Posted by On our computers, we store a lot of valuable information. These range from pictures to messages and even money too. Most times the information is meant to be confidential so it wouldn’t be nice if we lost the information to hackers or viruses. This is where cyber security comes in.
WHAT IS CYBER SECURITY?
In very simple words, Cyber Security can be defined as the application of methods, controls, technologies etc to protect against external attacks on systems, programs, Networks and devices. Its main objective is to reduce the frequency and risk of attacks and protect systems, devices and networks from unauthorized access by external sources.
WHY IS CYBER SECURITY IMPORTANT?
Like mentioned, cyber security helps to protect all confidential information on your computer against cyber threats. These cyber threats include:
Malware
These are programs inserted into a system to compromise the authenticity, confidentiality and availability of data. Examples are spyware, rootkits and bootkits, viruses, Trojans and worms.
Password attacks
Cyber attackers are able to have access to a whole lot of information with the right password. The victims of password attacks are often tricked into giving out their passwords or the attackers are able to just outrightly guess it
SQL Injection
This type of cyber attack occurs when harmful code has been inserted into a server that uses SQL. When infected, the server releases important information to the attacker. This attack is as easy as entering the link into the search box of a vulnerable website.
Phishing
These attacks use fake communication such as a social media account or an email to trick the victim into opening it and carrying out instructions inside. These instructions range from requesting pass codes to bank details etc.
Denial of service
Denial of service (DOS) is a type of attack that floods a network, system or computer so it can’t respond to requests. This process disables the network and hackers use the time that the network is disabled to launch other attacks.
Ransomware
In this type of cyber attack, an attacker locks the victim’s computer typically through encryption and then demands a payment or ransom to decrypt it.
You should also learn how to get experience in software development.
HOW TO GAIN EXPERIENCE IN CYBER SECURITY
Just like every other career out there, getting a job in cyber security without experience can be very hard. You may ask “how can I get experience when no one will give me a job?” In the following steps below, we will talk about ways with which experience can be gained in cyber security.
GET A BASIC AMOUNT OF TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE
Without basic knowledge of computers it is not possible to chase a career in cyber security. Spending some amount of time learning about computers and technology is the first step. You should be able to have knowledge about basic computer repair and networking information.
Most organizations if not all use basic computers and networking systems so it’s never a bad idea to learn about computers and cyber security. It is important because you can work just about everywhere
START A CYBER SECURITY PROJECT
One of the best ways to gain experience is to work on technological projects for yourself or your family. Projects could range from fixing a broken computer to installing a router to working on anti-virus software. Because you’ve been learning and improving your technical knowledge, most of these basic tasks shouldn’t be hard for you.
OFFER UP YOUR KNOWLEDGE BY VOLUNTEERING
Volunteering for non-profit organizations is a very good avenue to gain experience and the projects you work on will have a higher priority in CV’s and resumes than some personal cyber security projects. This is because it’s a work-related experience and it’s a higher priority to employers than basic experience or no experience at all.
ATTEND CYBER SECURITY COMPETITIONS
By now you should have gained a lot of experience and it’s very important to take this next step. Attending cybersecurity competitions will help you to be able to work under pressure and in turn give you some additional experience. It also gives you a lot of exposure because a lot of people who could employ you or who could refer you to employers are typically in these competitions watching.
APPLY FOR JOBS AND TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW ABOUT IT
This step is very important because you are basically advertising your work to people. It’s important to tell those you know about your experience in cyber security because more often than not there’s a high chance you will get a job from referrals.
WHAT TYPE OF CYBER SECURITY CAN I USE TO GAIN EXPERIENCE?
Cyber Security systems are a key part of every organization and they’re classified into various types. All that’s left for you is to choose which one you are most comfortable with and focus on gaining as much experience as you can on this type of cyber security. You can also choose to add others when you’ve mastered one. What are the types? Let’s take a look:
Application security:
Application security basically involves protecting devices and their software from unwanted threats. A sure way to protect an application is to constantly update it to make sure it’s secure from attacks.
Identity Management:
Identity management deals with the activity which determines the level of access each party has in an organization.
Mobile Security:
Mobile security involves securing the personal and organizational data stored in devices such as cell phones, tablets, laptops and other similar devices against various cyber threats. These threats include device loss or theft, malware, unauthorized access etc.
Network security:
Network security involves implementation of the software and hardware components of a system or systems to safeguard a network from attacks, intrusion, unauthorized access and misuse.
Information or Data security:
Information and data security entails having a strong data storage mechanism to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of data in both storage and in transit.
Cloud security:
Cloud security involves safeguarding the information stored in the digital environment otherwise known as the cloud for an organization. Cloud service providers like Google, azure, AWS etc are used to ensure security against multiple threats.
CONCLUSION
Cyber security is a very competitive area of expertise so it’s important to have a lot of experience because it keeps you ahead of the competition. From what we’ve learnt so far, cyber threats are basically attacks on computers or computer networks and it’s very important to keep a computer network safe from Intruders.
This is where you come in. Your job will basically be about keeping a computer or computer network safe from attackers and without much experience it won’t be easy. By now you should know how to gain experience in cyber security and use it to your advantage. Good luck to you!