Cybersecurity is a dynamic and challenging field that requires constant learning, problem-solving, and collaboration. As a cybersecurity professional, you need to develop some habits that will help you stay on top of your game and protect your organization from cyber threats. Here are some of the most important habits to cultivate as a cybersecurity professional.
Cybersecurity is not a static field. New threats, vulnerabilities, and technologies emerge every day, and you need to be aware of them and how they affect your work. You should read cybersecurity blogs, newsletters, podcasts, and reports regularly, and follow the experts and influencers on social media. You should also attend webinars, conferences, and training courses to update your skills and knowledge. Keeping up with the trends will help you anticipate and prevent cyberattacks, and also enhance your career prospects.
Cybersecurity is vast domain, so first accept that you cannot know it all. Then, pick a sub-domain like Application security, Security Operations, Reverse engineering, security architecture, GRC, Privacy, etc. and then focus your learning towards this sub-domain. You can be a generalist for other sub-domains by taking an inch deep and a mile wide approach though to understand the big picture. Attending every Cybersecurity event you can and trying to consume all the content available via various mediums can make you very knowledgeable but can also develop mental fatigue, imposter's syndrome, FOMO, etc. in long term. So, fine-tune your filter specfic to your interests and be more hands-on when learning a concept or the next new shiny thing.
As a cybersecurity professional, it's vital to continuously learn and stay updated on new threats and technologies through resources like blogs, podcasts, and webinars. Develop strong analytical skills to assess and strategize against threats, while paying attention to detail to catch subtle security nuances. Adopt a proactive approach to anticipate attacks and network with peers and experts for shared insights. Adaptability in embracing new tools and methodologies is key, as is maintaining high ethical standards in all practices.
To be an exceptional Cybersecurity professional, practicing these habits will deliver the results: ? Uphold ethical standards and maintain integrity in your work. ? Be adaptable and agile to learn new technologies. ? Pay attention to trivial details. ? Foster collaboration & open communication culture. ? Foster a security-conscious culture. ? Practicing Safe Online Behavior. ? Maintain comprehensive documentation. ? Stay updated on the latest security trends. ? Ensure that all software is up to date. ? Enforce the principle of least privilege. ? Implement strong Incident Response Planning ? Implement a robust network monitoring tools. ? Strong Password Management. Follow this for a successful & sustainable rewarding cybersecurity career.
To be a Cyber Security professional 1. Continuous Learning ( As a Technology professional, one must be a continuous learner) 2. Sharing Knowledge ( Sharing knowledge, One must attend Conferences, Events, workshop, webinar , seminar for Learning and for Knowledge sharing Also posting content on learning platforms 3. At least spend a few minutes daily on the learning platforms For Knowledge upgradation 4. Cyber Security needs a practical approach, so as a professional Practical use cases must be known to individuals
Go into the field accepting that you need to spend significant time learning; inside & outside of the office. Podcasts are a great way to keep up with the industry and happenings during your daily commute. My favorite is the CyberWire Daily. Lastly, do not neglect to develop your soft/professional skills. These skills are invaluable as your career progresses and you’re looking to take the next step on the ladder.
Cybersecurity hygiene refers to the basic practices and behaviors that you should follow to protect yourself and your organization from cyber risks. Some of these practices include using strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, encrypting sensitive data, updating your software and devices, avoiding phishing emails and suspicious links, and backing up your data. You should also follow the policies and standards of your organization, and report any incidents or issues promptly. Practicing good hygiene will help you reduce your attack surface and minimize the impact of cyber incidents.
As Cyber security professional, You should be a Role model. Following Cyber security processes and Controls should come “Natural” to You. You should demonstrate no compromise attitude. Work closely with your stakeholders and share your learning’s. Pick up best practices or compliant practices of your stakeholders and share widely. Be Open to talk about any gaps / failures more as Learning’s and encourage stakeholders to enhance Complaince. Study regulatory requirements and ensure sharing with senior stakeholders and its applicable aspects within organization
Stress Management: Cybersecurity can be a high-pressure job, especially during a security incident. Managing stress effectively is important for maintaining clear thinking and decision-making abilities.
