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What are the realities of working in cyber security?
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I'm about to pull the trigger on going to WGU to get a Bachelor's and finally move on from help desk after being here 3 years, but I'm stuck on deciding if I want to focus on programming or cyber security. I enjoy both, but I'm trying to figure out if I only enjoy them as a hobby or if my interests can span further into a career.
I understand that red team is a lot more interesting and it's definitely where I would want to end up because I absolutely love working the rooms in tryhackme and HTB, but I could also see blue team as having some interesting work finding threat actors, doing some sleuthing to figure out what they're doing, lock them out, and prevent it from happening again.
My worry for working in cyber is that it'll be nothing like the either hacking fun of red team or the cyber detective fun of blue team, and the reality is more of making sure Ann from accounting doesn't fall for another scam email or Jim from marketing stops writing his passwords on post-it notes on his monitor or making sure a manager or director doesn't put confidential data on a flash drive and forget it at a Starbucks.
Working in help desk for 3 years and tech support for longer, I've learned just how gullible and unaware of security risks people are, and I'm worried most roles in cyber are basically acting as a shepherd making sure people don't stray too far.
Top Comment: Some realities are: Cyber Security is vast, yet many who are on the outside think it's mainly about pen testing or stopping breaches. I don't blame having that perspective because most of the available training online is geared to those areas, but there is so much more out there. Another reality is that no matter what you do in cyber security, documentation, writing reports & meetings are still fundamental parts of the job.
Why do so many people want to get into cyber security?
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I’m just curious as to why so many people want to get into cyber security when there are many other areas in tech, what’s the draw to cybersecurity? I don’t get it.
Top Comment: Hype and money. Like 80% of the people I interview for Infosec roles say they want to be pen testers, basically none have any idea what that means or have any skill set towards being a pentester. It just has that hype because people like to think they are good guy hackers. There isn't anything wrong with it, it's just a lot longer of a road than people think. And there is a constant bombardment of "we need 2 million Infosec people" in the media and a lot of hype around pay. But to be honest, Infosec DOES pay well currently, compared to tons of tech jobs. And it IS fun, if you like the work. I love working in security, but I also liked designing and implementing cool stuff when I was a systems engineer.
Getting into Cyber Security is Easy but People Make it Difficult for Themselves
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This is a little bit more of a rant after trying to help my friend advance their career. I've noticed that a ton of people specifically on this reddit and the cybersecurity reddit make these same mistakes.
First off a little bit about me, I am currently a Cyber Security Engineer; been in IT going on about 5 years now coming from an unrelated field and major. I have a BA in Radio and news.
Since I've had a successful roadmap, a friend sought me out for "mentoring". In the beginning he really followed all of my advices and I even hooked him up with a Desktop Support role and He's been there for going on 4 years now and is working on his degree in Cyber Security.
One of the biggest advice I gave him was to not stay in a company for more than 2 years unless you are still learning on the job which he is not and has remained stagnate after his first year there lol. Next up I offered him an System Administrator role, I told him he really needs this position to transition upwards and this opportunity will not come any easier lmao. Unfortunately, he didn't want to swing it because the pay wasn't high enough(50k but cost of living here is REALLY low) and he didn't want to switch jobs until he finished his degree. Big mistake now the ship has sailed for that position.
I asked him what salary range was he looking for and he stated that he was seeking a range of 70-80k, mind you he is currently getting paid 30k lol. Recruiters are telling him they can only hook him up with desktop support roles, his college advisor is recommending he switch his focus because it'd be difficult for him to break into cyber based on his exp. He is adamant on sticking with Cyber Security because of how much money they can make and he is confident that he can get a cyber role after he gets his degree.
My take:
Getting into Cyber Security in my opinion is actually relatively easy BUT it is NOT quick. A ton of people especially on this sub have been making the same mistake as my friend there. They will wonder why they can't get into the field after just getting their degree, or just passing their certification, or having 10 years experience in help desk!! I have seen an endless amount of posts about it.
What you have to do is progress upwards. Focus on learning in the position that you are in and if you are not learning, move on or move up. Take opportunities when it is presented to you no matter the pay or circumstances. Forget about pay early in your career and focus on experiences that can get you to your future goal.
