This is a guest post by Rosemarie O'Connor.
Cyber security training is a subset of IT training that focuses on security issues. Training in this area can take many various shapes, depending on the participants' motivation. A skillful study is required to choose the best training decision to significantly advance your career. This article aims to discuss some important characteristics to consider while looking for the best cyber security training course.
Because cyber threats are persistent and flexible, aspiring cybersecurity professionals must cultivate these abilities as well. Training is an integral part of cybersecurity workforce preparation since it swiftly gets learners up to speed on the current status of tech-security issues. In any case, cybersecurity is a critical component of modern companies, serving as the most effective anti-data-theft strategy available. Its scale might appear limitless at times to potential interns at cyber security companies.
Finding the Best Cyber Security Course for You
Understanding your personal motivation is the first step in finding the best cyber security training for you. People who are just starting out in their careers or who work in IT areas other than security see the courses as a way to gain knowledge and skills that will enable them to get into the industry.
The shortage of cyber security experts has resulted in the formation of a so-called "skill gap," which has been estimated at up to 3.5 million openings by various studies. This indicates that having the correct predispositions and learning skills in the sector mentioned above almost guarantees you a job.
A large number of highly distinct courses are available on the market due to the variety of training formats, the motivation of their participants, the balance of practice and theory, as well as the degrees of development. It's essential to assess your requirements thoroughly so that the training you select fulfills your demands.
What are the Primary Cybersecurity Job Paths?
Cybersecurity specialists operate in various settings, including small businesses, large corporations, and complicated networks. Training varies based on a person's chosen job path. As a cybersecurity professional, there are four main job routes to choose from. These four approaches are always relevant, even at the training level, in order to keep any safe environment completely optimized through intuitive placements of expert personnel.
The following are the four primary cybersecurity job paths:
- System Security Testing
- Information Protection
- Security Consultancy
- Security Architecture
Because these four pillars of digital defense tend to overlap with other disciplines, extensive training is required. Firewall stress testing, for example, and even ethical hacking are all part of system security testing.
Find Your Cyber Security Specialisation
The cyber security business has experienced various changes throughout the years, but the growth of several specialties within it has had the largest impact. This process directly resulted from the IT world's evolution and the creation of new technologies and sectors within it. Threats, assaults, detection methods, and responses are all highly specialised in each of these sectors.
The following are a few examples of possible areas:
- Web application security
- Mobile application security
- Network application security
- IoT solutions' security. Nowadays, not only do people use the internet but also machines and devices; therefore, it is essential to understand common IoT security issues.
- Active Directory and Windows systems security
- Database protection
- Computer network security
Pricing of Cyber Security Courses
Price cannot be ignored when considering a cyber security course. Commercial cyber security training can cost anywhere from $20 to completely free in its most basic form. Those interested can find monthly access to rich training materials in the subscription model or can get permanent access to a single course in the form of video recordings for this amount.
For $1000–2000, online training courses based on vast resources in the form of e-learning and providing valuable laboratories systematising the gained information may be obtained. Similar sums are involved when organisations give training in the form of 2–3-day sessions. However, the practical portion is normally carried out to a limited extent by utilising the computers of the training participants.
What Should a Cybersecurity Course Include?
A well-designed cyber security course should include a basic understanding of security skills. These should emphasize hands-on practical skills, ensuring that security professionals are better prepared to address a range of security issues that impact organisations today.
Baseline cybersecurity skills are relevant across more of today's work positions to safeguard systems, software, and hardware, and more job roles require candidates to obtain security certificates. The ideal cybersecurity course will be up-to-date and cover essential technical skills in risk assessment and management, incident response, forensics, enterprise networks, hybrid/cloud operations, and security controls to assure satisfactory performance.
Theory vs. Practice in Cyber Security Training Courses
The proportion between the quantity of theoretical and practical information that the participant may obtain is the second significant feature of cyber security courses. Some of the courses, particularly the fundamental ones and those that introduce trainees to a specific field, place a considerable emphasis on theoretical knowledge. The emphasis on the practical part of training grows as the programme progresses.
Information Security Compliance Requirements
Every cybersecurity course should include information security compliance requirements such as NIST, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and other common cybersecurity frameworks and standards. This is because candidates may be asked to analyse and manage these frameworks and control standards as a part of their job.
In Conclusion
The ability to select the appropriate cyber security training will influence whether you will progress in your chosen path and meet your professional objectives and if your career will take off. When it comes to the subject of "which cyber security training should you choose?" there is no one-size-fits-all solution. You should be aware of a number of evaluation criteria. Some of these characteristics are general, but many are specific to our own tastes, experience, career stage, and what we do now or aspire to do in the future.
Making rash judgments based on social media advertising, for example, may not be the greatest option. It is worthwhile to invest some time and effort in assessing your demands and familiarising yourself with the content description and opinions on the training that we are interested in. There is no such thing as wasted time when it comes to choosing which training to pursue.
Keen to pursue or advance a career in cyber security?
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About the Author:
Rosemarie O'Connor is a cybersecurity marketing professional with years of experience crafting the right message for the right audience at the right time. At Iron Range Cyber, Rosemarie helps develop inbound marketing strategies to connect with businesses across sectors to demonstrate the benefits of streamlined cybersecurity program management.
