Cybersecurity is a topic of hot discussion following Australia being hit with one of its largest breaches in Australian history.
From ransomware threatening to take down telecommunication networks to data breaches impacting Australian Universities, these incidents are becoming a regular thing within the news and all-over social media, highlighting the important role cyber security experts play.
In this article, we discuss topics such as:
Cybersecurity is a fast-growing industry with a vast talent gap
- The diverse paths to a cybersecurity career
- Cybersecurity roles are high-paying and in-demand
- Salary trends in cyber security
- Tackling cyber security interview
The cyber security skills gap.
Over an eight-year period, Cybersecurity Ventures tracked the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs. They noted a growth of 350 percent, from one million positions in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021. Emphasizing how many organisations are in a challenging position, as security engineers are hard to find or are requesting high salary expectations when interviewing.
There are major challenges detracting from the growth outlook for Australia’s cyber security sector, which include a shortage of workers in the industry, an absence of focus in research and commercialisation, blockages to growth and export for smaller local cyber security providers, and a lack of measurement of the sector’s development and economic impact.
In order to tackle this gap, Australia’s cyber security sector will put focus heavily on workers with transferrable skills from other industries, such as the broader IT sector. There are signs that companies could offer stronger training pathways to accelerate the transition of workers from outside the sector into cybersecurity roles, so if you fall into this category, you may find the transition easier than expected.
The diverse paths to a cybersecurity career
Taking on a career in cyber security can take you anywhere both professionally and within the global workforce.
Choosing a pathway into cyber security can vary. You can venture down the traditional tertiary or vocational education or start your journey with self-learning and demonstrating your practical skills.
If you are wondering how to get into cyber security, the first step is to your natural skillsets, alongside the type of activities you like to do and then match that with the jobs that are on offer.
With multiple domains within cyber security and an abundance of roles to choose from, you can find a career path to suit your skillsets and needs. The hardest part will be knowing what role you are best suited to without having exposure and experience.
It’s common to categorise domains into three areas of focus:
Management: Security governance and oversight roles.
Technical: Security engineering and operations roles.
Senior leadership: Focusing on the people.
Cybersecurity is in-demand and salary expectations are on the rise
A cyber security career can open the door for longevity and financial security on the career front and has the potential of a high-paying salary. The high demand for cyber security jobs plus the dire need for specific skills to fulfill the job allows for an attractive employment package.
Here in Australia, the average salary for cyber security positions vary between states and are ever-evolving between job roles. Our research notes the following salary trends in the following:
Cyber Security Consultant: $130 – 200k
Cyber Security Engineer: $130 – 180k
Cyber Security Specialists: $130 – 180k
Cyber Security Analyst: $130 – 170k
Cyber Security Manager: $180 – 300k
Tackling the cyber security interview
When it comes to crunch time, your interview will be the deciding factor on whether you are the right candidate for the job. This step will showcase your understanding and knowledge within the role.
Preparing yourself to answer the interview questions with confidence prepares you for success. That paired with a deep understanding of the company will be the critical step to leaving a lasting impression.
To better help prepare you for the interview process, we have compiled some comprehensive questions you may be asked depending on the role.
Cyber Attack Questions
What is SQL injection?
What is Spoofing?
What is a Distributed Denial of Service attack (DDoS)?
How to avoid ARP poisoning?
What is ransomware?
What is the difference between active and passive cyberattacks?
What is a social engineering attack?
What are honeypots?
Network Security Questions
What is the OSI model? Explain the different layers of the OSI model.
Define Unicasting, Multicasting, and Broadcasting.
What is DNS?
What is a Firewall?
What is a VPN?
What are the advantages of distributed processing?
What is TCP/IP?
What do you mean by ipconfig and ifconfig?
Software and Programming Security Questions
How do you keep your computer secure?
Discuss security-related aspects between C, C++, and Java.
What are the different sources of malware?
What are the types of threats a company can face?
What are black box and white box testing?
What is use-case testing?
What are the test levels in software testing?
What is the difference between IDS and IPS?
Explain SSL Encryption.
What steps will you take to secure a server?
What is port scanning?
What do you understand about “Risk, Vulnerability & Threat” in a network?
How often should you perform Patch management?
Explain DDOS attack and how to prevent it.
What is data protection in transit vs data protection at rest?
By understanding the various cybersecurity interview questions, you can better equip yourself with the right answers and tools in preparation.
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