Let’s continue with our overview of the eight domains within which you could grow your cybersecurity career. To highlight once more, having this basic understanding of the different cybersecurity domains would be very helpful in your job search. Because if you understand the field overview and role responsibilities, this could serve as the rocket to boost you on your career track. So, without further ado, here is the second part of the eight cybersecurity domains.
Security and Risk Management
Perhaps the largest cybersecurity domain that deals with protecting organizations against social engineering threats and attacks. Put it simply, security and risk management professionals focus on implementing security awareness programs and procedures. The good news here is that nowadays more and more organizations have realized the importance of this field and have been investing in Managed Security Awareness.
Experts within the field are to:
- uphold the three core principles of information security: confidentiality, integrity, and availability;
- install governance principles to make sure that the organization’s security is aligned with business strategy, operations, and goals. As always, remember that security is everyone’s responsibility;
- create and sustain information technology procedures and policies via various resources, including documented security policies, standards, procedures, and guidelines;
- establish risk-based management by conducting assessments and maintaining regularity, and communicating results across the organization. The assessments would include qualitative and quantitative risk assessment, identifying threats and vulnerabilities. Relevant security and audit frameworks and methodologies include COSO, ITIL, COBIT, ISO 27002:2013;
- integrate risk-based solutions into acquisition strategy and practice. There should be a special focus on supply chain risk management programs, taking into consideration physical assets, information, and communication technologies;
- set the enterprise continuity requirements or the processes the organization should follow when (and after) a disaster strikes. The responsibilities include determining the project scope, proposing solutions, implementing strategy, and conducting BIA (Business Impact Analysis);
- suggest security improvements using threat modeling and methodology;
- implement personnel security policies – as we all know, within a managed environment, the weakest link is the human factor;
- lead security education by conducting awareness and training programs; installing performance metrics to measure the programs’ success;
- follow compliance requirements and resolve legal and regulatory issues.
The security and risk management domain offers multiple career paths you could follow. Some careers you could choose from include: Cyber Security Compliance & Risk Manager; Cyber Security Risk Specialist; Security Architect; Cyber Security Risk, Compliance and Governance; Enterprise Risk Management Consultant.
Security Assessment and Testing
If your strengths are your analytical thinking and immaculate attention to detail, this is a field in which you’d succeed. Security Assessment and Testing is a domain that deals with analyzing the organization’s current security procedures in search of system vulnerabilities, errors, weaknesses, and also potential threats that aren’t covered by the current policies.
Using various tools and methodologies, professionals deal with:
- Vulnerability assessments: internal and third-party audits
- Penetration testing: control testing and ethical hacking
- Attack simulations: designing and validating their efficiency
- Data analysis: collecting and analyzing security data from test outputs
- Documentation: Conduct compliance checks and, when necessary, ethical disclosure of information.
Security testing experts are responsible for setting disaster recovery and business continuity plans. They could also conduct awareness training programs to ensure everyone is on the same page about security. By joining this exciting field, you could choose to grow within any of the following roles:
- Penetration Tester
- Security Analyst
- Security Assessment Tester
- Vulnerability Tester (Ethical Hacker)
Don’t forget to check out a behind-the-scenes look into the role and responsibilities of a pentester from the AMATAS team.
Software Security
This is also known as the software development security domain. Professionals within this field regulate the surrounding software systems and execute protocols to support the IT professionals, working within a mutual environment.
They are tasked to ensure the effectiveness of software security by:
- installing secure coding guidelines and software-designed security standards
- overseeing security processes and procedures in development environments
- monitoring the whole software development life cycle – performing code analysis; integrating updated application feature requirements within the application’s security
- risk analysis and vulnerability identification: auditing source codes to detect weaknesses
- using frameworks, e.g., maturity models, development methodologies, open-source and third-party development security
- conducting secure coding training for developers
Roles within this domain include Software Security Engineers / Developers.
Security Operations
Remember part 1’s Security Architecture and Engineering domain? Security Operations is closely linked to it, as experts working within it ensure all systems and procedures devised by the architects and engineers are working properly. They do so by analyzing both users’ and systems’ behaviors to install plans to safeguard against threats and – in case of exploitation – further malicious actions.
Their duties are linked with safeguarding organizations’ assets and include:
- digital forensics and penetrations testing
- threat hunting and intelligence
- incident response, management, and administration
- business continuity and disaster recovery
- intrusion avoidance via exposure tools, firewalls, and sandboxing
Often, experts looking to grow within this field join a security operations center (SOC). The various roles in the SOC are:
- Security Analyst / Engineer /Manager
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
- Director Incident Response
- Director of Threat Intelligence
At AMATAS, we’re always on the lookout for new talent to join our teams on exciting projects. Wondering what it’s like to work with us? You’ll be joining a team of creative, innovative, and responsible professionals. We are always on the lookout to leave our footprint and make a positive impact within the digital environment.
AMATAS is a space where security, confidentiality, and integrity all come together and could be found within all elements of our business, and operations. These principles are also embodied by every member of our team. We are constantly updating to the latest changes in the environment by obtaining the newest – and most relevant – certifications for our respective fields. Our experts have their own individual career paths, which we have mapped out together.
We offer exciting opportunities to learn and grow in Application Security Testing, Penetration Testing, Managed Detection and Response, and Managed Security Awareness; to name a few.
If you’re interested to find out more about our team, make sure you follow us on LinkedIn for the latest news and updates.
