Top 10 In-Demand Cybersecurity Jobs in the Age of Coronavirus

Surviving the coronavirus pandemic has become the top agenda for CISOs. It has also prompted a shift towards heightened cybersecurity with IT executives placing a higher emphasis on security operations, risk management, intrusion detection, and network monitoring. The importance of cybersecurity Opens a new window in the global landscape was reiterated last month when the U.S. deemed numerous cybersecurity-related jobs as “essential”. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released an advisoryOpens a new window on critical infrastructure workers who should remain on regular schedules during COVID-19, and there are plenty of cybersecurity jobs among them. The list designed as essential guidance to state and local partners includes jobs such as:

• Cybersecurity personnel in health care who can’t work offsite
• Cybersecurity engineers and risk management pros in the energy field
• IT workers responding to critical infrastructure cyber incidents

COVID-19 themed cyber attacks have been the dominant narrative since the epidemic hit the U.S. and Europe. Companies of all sizes have come under attack, the most recent being tech consulting major Cognizant that was hit by Maze ransomware on Saturday. The global pandemiOpens a new window c has exposed several gaps in organizational cybersecurity strategy, and CISOs need to rethink how best to address this growing threat. In addition, the changing nature of remote work has ushered in new drivers and strategies for cybersecurity technology vendors and enterprise Opens a new window leaders that are moving security to the cloud. “There will be more demand for Multi-factor authentication requirements for remote working, less spend on hardware firewalls and more on virtualized network security,” said Michaela Menting, Research Director at ABI Research.

The current crisis has sparked a growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, with (ISC)2Opens a new window pegging the global cybersecurity workforce needs to grow by 145%. Burning Glass report estimates cloud security (170%) and Internet of Things (140%) is expected to be the fastest-growing cybersecurity skills over the next five years. Toolbox lists down the top 10 cybersecurity jobs that will be in-demand in the coronavirus age.

Table of Contents

1. Application Security Engineer

2. Cybersecurity Analyst

3. Cybersecurity Consultant

4. Cybersecurity Engineer

5. Cyber Incident Handler/Incident Responder

6. Digital Forensic Analyst

7. Disaster Recovery Specialist

8. Ethical Hacker

9. Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst

10. Penetration Tester/Vulnerability Analyst

Learn More: How Breach and Attack Simulations Can Tackle AWS Security IncidentsOpens a new window

1. Application Security Engineer

As experts raise alarms about the spread of ransomwareOpens a new window , malware, DDOS and phishing attacks, industry experts now impress upon the importance of the role of Application Security Engineers. The role of an Application Security Engineer revolves around finding and building a suitable solution in the threat landscape of the organization. S/he is also responsible for implementing comprehensive architecture and solutions to identify vulnerabilities and threats.

Job Openings: As of mid-April 2020, there are over 6,118 job openings on LinkedIn in the U.S.

2. Cybersecurity Analyst

With the number of COVID-19 cases rising and changing the global workplaces forever, cybersecurityOpens a new window has become a key priority, and companies are ramping up their strategies. In the coronavirus age, IT leaders need to work with technology vendors to rethink enterprise security architecture and take steps to increase cyber resilience, saysOpens a new window Mark J. Barrenechea, OpenText CEO and CTO.

The role of a Cybersecurity Analyst is to evaluate, design, and establish robust security measures in order to protect the organization from security breaches and attacks both on its network as well as its systems.

Job Openings: Currently, there are over 4000 job openings on LinkedIn in the U.S. Around 120 new jobsOpens a new window were created in the last seven days.

3. Cybersecurity Consultant

Reports suggest that hackingOpens a new window groups aligned with certain foreign governments, among others, are sending malicious email attachments about the virus in recent weeks. Cybercriminals are increasingly launching malicious software attacks against health care organizations, disrupting medical treatment and threatening private patient information. According to The Boston GlobeOpens a new window , Interpol reportedly alerted the police forces in 194 countries earlier this month about the heightened threat of cyber-attacks targeting healthcare.