Practice is good thing - always give regularly time -fix the error by self don't take help immediately -Practice and take notes -practice more and more give confidence
As infosec enthusiasts, we need to drink our own Koolaid: 1?? Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (#MFA) for all your email, social, and bank accounts 2?? Use a password manager so you can have randomly generated unique passwords for every account 3?? Use a #VPN to connect to the internet. Seriously. Basic hygiene common sense says don't leak all your traffic to your ISP, advertisers, or snooping eyes. You can do better. Use a VPN ??
It might seem irrelevant but practicing physical hygiene also helps. Let me explain: A clean look, is scientifically proven to help you focus. And cyber security is all about focus. You need a clear head to pick out malware threats even from a distance you need a sharp mindset to find solutions to problems that haven't been discussed on the internet. You make better decisions when you are hygienic.
Cybersecurity is not only about defending, but also about attacking. You need to think like a hacker to understand how they operate, what they target, and how they exploit vulnerabilities. You should use tools and techniques such as penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, threat modeling, and ethical hacking to simulate and assess the security posture of your systems and networks. You should also learn from the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of the hackers, and use them to improve your defense strategies. Thinking like a hacker will help you find and fix the weak spots in your security, and also challenge your creativity and curiosity.
Hackers use two distinct mindsets during an attack: exploration and exploitation. During the initial stages of an attack, hackers adopt an explorative mindset, combining deliberate and intuitive thinking with intensive experimentation. They seek the weakest link, such as a newly activated system, an inexperienced employee, or a non-compliant security standard. Once access is gained, hackers switch to an exploitative mindset to achieve their objectives, typically involving gathering sensitive information to meet their objectives. This dual mindset model can help you exercise gaining and utilizing your know-how.
Think like a Hacker “Impacting your organisation” 1. Start by learning different types of hacks used for the type of organisation you work for. Given this is so wide, remaining focused helps. 2. I would suggest Simulation techniques to used / carry table top exercises to be done to understand such hacks / attacks and how they can be prevented for your organisation. This will be more valued by your organisation. 3. Carry out Critical processes or Assets mapping with known hacks / incidents to understand potential areas where hacks may happen. Research such hacks from wider industries and review to see how it can impact your organisation. Use learning’s and Implement.
As penetration testers, red teamers, or ethical hackers, our role pivots around the art of simulated attacks, probing systems, and exploiting vulnerabilities. It's not just about breaking in; it's about comprehending the defender's perspective, thinking like them to bypass fortified defences. Notably, some of the finest ethical hackers have indeed walked on the darker side before choosing the path of righteousness, a testament to the transformative power of skills and knowledge. In our world, the best offense often stems from a nuanced understanding of defence.
One main role for a Cybersecurity Professional is to build a wall between a malicious attacker and the protection of an organization. To achieve this, you have to keep up with threat intelligence and emulation, vulnerabilities, exploits, PoC. You have to get hands on with real hacking tools (I highly recommend participating in CTFs/Challenges), understand TTPs (Did someone say MITRE ATT&CK?), one thing that I really think helps a lot is reading about real attacks and breaches and following other professionals. You have to Think Red to Act Blue, Sun Tzu knew this: "Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack."
In my point of view hacking is like you understand the technology -if you are doing hacking and you get some error then try to think like hacker give the time to error. -if you attacking on a site for testing then first make strategies and make the check-list what you have to do first. - if you are creative then it will help you to solve error
Cybersecurity is not a solo endeavor. You need to collaborate and communicate with your colleagues, managers, clients, and other stakeholders to achieve your goals and objectives. You should share your insights, findings, recommendations, and feedback with others, and listen to their perspectives and opinions. You should also use tools and platforms such as Slack, Teams, Zoom, and GitHub to facilitate teamwork and coordination. Collaborating and communicating will help you build trust and rapport, leverage diverse skills and expertise, and deliver better results.
