UNIVERSITY HG) ssrees+ sesrcouzces raneanes careers Resource cenren [SEARCH PROGRAMS SEARCH PROGRAMS Become a Cyber Security Auditor - Careers & Outlook § |... Selo: Dear Expai Navigation in page SEARCH COLLEGES “The best way to become a cyber secur auditor wil vary from person to person and employer to employer. Overal, eyber security auditors will have to “demonstrate ther skils and acumen through higher education, certifications, work experience, or all three, Advanced degrees and professional development can also contribute to greater opportunities throughout the cyber auelting community Its also possible to become a cyber security auditor with non-related degrees or no degree at al you have the right certifications and work experience, ‘Overview Sklls to Acquire ‘Alternative Pathe ‘Advancement Search Programs ‘cyber Seeuy Select Degree OverviewWhat is a Cyber Security Auditor? ‘A cyber securty auditor centers ther focus on all elements surrounding the extensive auditing practices of online security systems and networks in a number of capacities, such as the analysis of existing systems, recommendations regarding infasiructure repairs, and updates 2s wel as protocol ‘changes. These cyber security professionals are responsible for fring vulnerable throughout an organization. A eyber security autor may also be responsible fr establishing policies and procedures from bath an operational and regulatory standpoint. Careers in cyber securty auditing also sire that professionals constantly monitor tends in eyber-threats, legislation, and best practices Steps to Become a Cyber Security Auditor: @o ‘Step 1: Complete a Degree ® s @ sows @ sepa 2: Work Experionce ortieatons arwor Advancement Step 1: Complete a Degree ‘The traditional path, and arguably the easiest path, to begin a career as a cyber security altri to complete @ degree in cyber secutty Professionals may choose from a variely of degrees that wil allow them to pursue secuy autor careers successfully including computer science, IT, computer architecture or engineering, information assurance, of another related technology-based eld It's possible to find enry1avel postions in cyber securtyauding with as ite as an associate dagroe in such areas of experise. Many ‘employers wil prefer a bachelor's degree in computer science; however, ven the desperation of employers to find quay cyber securty professionals, you may be able to find plenty of opportunites wth an associate degree or las a his time, For those who na work without a dogre0, you can expect to need to complete a dagree at some point in oder to advance your career. This can be dane anne while you gain Invaluable experience. Step 2: Work Experience Work experince wil also be necessary to become a cyber securty audtor. In most cases, these roles are nol enty-level postions. However, ‘some security auditor postions are used as a supportive roe to experenced security audtors, As such, many individuals wil choose to work as systoms or network administrators before they apply to aur role. Especially since mast employers prefer three to five yoars of relevant work experience, Forthose who do pursue degrees in cyber secur, wil be helpful to pursue work experince atthe same time so that you can find ul-ime ‘employment upon the succasstul completion ofa dagree, Any type of work experience in any IT fld will help give you mpetive advantage ‘over ators in cyber security who are without any experience ata This experince can also help increase your payscae throughout your entre career and improve tho spoed at which you qual fr and receive promotions.Step 3: Certifications Continuing education wil be a crtical component to any successful cyber secur professional, particularly as hackers and bad actors continue to break through protections seemingly faser than thy can be created. Th risks, heals, technology advances, compliance requirements, el. change dally inthis industry, As such, an individual must be prepared to always be learning to survive and trve, One way to do $0 through certiicatons. Employers like team members to have professional and skil-based certifications. Such accomplishments very that individuals ar, infact, skilled and qualfed inthe areas in which they claim to excel. also provides certitcaton holders with greater expertise within the field over and above others. These certifications can also bump up your pay and provide you with greatr ‘esirable cetications vares greatly and include cyber secu, information systems auditing, systems controls, compliance, detection, and areet advancement opportunities, The type of Step 4: Career Advancement For those who wish to advance ther careers, the fastest and most proftable way todo so isto complete a master's degree. An advanced degree Is often required or prefered by top employers far cyber security decision-making oles. If you have higher ambitions, such as C-suite postions, a master’s degree wil key be the minimum you requir to even apply to executive jabs. For those in pursult of master's degree, its possible to complete a more general degree wit a cyber security emphasis, such as an MBA or computer science masters degree, However, ican be more worthuile and rewarding to select a specialty a his poitin your educational carver, such as a master’s dagroe in eybor security, information systoms autng, o information assurance, What Does a Cyber Security Auditor Do? ‘The roles and responsibilities ofa cyber secunty autor will vary based on employer, business, education, experience, and eklls, However, many