A recent meeting between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Jack Lew, the United States secretary of the treasury, focused in part on a number of cyber attacks on U.S. companies that apparently originated in China. The attacks are the most recent example of the worldwide rise in cyber attacks and the accompanying need for more people to handle cyber security.
American computer security experts have charged that more than 140 companies, including the New York Times, and government agencies worldwide have been hacked through attacks that originated in China. Chinese officials deny the charge.
Cyber security again reached the forefront of the news after an attack in South Korea, where computer systems at banks and television stations crashed after a cyber attack, possibly launched in North Korea.
Regardless of who is responsible for the attacks, the need for people to handle cyber security is clear. A recent article from the Washington Post said the U.S. Department of Defense is planning on adding more than 4,000 employees to the department’s Cyber Command. Quoting an unnamed official at the Pentagon, Computerworld said the expansion is needed because America is “faced with an increasing threat of a cyber attack that could be as destructive as the terrorist attack on 9/11.”
The need is widespread. The names and specific job descriptions depend on the company or government agency offering the job, but some of the jobs in demand include:
Network security specialist. People in this position monitor computer systems to make sure there are no unauthorized users in the system or security threats. Network security specialists also must plan ahead, developing ideas of where cyber attacks might come from and developing a response plan to handle such attacks. They may also develop or test software and firewalls.
Cyber security policy analyst. Someone in this job will oversee whatever plans are in place to prevent cyber attacks, taking responsibility for the effectiveness of a company or government agency’s cyber defenses.
Software developer. This person is responsible for actually writing the computer code used in developing cyber security protection for a computer system.
Information security analyst. The job title used by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an information security analyst takes responsibility for developing a company’s security against cyber attacks. The first step is keeping up with the latest attacks and then finding ways to prevent the attacks from being successful against a specific computer system.
Pay for any of these jobs varies greatly depending on the specific company and government agency, as well as the region of the country where the job is located. The BLS combines information security analysts, web developers and computer network architects into one group, reporting the median average pay for all of them in May 2010 was $75,660.
The lowest 10% in that group earned less than $43,190, while the top 10% earned more than $119,940, according to the BLS.
The BLS furthers estimates, based on a survey by Robert Half Technology, that data security analysts made between $89,000 and $121,500 in 2012, while a network security administrator made between $85,000 and $117,750.
Education Needed for Cyber Security Workers
The level of education can vary depending on the job in the cyber security field.
However, most people who work as an information security analyst have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, programming or something related, according to the BLS. Some schools now offer undergraduate degrees in cyber security, an area that is expected to grow as the demand for cyber security grows.
Some of those working in cyber security, particularly those wishing to lead a team or department, now opt to seek a master’s degree. Specifically, according to the BLS, they seek a MBA with a concentration on information systems that includes courses in both business and computer science.
Completion of a master’s degree typically takes about two years of study after completion of an undergraduate degree.
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