Security Consultant Roles and Responsibilities

There is increased potential for career progression, especially in larger organizations and financial service providers. There is also scope for experienced security professionals to go into business for themselves as consultants. You can find out more about cybersecurity as an area of work, from an industry expert, here.

Typical Security Consultant Roles and Responsibilities include:

·       seeking to build in security during the development stages of software systems, networks, and data centers

·       looking for vulnerabilities and risks in hardware and software

·       finding the best way to secure the IT infrastructure of an organization

·       building firewalls into network infrastructures

·       constantly monitoring for attacks and intrusions

·       when the cybersecurity specialist finds a potential threat or attempted breach, closing off the security vulnerability

·       identifying the perpetrator and liaising with the police if necessary

Typical employers of cybersecurity specialists

·       Network providers

·       The government

·       Banks

·       Schools and universities

·       Airlines

·       Any large organization with a database

·       Security consultancy firms

·       Jobs are advertised online, by careers services, and by recruitment agencies.

Qualifications and training required

Both university graduates and school leavers can enter the cybersecurity profession. Graduates tend to need a degree related to computer science or in a STEM subject.

Many employers run apprenticeships in cybersecurity, some of which involve studying towards a degree at the same time as working. To find out more about getting into IT and technology via a school leaver route, visit the IT and technology section of TARGETcareers, our website aimed at school leavers.