How to Become a Cybersecurity Engineer in 2025?

How to Become a Cybersecurity Engineer in 2025?

Cybersecurity engineers are essential to keeping private information secure and protecting systems from online attacks. The need for qualified cybersecurity experts has never been greater, with a rise in sophisticated attacks and the world’s growing reliance on technology. Designing, implementing, and maintaining secure systems requires a combination of technical know-how and problem-solving abilities, making becoming a cybersecurity engineer a satisfying career path. The processes of becoming a cybersecurity engineer, the qualifications needed, and how to get started in this exciting and expanding field will all be covered in this lesson.

Quick Steps to Becoming a Cybersecurity Engineer

1. Gain knowledge of the fundamental aspects of IT, including database administration, systems administration, and networking.
2. Gain an understanding of basic concepts such as threat detection, encryption, firewalls, and risk assessment.
3. Work toward a certification, such as CISSP, CompTIA Security+, or CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker), to verify your abilities and expertise.
4. Work on real-world projects and internships to gain practical expertise with technologies like Wireshark, Metasploit, and SIEM platforms.
5. Continue to learn about new technologies, emerging risks, and the most current cybersecurity best practices.
6. To improve your qualifications and broaden your expertise, think about signing up for courses like the Advanced Executive Program in Cybersecurity.
7. To gain real-world experience, start your career in positions like network administrator or security analyst.
8. After gaining experience, move into cybersecurity engineering roles that emphasize secure design, threat mitigation, and system security.

Cybersecurity Engineer: What Is It?

To protect computers, networks, and data, cybersecurity engineers develop and oversee hardware, software, and security regulations. To understand cybersecurity, cyber engineers integrate computer science and electrical engineering. For anyone looking to improve their abilities and credentials, checking out online cybersecurity courses that offer certification can provide valuable information and certification. To protect against hackers, cyberattacks, and other persistent threats, a cybersecurity engineer creates and deploys secure network solutions. They also constantly test and monitor these systems to ensure all security measures are current and working properly.

The role of a cybersecurity engineer is often referred to by other names, such as web security engineer, data security engineer, or IT security engineer. Additionally, in smaller businesses that cannot afford a cybersecurity specialist, the job of a cybersecurity engineer is sometimes incorporated into another IT position.

Cybersecurity Engineer: What Does It Do?

The duties and responsibilities of a cybersecurity engineer include:

1. Determining best practices and standards according to the security needs of the organization.
2. To protect an organization’s data, systems, and networks, all security measures must be designed, implemented, maintained, monitored, and upgraded.
3. Addressing any security lapses that affect the network and related systems.
4. Resolving any network or security problems.
5. Perform penetration testing regularly.
6. Implementing appropriate security measures guarantees the security of the organization’s data and infrastructure.
7. Performing tests and scans to detect any system and network vulnerabilities.
8. Actively participate in the process of change management.
9. Support any investigations of security breaches.
10. Performing standard daily administrative duties, including reporting and maintaining liaison with the company’s related departments.

Keep in mind that the duties and responsibilities of a cybersecurity engineer and a security analyst are comparable. Systems are designed and built by cybersecurity engineers, while security analysts focus more on testing and breaking systems. However, since many cybersecurity engineers often perform stress tests and try to identify and test weak points, there is an overlap. Job postings for security engineers/analysts are common, essentially combining the two roles.

Before we learn how to become a cybersecurity engineer, let’s examine the required qualifications.

Qualifications for a Cyber Security Engineer

In general, a cybersecurity engineer needs to be qualified in the following areas:

1. Degree in systems engineering, computer science, information technology, or a related discipline.
2. Two years of experience performing cybersecurity-related tasks, including forensics, incident response, and detection.
3. Familiarity with endpoint security and firewall operations, maintenance, and functionality.
4. Proficiency in C++, Java, Node.js, Python, Ruby, Go, or PowerShell, as well as other languages and tools.
5. Ability to work under pressure and in a fast-paced setting.
6. Excellent problem-solving abilities and a reasonable eye for detail.
7. Current understanding of the most recent developments in cybersecurity and hacking techniques.
8. Keep in mind that different organizations may have different needs or emphasize the criteria above differently.

How much is the need for cybersecurity engineers?