In my opinion, collaboration and communication are among the most important aspects of cybersecurity. In many cases, teams have to work together to get all the puzzle pieces to fit and due to segregation of duties each team has a different function. Scanning, investigation, research, penetration, development, etc.
In my role, I've seen the significant benefits of sharing knowledge, insights, and resources with peers. I advocate for engaging actively in cybersecurity communities, both online and offline. Participating in team meetings, contributing to joint projects, and sharing findings can lead to more robust security solutions. Effective communication, especially in explaining technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, is also vital. This ensures that cybersecurity risks and strategies are understood and prioritized appropriately across the organization. Building a culture of open communication and collaboration not only enhances the security posture but also fosters a more inclusive and innovative work environment.
Effective Communication: Improve your communication skills. Clearly convey technical information to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Effective communication is crucial for collaboration and incident response.
Collaboration and share knowledge help you to grow -Sharing the knowledge will help to learn the things if you Collaborating with peoples then they also tell new things to you and you also learn the things. -if you share the resources it will help the people and they also tell you something new . -always deliver better and tell them about your expertise. -you having the expertise of other domain and other people having expertise in other field and you are Collaborating with them it will help you.
I would classify this as number 1 . You can be the best cybersecurity professional ever but if you are not able to articulate those issues in a way that non-technical people can understand then you will always be at a disadvantage. Learn how to communicate and collaborate with others. Cybersecurity is now too vast for one person to handle and you need to understand how to work as a team and delegate / communicate
Cybersecurity is a complex and unpredictable field. You will inevitably make mistakes, encounter failures, and face challenges. However, you should not let them discourage or demotivate you. Instead, you should learn from your mistakes, analyze what went wrong, and take corrective actions. You should also seek feedback and guidance from your mentors, peers, and managers, and use them to improve your performance and skills. Learning from your mistakes will help you grow as a professional, and also foster a culture of resilience and adaptability.
Given the unpredictable nature of cyber threats, and the constantly evolving risk environment; mistakes are inevitable. We need to create a climate of continuous improvement, where both success & failure are accepted as two sides of the same coin. Failure is an intrinsic part of life, and as long as that failure is proportionately managed in an organisational context, then it can be a powerful learning & development tool. A safe & inclusive team culture, builds stronger, more adaptable, and resilient security professionals. Which in turn provides a platform for individual & collective success. To change is to improve, & change can be difficult. But if we embrace failure, fail fast, learn hard, and continuously evolve - anything is possible.
Build Self Defense thru Self Learning’s Building an environment where active learning’s are promoted, really helps. Having a framework of Reporting and Open sharing of incidents and failures helps organisations learn from their own mistakes. Such learning’s helps avoid repeat of such mistakes as well
By reflecting on and understanding your mistakes, you not only rectify vulnerabilities but also fortify your skills. This habit transforms setbacks into opportunities for growth. It's a continuous process of improvement, where every error becomes a valuable lesson. In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, adapting and refining your approach through experience ensures you stay ahead of potential threats. Embrace mistakes as stepping stones to expertise, and your journey as a cybersecurity professional will be marked by resilience and continuous advancement.
Everyone makes mistakes ?? If software developers didn't make mistakes.....there would be less need for security ?? Realize the inherent love/hate relationship there. To err is to be human. The best we can do is learn from our mistakes. That's why reading breach reports are helpful. Learn where others fail so you can improve. You don't need to touch a hot stove to know it will hurt ???
