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Career path for a role in Cyber Security/IT security

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  • 06-04-2014 10:40am
    #1
    clonmel1
    Registered Users Posts: 26 ✭


    Hi

    I have recently completed a HDip in cloud computing and am interested in a career in cyber security. Does anyone know what the career path for this would be?

    I know of two certifications:

    CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
    CISM (Certified Information Security Management)


    has anyone done these and would they recommend them.

    or if anyone is working as a certified security consultant or in the area of cyber security could they please share how they went about it.

    it would be much appreciated

    thanks


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    #2
    Fitzinho
    Registered Users Posts: 70 ✭✭Fitzinho


    Have both and they are good door openers, most ITSec jobs will look for the CISSP although you're supposed to have 5 years of industry experience as well as passing the exam to be certified.

    The CISM was a fairly easy pass, just got the questions database from ISACA and went through it for about 50 hours, same as I did for the CISA. I think the ISACA exams are a bit rubbish but they were easy certs to get that carry decent value. Only thing is again you need someone to sign off on your experience. There are tons of auditing jobs around at the moment FYI but it's really boring work.

    If you can swing the cash maybe self study (or do a course) SANS certs, they are great, carry a lot of sway and you actually learn something practical


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    #3
    clonmel1
    Registered Users Posts: 26 ✭clonmel1


    thanks for that


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    #4
    Keyzer
    Registered Users Posts: 4,331 ✭✭✭Keyzer


    Do you have a specific area of security you want to work in?


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    #5
    wandererz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,528 ✭✭✭wandererz


    To expand on the above it depends on what area you're interested in initially, for example:
    - Network security (the nuts and bolts - Firewalls/WAFS/Messaging/Wireless etc.)
    - Coding
    - Auditing / Management

    There are others, but those are what come to mind immediately.

    Across all of them, you do need a fairly decent understanding of networking, protocols, how networks are architected and so on. This would be the building blocks of a career in fact.

    It isn't common for someone to get into the field simply with a CISSP or CISM yet without any prior experience in terms of the first two areas i mentioned above --- however, stranger things have been known to happen...

    So my advice would be to improve your skills in terms of networking, architecture and coding. Gain some experience and certifications in those areas, propped up by hands-on certification such as SANS, vendor product certification such as Cisco, Check Point, Fortinet, Juniper etc.

    This in the short term makes you employable by companies specializing in IT security as well as IT security departments in other companies.
    The rest can follow on from there.

    If you want to be strategic about it, then look at what is being asked for in terms of available jobs both in Ireland and other locations and target the growth areas.

    If you need further advice, then PM me.


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