What Does a Cyber Security Engineer Do?

  information security engineering

According to Cybrary, which advances online learning in the field of cybersecurity, employers typically look for cyber security engineer candidates to have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or another related field of study, and who have the following skills and abilities:

• Understanding of cyber security methodologies
• The ability to evaluate system changes for security implications and the knowledge to make recommendations for improvements
• Knowledge of current cyber security trends, as well as the continued research of emerging trends and hacking techniques
• Proficiency in Java, Python Net, C++, bash, and power shell
• Networking experience with the TCP/IP stack (may not be a requirement, but is often preferred)
• Solid understanding of the OSI model and renowned ports and services (may not be a requirement, but is often preferred)
• The ability to work well with others, including collaboration and communication with other departments
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and to work under pressure
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills

Cyber security engineers, Cybrary says, are responsible for protecting the networks and systems of an organization against threats from adversaries in cyberspace. The functions of cyber security engineers include:

• Performing assessments and penetration testing
• Development and implementation of secure network solutions
• Architecting and engineering trusted systems into secure systems
• Managing audit/intrusion and security technology systems

Cyber security engineers must be able to troubleshoot, identify unauthorized access, and offer solutions regarding an organization’s system and network as it relates to cyber security. Cyber security engineers, says Cybrary, “perform the very detailed work at the forefront of information protection efforts for the organization. It is your training, skills, experience, and education that stand between the organization for which you work and threats and breaches, like unauthorized access to data and information or intrusion into your organization’s systems.”

Cyber security engineers may also be known as IT security engineer, application security engineer, web security engineer, or data security engineer. “Whatever the title, you will also be responsible for collaborating with other departments to establish security protocols and protect IT systems,” says Cybrary.