Top 10 most in-demand cybersecurity skills for 2023

In a technology-driven world, the security industry still faces a skills shortage, and finding qualified candidates to fill one of the thousands of open positions is one of the biggest challenges for hiring managers.??

To fill the skills gap, organizations are not only focusing on finding new talent, but also upskilling their security teams through courses offered by training providers and seeking relevant industry certifications. But what are organizations looking for? What mix of soft and hard skills will be most in demand in 2023???

Top in-demand cybersecurity skillsets

Here, in no particular order, are the most in-demand skill sets for security professionals. This is what organizations expect most when choosing the right people to protect their systems, networks, data, programs and digital assets.??

1. IT and networking skills

Analyzing and solving high-level security problems on your network requires solid technical skills. This includes systems administration and networking skills, as well as an understanding of how security controls are in place to protect digital assets from cyberthreats.?

Additional skills include implementing the latest security best practices in wired and wireless network security assessment, troubleshooting, and information system maintenance and updates. Building a foundation of technical skills is important for many types of cybersecurity careers. Common entry-level certifications that focus on networking and security fundamentals include:??

• CompTIA?Network+?and?Security+
• Cisco CCNA Associate and CyberOps Associate
• (ISC)2 Systems Security Certified Practitioner?(SSCP)
• GIAC??Security Essentials?(GSEC)

2. Analytical skills

Analysis is an essential skill for security professionals tasked with examining computer systems to anticipate problems, assess risks, and consider solutions to prevent, detect, and respond to cyberattacks. This includes not only the technical knowledge of using security tools to identify complex cyber threats, but also problem solving, critical thinking, and communicating and persuading management to implement stricter security protocols. Soft skills such as competencies are also required.?

Analysts can take on a variety of roles, including cybersecurity analysts, information security analysts, computer systems analysts, and malware analysts. Technical and analytically oriented professional certifications include:??

• CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst?(CySA+)
• Certified Reverse Engineering Analyst?(CREA)
• CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) and CREST Registered Intrusion Analysis (CRIA)

3. Threat intelligence skills

Security professionals must assess threats and the risks they pose to systems and organizations. Most organizations have many tools at their disposal to identify threats, but these are useless without experts who can properly analyze, classify, and mitigate detected threats. Common certifications related to threat intelligence include:??

• CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst?(CySA+)
• CertNexus CyberSec First Responder
• Certified Cyber Threat Hunting Professional?(CCTHP)
• GIAC Cyber Threat Intelligence (GCTI)

4. Incident handling skills

Responding quickly to incidents is key to minimizing damage to your business. But it's also important to thoroughly investigate the situation and make recommendations for closing loopholes in your organization's security posture. Additional skills include the ability to create effective Incident Response Plans (IRPs) to reduce the risk of IT service downtime during incidents. Common learning paths and certifications related to incident response include:??

• Incident Response and Network Forensics
• Incident Response
• Network Traffic Analysis for Incident Response
• GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)

5. Auditing skills

IT auditors conduct audits of an organization's systems and security so that vulnerabilities and errors are discovered, documented, tested and remedied. Audits can reveal vulnerabilities introduced into an organization by people, technology, or processes, and whether they pose risks or other complications.?

Having auditing skills not only means having knowledge of basic system infrastructure, data analysis and risk management, but also effectively presenting findings in front of technical and non-technical audiences. It also means that you have good interpersonal and communication skills to effectively present yourself.

For those considering a career as an IT/IS Auditor, several certifications and career paths are available for her, including:??

• Cybersecurity Audit Fundamentals
• ISACA Certified Information Systems Auditor?(CISA)
• CMMC?Certified Professional?(CP) and?Certified Assessor?(CA-1)

6. Penetration testing skills

Using exploit techniques for testing purposes is a sought-after cybersecurity skill. Pentesters generally have hands-on skill and a passion for destroying things. Their findings help organizations improve their digital security posture and fix security gaps and weaknesses. They are doing exactly what malicious hackers do when they try to break into a system (with permission, of course).?

For professionals who consider penetration testing to be the right career for them, common certifications include:??

• EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker?(CEH)
• CompTIA PenTest+
• Certified Penetration Tester?(CPT) and?Certified Expert Penetration Tester?(CEPT)
• Certified Mobile and Web Application Penetration Tester?(CMWAPT)
• Certified Red Team Operations Professional?(CRTOP)
• GIAC Penetration Tester?(GPEN)

7. Forensics skills

Forensic investigation is an important part of incident response. They use a variety of forensic tools to recover deleted, corrupted, or otherwise tampered data from various devices such as computers, tablets, phones, and flash drives. Digital forensics professionals need solid investigative techniques, strong data interpretation, and effective presentation skills to present evidence in court. Common digital forensics certifications or learning paths include:??

• Certified Computer Forensics Examiner?(CCFE)
• Certified Mobile Forensics Examiner?(CMFE)
• Incident Response and Network Forensics
• Digital Forensics Concepts
• Windows Registry Forensics

8. Governance, risk management and compliance skills

Effective governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) are critical to business operations. GRC professionals should be able to design and implement strategies and solutions that align with business objectives and comply with industry regulations (HIPAA, CCPA, GDPR, ISO 27000 series, NIST CSF, and NIST RMF). Relevant certifications and training for GRC professionals include:??

• ISACA Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control?(CRISC)
• ISACA Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT?(CGEIT)
• Risk Management Framework?(RMF)
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework
• IAPP Certified Information Privacy Manager?(CIPM),?Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States?(CIPP/US) and?Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe?(CIPP/E)

9. Virtualization and cloud computing skills

Most organizations use cloud services, whether they are software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), or infrastructure as a service (IaaS).