Digital transformation has become a totally essential procedure for any company or organization with a view to optimizing its operation, increasing performance, and offering quality products or services, adapted to new consumption habits and safe for its customers or users.

However, this digitization has been exploited by criminals and online fraudsters to attack the digital environments of some “careless” companies and, in this way, put their privacy and data protection at risk.

All this has triggered the need to incorporate cybersecurity experts in the workforce of these sites.

What does a cybersecurity expert do?

Broadly speaking, it could be said that a digital security specialist is the professional capable of detecting the computer vulnerabilities of a company (databases, information and telecommunications systems, infrastructures, networks, etc.) quickly and effectively to prevent possible fraud committed through electronic means and, in the event that they happen, deal with them .

However, this is only a small part of its functions, since they cover much more. Among the main tasks that a cybersecurity expert does , are:

  • Specify regulations on computer security for the company in line with current national and international legislation and ensure compliance.
  • Design an action plan or protocol to manage any type of incident that may arise and alter the company’s cybersecurity.
  • Establish the necessary security means (technical and human) to contain possible cybersecurity threats.
  • Monitor compliance with security measures and their effectiveness.
  • Maintain communications on digital security with the company’s management, as well as with other companies, institutions and State Security Forces.
  • Contribute to cybersecurity training for the rest of the company’s employees and make them aware of its importance.

Professional profile of a computer security specialist

Cybersecurity is a booming profession that is currently in high demand and rather few professionals . This was clearly seen in a study on the cybersecurity workforce conducted by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2. This report revealed that in 2020 in Europe there was a lack of almost 170,000 computer security experts and more than 3 million worldwide.

Now, to become a specialist in digital security, not everything goes. You must have training in cybersecurity, personal qualities and know languages. Here are some details about them.

Cybersecurity training

To get a job in cybersecurity, it is important to have knowledge and skills in software development, programming, databases, system architecture, network fundamentals, digital transformation, computer security, and privacy and data protection , among other things.

At Universidad Europea we have an ideal academic offer for all those who are interested in studying cybersecurity and training professionally. Some of the most outstanding degrees are:

  • Higher Degree in Administration of Computer Network Systems
  • Degree in Computer Engineering
  • Master in Cybersecurity
  • Master in Cybersecurity Online
  • Expertise and Computer Forensics Course

Personal qualities

In addition to good training, to be an expert in cybersecurity it is necessary to have certain characteristics, such as:

  • Stay up to date on innovation, trends and technologies related to cybersecurity.
  • Be a person of integrity and ethics on a personal level.
  • Know in depth the business plan of the company and understand the damage that a threat or a computer attack can cause.
  • Be committed to the company and contribute to the fulfillment of its objectives.
  • Have the ability to identify risks, seek possible solutions and make the most appropriate decision in each situation.
  • Know how to manage computer security crisis situations.
  • Be flexible and easily adapt to any type of change.
  • Possess communication skills.
  • Have organizational skills.
  • Learn to work in a team and also autonomously.

Languages

Lastly, and as we have advanced before, a cybersecurity specialist must master languages, especially English , since it will be their most common working language.