I was in Desktop Support for about 4 months then moved up to Network Support for about a year and when I stopped learning I moved to another company as a System Admin for about a year then moving up to Systems Manager for about 2 years and now Cyber Security at another company. I honestly was not even planning on pursuing CS, I was focused on Network Engineering until I grew tired of networks and switched last minute lol. I will tell you, I got this job pretty damn easily(You can look at my other post where my interview went for about 7 minutes lol). When deciding to switch to Cyber Security, just after about 2 weeks of applying and interviewing I got an offer.
Furthermore, I can assure you I was making poopoo money up until this position but all I worried about was the experiences I can suck up from those positions thus getting here has posed absolutely no problems.
I am not special hell most of you are probably smarter than I am lol. These are things that are easily achievable but people are wanting results ASAP and wonder why they can't get it. Take your time and focus on the present and you will get into the role organically and without too much trouble.
Top Comment: I'm not in cyber security but I've seen the same thing. I blame the colleges that say "get a cyber security degree and make 6 figures within 5 years." People think they'll get a degree and immediately jump into cybersec bc that's what they've been told by My Computer Career and shit, but like...why would anyone hire a cyber security engineer that has no real world experience dealing with IT infrastructure? That's one field where you need to know all the ins and outs of a whole environment before you can effectively do your job. You've gotta know networking, administration, have a solid grasp of every potential avenue of attack, so how are you gonna learn that without practical experience?
is cyber security worth it?
Main Post: is cyber security worth it?
Top Comment: Absolutely not. Everyone is using cyber security as a buzzword to get people in the door for their college, community college, trade school etc. There are already not enough jobs for people that have security degrees. The jobs aren't opening up anytime soon either. There are now probably hundreds of thousands of people applying to security jobs with just degrees and certs and no real experience. Everyone, their brother, their cousin, their uncle and even their damn dog wants to be in cyber security right now.
Is it worth starting to learn cybersecurity at 25?
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Hi everyone,
I'm currently 25 and have been working on creating websites for a while, but I'm looking to reprofile and move into cybersecurity. Recently, I started learning through TryHackMe, and I really enjoy it so far.
I wanted to ask this community:
- Is it too late to start learning cybersecurity at 25?
- Are there any specific areas or paths I should focus on as a beginner to make the most out of my learning?
- How do I know when I’m ready to apply for entry-level jobs?
If it’s worth pursuing, what other resources, certifications, or skills would you recommend?
I appreciate any advice, tips, or personal stories you might have. Thank you in advance!
Top Comment: If I was 25 again and wanted to get into cyber I would join the military for 10 years then go private sector at 35.
Is it worth it to get into cybersecurity right now? Are jobs really that hard to land?
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I have a friend working from home as a cybersecurity analyst and he said that he didn’t have too hard of a time landing a job. All I see on Reddit is people saying it’s extremely difficult to land jobs. What’s the reality of the job market? Is it likely to get better in the next couple years?
Top Comment: It depends. Entry level is going to be a lot harder than mid or experienced level IMO. Based on my almost 20 years in the industry, boom/bust cycles are cyclical, but with the current nonsense going on in the US, I really can’t say how much worse its going to get before it gets better. The best I can say is to be prepared now so you can pounce on opportunities when they arise. Also from my experience as someone who has been hybrid for more than 10 years and fully remote since the beginning of the pandemic, there’s a ton of pushback against full remote work. Fully remote cyber jobs are going to become even more rare, especially entry level ones.
Is cyber security worth it?
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With the growing risks of AI powered hacks and scams. Is cyber security a good career to opt for in the next decade?
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Should I get into Cyber Security Now?
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What the title says. I've seen that the market is terrible right now, so I'm wondering if starting now is worth it? IT is really the only career I can see myself going into, realistically. If there's a better area of IT to get into rn, I'd be willing to try that, but I came across what I'm hoping is a decent opportunity, specifically for security. It's a bootcamp that offers a ton, including helping you pass the certs, live classes, equipment, and then finding you a job before it's all said and done. I'd have to take out a private student loan, but it should more than pay for itself. I suppose my concern is the longevity of this field and the job that I would get? If I could stay hired, and continue to get raises, it seems to be absolutely worth it, but if I'm just going to be fired, or replaced by AI... I don't wanna be stuck with a loan and with no job. I've got an in with an amazing local company, which may help. Classes don't begin until February, so I've got a bit of time to make a decision. :x
Top Comment: Honestly, I don't think so. The "available jobs" are not entry level, be security minded, look at women's cyberjutsu or black girls hack or women in information security and privacy and start with it and IT in general, and gain security knowledge and then pivot, this way you can avoid the catch 22 of no entry level roles. My 0.02 cents