dally, monthly, and annual ctios wil nave significant crossover task from one cyber security autor jb to the next. Generally speaking, cyber security auditor professionals ae responsible fr providing an unbiased and proacive examination af existing cyber security Cortvols and practices within systems lo help mitigate risk, mprove upon security compliance, and manage possible securly treats. They wil also have to make recommendations for technology and cyber security personnel changes. It wll be imperative that these individuals stay on top ofthe most eurent trends and reks at al imes. ‘As part ofthe auditing process, eecurty auditors may be in charge of developing and implementing tests and specialized audling strategies fr a varity of T systems and practices including frewalls sk assessment, training weaknesses, aled pracices, inadequate or timely reporting, ‘encryption protocol, and much more. Audits, however, wil lake place regularly as sytoms a lways evolving and cybor-attacks may bo imminont ona dally basis. Cyber security autors wil have to work with people in other departments and at all aves in order to Implement the most dynamic and effective audit ‘vatogies including executives, managers, IT professionals, compliance teams, hiring managers, and many others. One shoul also expect to be ‘asked with the assignment of creating new policies and procedures forthe entire organization ar specife departments. The end goals to ind ‘weaknesses and breaches and be abe to launch disaster recovery plans as quckl as issues are discovered inorder to prevent company downtine, harm to brand, and financial devastation Skills to Acquire - Cyber Security Auditor Skills to Acquire“The best cyber security auditors excl ina hybrid of hard skils and soft sls. They will have a solid understanding of all areas of technology as wall as ‘general business practices ‘Some of the most desirable sks include ‘© Technical Know-How ‘© Human Behavior © Research wen © Analytica © Objectivity ‘© Collaboration Networking © Adaptabity |© Communication ‘© Detai-Orentatas «Problem-Solving © Caiteal Thinking ‘essential fr al cyber Security auditors to strike a balance betwoen hard skis, which can be leamee and quantified and sof skills, which are the traits you possess that make you a desirable employee. Each skil wll help you to complete the necessary tasks require to maintain a security autor position successtlly. They wil also help you tobe able to work with others ina pastve and respectul manne. The necessary technical know-how will depend on the jo but may include programming languages, detection, incident response, treat analysis, network defense tools, and more. You must also be able o establish plans, siatecies, and protocols. And itis essential to have the drive to constanty be wiling to learn as both technology and cyber-threats change on a daly basis ‘Another essential strong sil s tha of being able to communicate successfully and effectively, The days of toch-savwy employees hing behind ‘computers in a darkroom hidden away from prying eyes are long gone. Cyber securty auctor wil have to collaborate with people in nearly every dopartment at various levels of career, rom new hires to C-sulte executives. Alternative Paths - Alternative Paths‘A cyber secuty auditors care ‘another feld ential, oF anather area of IT, you typically don't need to complete another degree in cyber securty. Most employers will accept both professional and organizational certifications in cyber secur as a replacement for a degres, path does not have to follow the traditional stops. If you already have a bachelor's degree ora master’s degree in However itis crucial te complete as much work experience as possible before you begin applying for eyber securiy auditor jabs, Some people will ‘seek out internships, whereas others will volunteer at non-pofts or small businesses to receive the experience they require to apply for cyber security air jobs, For incviduale who excel in secury auct practices and con't have any degree, you can continue fo avoid earning a degree by taking Contry love cyber security postions or other similar roles untl you have enough Work experience to quaiy fr promotions, cortffeations, or both. ‘The most sought-after certifications will vary based on employer, such as: '© Conted information Systems Audtor-ISACA Certfeate '© Cybersecurity Audit -ISACA Certfeate © Cottied Information Systems Security Professional CISSP) {Information Systems Certiication Cetied Information Secutty Manager (CISM) (9 [T Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Certation ‘These are not the only certificates that employers find desirable, Is important research the type of employment and employer you seek to dotermine the cortiicatons they find most compelling and necessary Career & Salary - Cyber Security Auditor Career & SalaryWhere Might You Work? ‘Al companies shouldbe using cyber securty autos on a regular basis; however, very few actually create such postions as on-site fulltime team members. Many ofthese secuy audtors work as an independent consultant or a consultant for an auditing frm. Large corporations wil often hive fl SH time securty auditors but small businesses are more tkely to hire consutans, if they even consider cyber security autor a Fer thos who do work as consullants, you shouldbe prepared forthe fact you wal kely have fo travel extensively. This could be locally, regionally, or natonaly All eyber securty auditors should expect to work at east 40 hours a week, Many