Let’s imagine a certain scenario where your company’s website could be attacked:
Your company has a website that sells products online. The website processes customer payments and stores personal information such as names, addresses, and credit card details. One day, a cybercriminal launches a SQL injection attack on the website.
In a SQL injection attack, the attacker inserts malicious code into the website’s SQL database to extract sensitive information, modify data, or delete data altogether. In this case, the attacker could steal customer data, including credit card numbers, which could then be sold on the black market.
The attack could also result in the website becoming inaccessible or defaced, which could damage the company’s reputation and lead to lost business.
The consequences of a website attack can be severe:
1. financial losses
2. legal liabilities
3. damage to the company’s reputation.
That’s why it’s important to take steps to prevent such attacks, such as regularly updating software, implementing strong passwords, and performing regular security assessments. Therefore, in this case, the company would need to hire an IT security specialist to ensure that the sensitive customer data is protected and that the web application is secure.
What Do Cyber Security Specialists Do?
As an IT company, keeping your hardware, software and network secure from malicious players is a must. That’s why hiring a cybersecurity specialist can be so invaluable for your business – these people are highly trained and in the know about the latest security threats that can target companies like yours.
A good cybersecurity specialist will be well-versed in different areas, such as:
- Vulnerability management: Identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities in your system before they can be exploited by hackers.
- Access management: Ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to certain data or systems.
- Risk management: Identifying and managing potential risks to your company, assets and data.
- Network security: Implementing measures such as firewalls, authentication systems and intrusion detection to help protect against malicious actors.
- Threat intelligence: Utilizing analytics to monitor, analyze and report on any threats targeting your organization.
Four main areas of work in cyber security
An IT Security Specialist cannot simultaneously solve all security problems in the digital world, like some sort of digital wizard. They can’t just wave a magic wand and make all the cyber threats disappear. But there are four main areas of work in cyber security: SOC, Audit, Penetration Testing, and Application Security.
1. Security Operations Center (SOC): A SOC is a team responsible for monitoring and managing an organization’s security posture. They use security information and event management (SIEM) tools to monitor network traffic and detect potential security incidents. SOC analysts investigate and respond to security incidents, triage alerts, and coordinate with other teams to remediate security issues.
2. Audit: Cybersecurity audit is an independent evaluation of an organization’s IT security controls, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with regulations, industry standards, and best practices. An audit can identify gaps in security and recommend improvements to mitigate risks.
3. Penetration Testing: Penetration testing, also known as “pen testing,” is a simulated cyber attack on an organization’s IT infrastructure to identify vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors. Penetration testing can help organizations assess their security posture and identify weaknesses in their IT infrastructure, applications, and processes.
4. Application Security: Application security focuses on ensuring that software applications are secure and protected against cyber attacks. Application security specialists work with developers to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities, perform security assessments and penetration testing, and implement security controls such as access controls and encryption.
Each of these cybersecurity domains plays an important role in protecting organizations from cyber threats. By implementing security best practices, performing regular security assessments, and monitoring network traffic and security incidents, organizations can improve their overall security posture and protect their sensitive data and systems from cyber attacks.
The Benefits of Cybersecurity for IT Companies
You might be wondering why cybersecurity is so important for IT companies, and why hiring a cyber security specialist is worth the investment.
The truth of the matter is that nearly all IT companies come with inherent cyber risks, including data breaches and other malicious activities. Without a cyber security specialist on board to identify and mitigate these threats, your company could be in serious trouble.
A Comprehensive Approach
A good cyber security specialist will take a comprehensive approach while performing the security audit and implementing network security measures. This means they’ll assess all areas of your network, identify weak spots and vulnerabilities and use tools to prevent unauthorized access or data loss. They will also use regular scans and patching to keep your network secure from outside threats.
The Human Touch
Having a human being on hand to help you out when it comes to cybersecurity makes a huge difference as well. Cyber technology is constantly advancing, so having someone in-house who understands current threats helps you stay ahead of the game and protect your company properly.
Tips for Hiring the Right Cyber Security Expert
If you’re serious about protecting your IT company, you need to hire the right cyber security expert. But how do you know when you’ve found the person who can truly help you out?
Make sure they understand your specific business needs
Every business is different, so it’s important that the person you hire has a deep understanding of your unique system and can develop plans and solutions tailored to it. Ask potential experts to explain their experience working with similar systems in the past.
Look for someone with technical skills
You’ll need a professional who is well-versed in cybersecurity technologies and best practices. Look for candidates that have certifications like CompTIA Security+, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP).
Ask them about their experience with new technologies
Cyber security is always changing, so it’s important to work with an expert who stays on top of the latest trends. Ask potential experts about their experience implementing new security measures as well as educating staff on how to properly use them.
Consider hiring through a recruitment agency
Finding highly qualified cyber security professionals can be difficult, especially if you’re trying to fill a specialized role. Working with a reputable recruitment agency allows you to quickly connect with experienced professionals — saving you time, effort and money in the long run. If you have any questions about cooperation with a recruitment agency, please contact Marianna Hrynyshyn!
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is an increasingly important part of business operations and it’s essential to have the right people and processes to keep a company’s data safe. Cyber security specialists have the specialized knowledge and experience to help companies build the right security infrastructure and ensure that their systems are up to date and secure.
Hiring a knowledgeable team of cyber security professionals is a long-term investment that can help protect data and networks from malicious actors. The expertise of a cyber security specialist can be invaluable in helping companies navigate the complexities of today’s digital landscape.
