Unlocking cybersecurity career success: Experts share the key

India has a cybersecurity problem. With 761 cyber threat detections per minute in 2023, time and talent is of the essence.??

“The cybersecurity landscape has evolved immensely — from battling viruses in DOS to confronting sophisticated AI-led cyber threats today. As an IT professional and leader, adaptability has been key to navigating these transformations,” says Pradeep Rao , Director and Chief Architect at Kyndryl.

How is India adapting? With the country facing more than 400 million cyber threats across 8.5 million endpoints in 2023, and almost 73% of Indian mid- and large companies facing ransomware attacks during the time period, CEOs and boards are increasingly taking the reins of their cyber defence.?

Firms across sectors are also on the hunt for cybersecurity skills as safeguarding assets becomes a top priority. The banking, financial services, and insurance sector is facing a cybersecurity talent crunch, and the challenge of understaffing is also pushing companies to train non-security personnel. Companies are looking for an average of 3.8 years of prior experience while hiring in the Cybersecurity/ IT/Data category, shows LinkedIn data.

India faces a myriad of cybersecurity challenges that professionals in the field need to be aware of — from limited cybersecurity awareness to the rise in fraud, identity theft, and online scams, says Vaishali Thakur , Head of Research And Development at SecureHack.

?? Unlocking a thriving cybersecurity career

Product Security Engineer — which involves designing programming to increase security and customer safety for their company’s product offerings — is one of the fastest-growing jobs in India over the past five years, according to LinkedIn data. Greater Bengaluru Area, Pune/Pimpri-Chinchwad Area, and Greater Delhi Area are the top regions hiring for this role, according to the data, which also shows that Software Engineers, Security Analysts, and Information Security Engineer, are the top jobs people transitioned to this role from.

Insights Analyst and Quantitative Developer are also among the fastest-growing jobs over the last five years, shows LinkedIn data.

“Contrary to popular belief, cyber security is not just about hacking and pentesting — it encompasses a range of skills, techniques and expertise, from technical proficiency to analytical thinking, communication skills, crisis management, and leadership abilities,” says Santosh Kamane , co-founder and CEO, CyberFIT Solutions Pvt Ltd.

What advice do experts have for professionals who want to build a career in this field or transition to it?

“The beauty of cybersecurity is that it accommodates individuals with different backgrounds and skill sets, including those with a passion for technology, business skills, a talent for problem-solving or training others,” says Kamane. So, whether you are a network engineer, programmer, project manager, data analyst, or business strategist — there is a cybersecurity role that can align with your strengths and aspirations, he adds.?

?? See Santosh Kamane’s post on the ever-evolving domain of cybersecurity

“Whether you're a tech pro or not, there's a cybersecurity path for you. If you are a pro, leverage your expertise in network security, cloud security, or application security based on your technical strengths,” says Akhilesh Tuteja , Global Head - Cyber Security Consulting and India Head - Digital Consulting at KPMG.

He adds that not all cybersecurity roles require deep technical skills, and that governance, risk management, and security training are equally vital and lucrative.

?? See Akhilesh Tuteja’s post on unlocking a career in cybersecurity

Product Security, Application Security, Threat Modelling, Vulnerability Assessment, Penetration Testing, and Cloud Security are the top skills related to cybersecurity and data privacy, according to LinkedIn data.

Along with technical skills, Vaishali Thakur advises professionals to learn about the legal aspects of cybersecurity, be well-versed in data protection laws and technologies to help safeguard information, and equip themselves to assess and enhance the cybersecurity posture of critical infrastructure like power grids and financial systems.

?? See Vaishali Thakur’s post on India’s cybersecurity challenges?

“Your employees are the first line of defence against threats. Develop engaging cybersecurity training covering phishing, safe web browsing, passwords, physical security, social engineering, and incident reporting,” says Saurabh Arora , co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Plum, sharing a post on the measures his firm takes to safeguard against cyber attacks. He adds that firms need to proactively assess defences with red teams of ethical hackers, who perform realistic simulations to validate controls against actual attacks.?

?? Starting up in cybersecurity

Over the last two years, Indian cybersecurity startups raised almost $130.7 million — a 63% jump from two years prior, reports Livemint, citing Tracxn data. The rising number of data security breaches and advancements in AI are boosting investments, adds the report.

Artificial intelligence will continue to redefine the way we approach cybersecurity, writes Amit Jaju , Partner/ Senior Managing Director - India, and Head of Data and Technology at Ankura, in a post on LinkedIn. “As cybersecurity experts harness AI for threat detection, cyber-attackers are leveraging it to create more sophisticated attacks,” he adds.

The intersection of AI with cybersecurity is set to drive a significant increase in investments in the sector this year, according to Shyam Penumaka , partner at Dallas Venture Capital (DVC), reports Livemint. He adds that AI technologies, like machine learning and behavioural analytics, are proving to be game changers in the cybersecurity space.

With almost 90% of Indian business leaders seeing a significant cyber threat to their business and cyber budgets on the rise, investors are optimistic about investing in the space.

What does this look like from the lens of a cybersecurity startup founder?

India's startup world has its own cybersecurity challenges — budget constraints, limited cybersecurity awareness, skills gaps and a constantly evolving threat landscape, says Swarnali Singha , co-founder and Chief Business Officer at ZERON, who describes her company as “a bridge between the technical jargon and the boardroom.”

“I was shocked by how little businesses cared about cyber security. Data breaches? ‘Not a priority.’ Vulnerabilities? ‘Not my team’s problem.’ It was like watching a house on fire while the owner shrugged and sipped tea,” adds Swarnali Singha .

Her advice to cybersecurity startups? Niche down, find your corner of the problem space and address India’s unique needs head-on. Speak the language of business, not just bits and bytes, and show them how cybersecurity impacts their bottom line, she adds, sharing a page out of her playbook.

?? See Swarnali Singha’s post on building cybersecurity businesses in India

?? Check out the 25 fastest-growing jobs in India here, and join the conversation using #JobsontheRise.

List Methodology

LinkedIn Economic Graph researchers examined millions of jobs started by LinkedIn members from January 1, 2019 to July 31, 2023 to calculate a growth rate for each job title. To be ranked, a job title needed to see consistent growth across our membership base, as well as have grown to a meaningful size by 2023. Identical job titles across different seniority levels were grouped and ranked together. Internships, volunteer positions, interim roles and student roles were excluded, and jobs where hiring was dominated by a small handful of companies in each country were also excluded.

Job Insights

Additional data points for each of the job titles are based on LinkedIn profiles of members holding the title and/or open jobs for that title in the country.

Most common skills were derived from the top skills most unique to each title among members who have ever held that title on LinkedIn. Median years of experience was calculated using the median years of work experience held prior to starting in the featured title for members hired within the methodology time frame. Most common industries are based on the industry of the companies that hired the highest number of members for each job from January 1, 2023 to July 31, 2023. Top locations hiring were categorized as the regions or cities that employed the largest percentage of each job title from January 1, 2023 to July 31, 2023. Most common transitions were identified by the share of transitions from another occupation into the featured job in the past 5 years.

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Reported by: Isha Chitnis

Community Manager: Raunak Ramteke