will work more than 40 hours per week and possib have ta be available outs of radional work hours in cases of emergency. ‘You could find work in nearly any industry and for any type of employer. Each department of the government requires socuy autos, Most non- Drofs also need cyber secunty autos; however, i's possible that many do not yet incorporate such practoes due fo lack of awareness or aInited budget. Large businesses are more Iikly than small businesses to hire cyber security auctors and nearly every industry hires these cyber professionals as wo including healthcare, finance, school systems, manufacturers, fashion, rtal, and more. Career Outlook ‘The career outlook of cyber secur auditors i one of the best o ll jobs inthe US, witha projected growsh cate of 32% by 2028, There isa growing ‘domand for these professionals ina variety of industries, including banking and financial inttutions ané mecleal falas. Because these jobs are so ‘ssomta tothe safety and success o all companies, the median salary for such postions is roughly $100,000 a year. ‘One can expert that, to secure and retain jobs in ts fled, it wil be essential to continue education ad training each year to Keep up withthe ever- ‘changing cyber threats and bad actor actives. It should also be known that this positon continues to evolve with growing number of responsibities and crossover respansibities rom other positons and throughout the entra organization, Jobs“The ype of obs you can find in eyber Security auditing range from generalized to specialized. Many individuals wil select a specific industry, and ‘thors will select a specie niche within the securty audting ld such as cloud applications, network infrastructure, and otters. I's importantto start, with jobs in administration such as system, network, and seculy administrator postions ‘These ontry-lovel positions can lead to more established positions in the arona of cyber security ausiting, including ‘© IT Security Auditor: An IT security auditor performs ragular aus on computer eystems for any type of business. These individuals have ‘extensive and intricate know-how regarding information and computer technology with a specialization in polcy development, pen testing, and cyber secur ‘© Information Security Analyst: An information security analyst protects computer networks and systems through sofware instalation and strategic plan development, These cyber securty professionals ar responsible for implementing various security measures. The roles and responsibilities of these posions continue fo evolve as cybor-attacks change, ‘© Cyber Security Specialist: A cyber security specials focuses onthe security practices throughout the developmental stages of datacenters, software systoms, and networks. During tis process, cybor secuy specialists sock out sk and vulnerabilty in all Software and hardware as well {85 to monitor and manage cyber-incidens. '@ Internal Auditor: An intemal autor reviews the exiting contol structure a Fisk of abuse, waste, and fraud. Those individuals spend time gathering, researching, and analyzing pertinent information to be able to find weaknesses and recommend improvements ring processes, procedures, and policies designed to minimize the «© Security Consultant: Security consullants assess and analyz potential breaches and areas of weaknesses fora number af cents o just one client or employer, sting Secutly measures and systems, These consultants examine all aspects for ‘# Penetration Tester: A pen tester has many names, sich as ethical hacker or white-hat hacker. These highly sklled inivials ae armed witn the crea task of attempting to breach the network and computer security ystoms of various organizations. Essential, they try to hack a company in 004 fath to help prvent sucess attacks from bad actors. ‘© Senior Audit Manager: A senior aust managers typcaly in charge of several cyber security auitors and repors tothe audit director. Thase ‘managers create team and departmental stratogios as wel as the development of accourtabilty standards, controls and risk assessments, coach ‘and mentor team members, monitor plan development, and mare, Find Jobs - Find Cyber Security Auditor Jobs Near Yousob Tite Location openentyactr )( tt | No jobs found. Check out these popular search terms or try again: ‘Account Manager Jobs Customer Service Jobs Management Jobs Sales Associate Jobs ‘Software Engineer Jobs Advancement > Advancing from Here Cyber security audtorslypically require a least thee years of experience for an entry-level postion and five years fora mid-level postion. A number ‘of existing options exist for careor advancement throughout the cyber secunlyfleld, Management and director postions are a natural progression. For ‘those who are truly ambitious and one ofthe best in their rea of experts, itis also possible to pursue the pathway to becoming @ C-suile executive a a chie information secu officer, which Is also refered to asa CISO. Sources: v Search Programs ‘cyber Secuty Sela Oey BROWSE ALL CAREERS Computer Career PathsUniversity Headquarters (University) is your #1 resource for finding top rated ‘collages, Scholarships, potential salaries ‘and helping you find the right career. Our ‘90a isto become one ofthe bust online resources helping students navigate through the higher education process. (023 Urey HO. tite Rose USEFUL Links ‘About UO & Sources Contributors & Experts (Our Metrodology Contact Us News Sitemap Privacy Policy Terms. (QUICK LINKS How to Become College Resources STAY CONNECTED fv in