O erro é parte natural no processo de aprendizado. Ao errar, temos a oportunidade de fazer diferente, olhar por outro angulo e buscar novas respostas. O erro nos engrandece, pois nos for?a a entender que n?o sabemos de tudo. O erro nos fortifica, pois nos dá a oportunidade de se levantar e agir diante do medo ou desconforto de um novo erro. Por isso, temos que aceitar os desafios e fazer, com o pensamento no objetivo e tentando mitigar os riscos das nossas decis?es ao máximo, pois quando errarmos, saberemos que foi em pró do acerto. Importante também termos a humildade pra saber que, invariavelmente, independente do quando, iremos errar, por isso, estejamos sempre atentos a conselhos mais experientes.
Cybersecurity is a rewarding and exciting field. You get to work on interesting and impactful projects, use cutting-edge technologies, and make a difference in the world. You should enjoy your work, and have fun along the way. You should also balance your work and life, and take care of your physical and mental health. You should pursue your hobbies and interests, spend time with your family and friends, and relax and recharge. Having fun will help you maintain your passion and enthusiasm, and also cope with stress and burnout.
Working in cybersecurity is like being a digital superhero where you use cool technology to make the online world safer. It's not just about stopping bad things; it's also about having fun with impactful projects. But, even superheroes need a break! Enjoy your work, but also spend time with family, pursue hobbies, and take care of your well-being. Just like recharging your superhero powers, having fun outside work helps you stay excited, healthy, and ready to tackle challenges.
Finding a hobby/routine which requires you to get outside at least once a day is, imo, crucial to anyone working in cybersecurity. I’d go a step further and suggest that getting any type of daily exercise will significantly make you more effective in work. Regular physical activity can also reduce your risk of cognitive decline, including dementia.
Constantly prioritise and triage tasks against required deadlines. This helps with staying on track of low priority and peripheral things that can slip through the net, while keeping focus on routine / enduring tasks and objectives. This, with allocating roughly 60% of your working day to your task list, allows scope and flex to deal with those urgent and unplanned tasks that require priority attention. If 100% of your working day is allocated to something, when that inevitable event or incident occurs, your back log of tasks gets heavier and exponentially increases the risk of burnout.
The fun will help you to maintain working enthusiasm and learn new things without getting bored. Working in this industry, sometimes you need to work with other departments, which will find different ways to avoid following your suggestions. It will make an open environment, and people will find it easier to understand than a formal meeting.
Kindness and empathy are not just important, but essential habits to develop as a cybersecurity professional. Consider the user who clicked a link, not out of malice, but in an effort to serve a customer or help a colleague. Kindness and empathy can transform a potential reprimand into a moment of empowerment as well as a valued learning opportunity. The aspiring cybersecurity professional graduating with in-demand skills but lacking in experience? An empathetic approach to hiring can help bridge our industry's skill gap. And for front line defenders, recognizing and destigmatizing the relentless toll this profession can take and the stresses it can create will contribute to maintaining a supportive and understanding work environment.
This role requires more social skills and collaboration then many other roles in a company. Being skilled enough to speak to business leaders in terms which will cause them to rally behind your efforts is only one of three important groups. You must also engage IT with technical skills. Finally, the users need to see your office as approachable, but not soft. Remember you were hired to defend the users through the use of technology. The technology has been chosen to align with the business mission. You secure all of it. Communicate this intention, often. Finally, to be valued and respected say what you mean AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY! Formalize exception processes, to ensure you can align your intention with the mission.
Siempre tengo presente que mi labor va más allá de proteger sistemas; se trata de proteger a las personas y contribuir a una sociedad más segura. Esta consciencia me ha ayudado a mantener un enfoque ético y comprometido en todo lo que hago.
Certifications and Skill Building: Pursue relevant certifications and continuously build your skills. Certifications such as CISSP, CEH, and others can validate your expertise and enhance your professional profile.
Attention to detail - there are times when a small detail could help to identify an attack at a very earlier stage. Follow the intuition of that smaller detail and make sure it is indeed True positive or false positive. Stopping the attack earlier will help not only the business but helps to protect the data being exfiltrated.