This is where the role of a CybersecurityOpens a new window Consultant kicks in. S/he needs to get into the minds of both the attacker and build a threat modeling program to defend computer systems, networks, and software programs. Security consultants also have considerable experience in SOX, PCI, Opens a new window and HIPAA compliance risk assessment and analysis.In the current business environment, NIST Cybersecurity consultants are in high demand.

Job Openings: As per IndeedOpens a new window , there are 3000+ job openings Opens a new window available for this role.

Learn More: Coronavirus Raises Cybersecurity Risks, Malware & Phishing Scams RiseOpens a new window

4. Cybersecurity Engineer

The job for a Cybersecurity Engineer has seen the most growth over the last decade. This is because this particular job role encompasses multiple tasks like:

• Architecting, developing and fielding secure network solutions against persistent threats
• Engineering trusted systems into secure systems
• Performing assessments and penetration testing
• Managing security technology and audit or intrusion systems
• Establishing network security policies and procedures
• Regulating access to information
• Training employees on the proper use of information systems

Job Openings: As of mid-April 2020, there are over 6,000+ job openings on LinkedInOpens a new window in the U.S.

5. Cyber Incident Handler/Incident Responder

With companies across the board coming under attack, the role of Incident Responder or Incident Handler has seen a sharp rise. In the current crisis with cyber intrusions on a rise, there’s a growing need for incident management. Technology vendors and consultants are opening positions for SOC incident handling and response professionals. An Incident Handler is expected to work closely with security teams, and understand the extent of suspected attacks, and perform remediation.

Job Openings: As of mid-April 2020, there are over 50,000 job openings on LinkedInOpens a new window in the U.S.

6. Digital Forensic Analyst

Digital Forensic Analysts need to have in-depth knowledge of networkOpens a new window theory and technologies. They need to analyze digital media such as logs, code, phones, hard drives, and memory dumps to determine attack vectors and develop risk mitigation techniques. The Digital Forensic Analysts are also required to identify possible threats and maintain security readiness to divert and deploy teams of contract resources to provide on‐site support and assistance in the event of any or cyber incidents.

Job Openings: As of mid-April 2020, there are over 600 job openings on Indeed.Opens a new window

7. Disaster Recovery Specialist

Disaster Recovery Specialists or Disaster Recovery Engineers are tasked with planning and implementing DR programs for the organization’s most critical business process applications, IT infrastructure services. S/he is also expected to address the various solutions to ensure the IT system’s security and continuity. Some of the prerequisites include experience in technical project management and agile frameworks.

Job Openings: Around 190 jobs were posted in the last seven days on Dice.

Learn More: Best Practices for Secure Remote Management of IoT DevicesOpens a new window

8. Ethical Hacker

Ethical Hackers are tasked with identifying critical application vulnerabilities and need to work closely with web application teams to address those findings. S/he is also responsible for performing risk assessment across the entire network including hardware and software systems and setting up security policies that help personnel use best practices for digital protection. Ethical hackers also have deep know-how of secure coding practices and knowledge of Java, Python, and C++.

Job Openings: As of mid-April 2020, there are over 200 job openings on LinkedInOpens a new window .

9. Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst

With remote work Opens a new window kicking in, malware attacks have increased exponentially. And with the threat landscape expanding, companies are on a lookout for Threat Intelligence Analysts who can analyze cyber threats, their vectors, and capabilities. The malware intelligence analyst applies knowledge of malware types, analysis tools to thwart external and insider threats before they actually develop. This role also serves as a key point of contact for cyber threat intelligence, as a subject matter expert.

Job Openings: Currently, there’re 500+ postings on Indeed.Opens a new window

10. Penetration Tester/Vulnerability Analyst

In today’s heightened threat landscape, organizations need to contend with zero-day threats, sophisticated social engineering and phishing campaigns, cryptojacking, file-less malware, and much more. The role of a Penetration Tester or a Vulnerability Analyst revolves around network penetration, web and mobile application testing, source code reviews, threat analysis, and wireless network assessments. S/he is also expected to design the security architecture so that it meets the business requirements and performance goals. They are tasked with cryptographic implementations to identify bugs and vulnerabilities before product releases.

Job Openings: There are 400+ postings on IndeedOpens a new window for this role.

Would you like to share tips on how companies can bridge the current cybersecurity talent divide? Comment below or let us know on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you!