols, and investigate any potential cyberattacks. They may also develop security policies and procedures to ensure the security of an organization’s data and systems.

In addition to these responsibilities, cybersecurity analysts often perform risk assessments and develop plans to protect an organization from potential cyber threats. Furthermore, they may provide training to employees on how to recognize and respond to cyber threats, as well as develop and maintain incident response plans.

3. Information Security Analyst

An information security analyst is a professional who is responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring an organization’s security policies and procedures. This job requires strong technical skills in order to identify, analyze, and mitigate potential risks and threats to the organization’s systems and data. The analyst must also have a good understanding of the organization’s internal processes and regulations related to data security.

On a day-to-day basis, the analyst will monitor networks, systems, and applications for vulnerabilities and suspicious activity. They will also analyze logs and audit trails to detect anomalies and assess the organization’s level of risk. In addition, they will review user access and privileges to ensure that only authorized personnel has access to sensitive information. They may also develop security-related training materials, policies, and procedures.

An information security analyst must also be able to respond quickly to security incidents and investigate them to determine the root cause. They must then take necessary steps to remediate any issues and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Finally, the analyst must keep up to date on the latest security trends and technologies in order to protect the organization from potential threats.

4. Cybersecurity Engineer

A cybersecurity engineer is a specialist who helps to protect computer systems and networks from cyber-attacks. They are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining secure networks and systems. They must also be able to detect any intrusions or threats, analyze them, respond to them accordingly, and find a solution.

Cybersecurity engineers must understand the principles of system security and be knowledgeable in a variety of computer languages and operating systems. They must also have a good understanding of the different types of malware that exist and how to prevent them. In addition, they must be able to think critically and solve complex problems.

As part of their job, cybersecurity engineers must also be up to date on the latest security trends and technologies and be able to advise companies on the best ways to protect their systems. Furthermore, they must ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards, as well as provide training and guidance to other personnel in the organization.

5. Ethical Hacker

An ethical hacker, also known as a white hat hacker, is an individual who tests computer networks and systems for security vulnerabilities. They use the same techniques and methods as malicious hackers, with the main difference being that ethical hackers do so with permission from the owner of the system or network. 

The primary purpose of ethical hacking is to identify potential weaknesses and risks in the system, which can then be addressed before actual malicious hackers are able to exploit them. Some of the most common tasks performed by ethical hackers include penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, security audits, password cracking, and forensic analysis. Ethical hackers also use social engineering tactics, such as phishing, to test how well users can detect malicious attempts at accessing confidential information. 

Ethical hackers also use their knowledge of networks and systems to recommend ways to improve the overall security of the system. This includes recommending firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and other measures to prevent malicious actors from gaining access. In addition, ethical hackers may be asked to provide advice on how to respond in the event of a security breach. 

6. Penetration Tester

A penetration tester is an information security professional who seeks to identify vulnerabilities in computer systems, networks, and applications. Penetration testing is a proactive approach used to evaluate the security of a system by simulating an attack from a malicious outsider attempting to gain access to sensitive data or disrupt operations. The goal of such tests is to uncover any weaknesses that could be exploited to gain unauthorized access, damage systems, or disrupt operations.

Penetration testers use various tools and techniques to discover potential vulnerabilities, such as scanning networks for open ports, looking for misconfigured services, and using social engineering tactics to gain access to confidential information. After identifying potential vulnerabilities, testers can then exploit the vulnerabilities and gain access to the system. Once access has been gained, testers can then use privilege escalation techniques to gain higher levels of access.

Once any vulnerabilities have been identified, penetration testers will then report their findings to the system owners and advise on how to mitigate them. This often includes providing recommendations on how to secure the system, such as implementing stronger authentication protocols, applying patches, and installing additional security software.

7. Security Risk Manager

An information security risk manager is responsible for identifying and mitigating the potential risks associated with an organization’s computer systems, networks, and data. They are responsible for creating and implementing policies, procedures, and processes to protect the organization from cyberattacks, data breaches, and other threats.

This includes conducting security assessments, developing security plans and protocols, and monitoring network activity. They also ensure that all employees are aware of the security policies and educate them on best practices for data security. The risk manager works closely with other departments within the organization, such as IT, engineering, legal, and finance, to ensure that the security measures are effective. 

Additionally, they manage the budget for security initiatives and manage vendors who provide security services. Overall, the job of an information security risk manager is to ensure the security of an organization’s network, systems, and data, while helping to avoid costly data breaches.