As cyber threats become more frequent and complex across a wide range of businesses, cybersecurity engineers are in extraordinary demand. This growth reflects the urgent need for qualified experts to protect infrastructure and sensitive data. Despite this demand, a significant skills shortage still exists; as of June 2023, there were more than 663,434 cybersecurity job openings in the US, underscoring the urgent need for skilled professionals. The critical importance of this profession in today’s digital landscape is reflected in the growing demand for cybersecurity engineers from organizations to create robust security policies, conduct risk assessments, and handle incidents efficiently.

These five businesses are at the forefront of hiring cybersecurity professionals, even though many more are hiring cybersecurity engineers.

1. BAE Systems
2. Symantec
3. Checkpoint for Software
4. Lockheed Martin
5. FireEye
6. Amazon Web Services
7. Microsoft
8. IBM
9. Cisco
10. CyberArk Software

Now that you know what cybersecurity engineers do, how much they earn, and how secure the field is, you’re probably wondering how to get into it.

Let’s take a look at the following career path to find out how to become a cybersecurity engineer.

Becoming a Cybersecurity Engineer

How long it will take you to become a cybersecurity engineer depends on your training, background, and credentials. Most people can find work as an entry-level cybersecurity engineer in two to four years if they have the necessary experience. If you have enough expertise and have worked in the field before, obtaining certification is a tried and true way to quickly enter the IT field.

What degree is required to work as a cybersecurity engineer?

To work as a cybersecurity engineer, one must have a bachelor’s degree in a field related to cybersecurity. Examples of this include computer science, IT, and software engineering. In the past, most firms did not require such a degree if the candidate was skilled enough. However, due to increasing competition, more and more businesses are adopting this criterion. If you have already earned a degree in another profession, you may decide to continue your education by earning a master’s degree in a cybersecurity-related field. This is especially important if you want to become a senior cybersecurity engineer. You can also obtain certifications in relevant fields to progress in your career.

Cybersecurity Books for Beginners

Although obtaining a cybersecurity certification is a wise decision, beginners can make the process easier by doing their independent research, especially by reading relevant literature. Check out some of these books:

• Cybersecurity for Dummies is one of the popular “Dummies” series. This book explains the basics of cybersecurity, including ethical hacking and other cybersecurity threats.
• The book Hacking: A Beginner’s Guide discusses all the fundamentals of hacking, including its many forms and methods.
• For those who are not technically savvy, Cybersecurity for Beginners: A Beginner’s Guide is a great resource should you lack fluency in tech speak. It explains cybersecurity-related terms in simple English, avoiding technical nonsense.
• Practical Malware Analysis is a complete guide to malware. It helps you find, assess, and remediate harmful programs.
• AWS Penetration Testing makes it easy to learn about the fundamentals of penetration testing, including workload security, encryption, and vulnerability exploit security assessments.
• Practical Paranoia macOS 11 Security Essentials is a useful resource for Mac users interested in cybersecurity. It’s the best training manual for protecting your macOS system at home or work.
• Kali Linux is the most effective tool for Linux penetration testing. This book explains penetration testing and guides you through more than 600 tools of Kali Linux.

Skills required for a Cybersecurity Engineer?

We have already covered the prerequisites to become a cybersecurity engineer. Above all, a bachelor’s degree in any field related to cybersecurity is required. After that, you must have a few years of professional experience in cybersecurity. Finally, the last step is to get certified. Certification gives you additional skills and expertise and proves your suitability for the position you are looking for.

1. SY0-701 Certification for CompTIA Security+ (Plus)
2. Getting a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Certification
3. Getting a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) Certification
4. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) (V13)
5. Certification for Information Security Managers (CISM)
6. Certification of Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

About IIMT College

A Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) program in Computer Science and Engineering with a Cyber Security concentration is available at IIMT College. The goal of this four-year undergraduate program is to give students the fundamental knowledge and abilities they need to defend digital data and systems from online attacks.  IIMT offers a Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) degree with an emphasis on Cloud Computing and Cyber Security in addition to the B.Tech curriculum.  Specializations in software development, web design, cyber security, data analytics, and mobile application development are available in this three-year undergraduate program.

Conclusion

Becoming a cybersecurity engineer is a rewarding career path that requires a blend of technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and a proactive approach to staying ahead of emerging threats. As companies prioritize digital security, the demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals continues to grow, opening up exciting opportunities for you in this rapidly evolving field. The next step toward achieving your career goals is the Advanced Executive Program in Cybersecurity. You will gain cutting-edge skills in risk management, threat detection, and secure systems design from this curriculum, which was developed by experts in the field. Enroll now to broaden your knowledge and establish yourself as a trusted cybersecurity leader!