The route to becoming a Cyber Security Ethical Hacker

Here it is! Part-5 of our Cyber Security Awareness Month mini-series. So far we’ve looked at ‘how Cyber Threats really work’, where we discussed what cyber threats are and typical ways hackers try to hack you.

Next we explained ‘How cyber threats affect you’, where we discussed the dangers of cyber attacks and ways cyber-criminals target you.

During our third week we looked at the important topic of ‘Protecting your small business from a cyber-attack, which detailed the ways you can protect your business from cyber-crime.

And last week we addressed the ‘Top 5 Cyber Security Trends of 2019’.

As Ethical Hacking is one of the most popular choices from individuals to get into Cyber Security, we are choosing this last blog in the mini-series to talk about the route to becoming an Ethical Hacker.

Cyber Security Training - How do you become an Ethical Hacker?

Contrary to popular belief, getting into Cyber Security doesn’t start with a Cyber Security qualification but rather with IT qualifications. Below we discuss a typical route with e-Careers, to go from little to no experience all the way through to a certified Professional Ethical Hacker. At the end of each stage, you’re able to apply for job roles at certain levels but to work in an Ethical Hacker role, you’ll need to work your way through the course to the last stage.

Stage 1 – Gain a fundamental knowledge of IT

Before you enrol onto Cyber Security related courses, you will need to first pass some CompTIA fundamentals qualifications. These may include CompTIA IT Fundamentals, CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+ Certifications. These courses focus on the fundamentals of IT security, networking and IT software and hardware, giving you a well-rounded overview of essential IT skills and knowledge.

CompTIA IT Fundamentals - If you are new to the IT industry and have very limited understanding of IT, this is the course you will want to start with, as it covers the basics of IT, including Concepts and Termination, Infrastructure, Security, Applications, and Software. 

CompTIA A+ - For those with a fairly average understanding of IT, the CompTIA A+ course is the perfect choice for anyone looking to start a career in IT and Cyber Security. You will cover the topics of Hardware, Networking, Operating Systems, Cloud Computing, and more!  

CompTIA Network+ - The Official CompTIA Network+ course is ideal for any IT professional looking to specialise in networking and open a new avenue of their career in IT networking or support. You will cover networking topics in detail, including Ethernet technology, WAN's, IPv5 and IPv6 addresses, Network security, and more! 

CompTIA Security+ - The CompTIA Security+ is one of the most in-demand qualifications in IT security. This vendor-neutral certification gives you the relevant knowledge and skills needed to install and configure systems to secure applications, networks and devices and other functions needed to be a trusted and reliable IT security professional. You will cover the topics of Risk management, Cryptography, Authentication, Access control, and more! 

Stage 2 – Entry-level Cyber Security training

CompTIA offers a great way into Cyber Security for those new to the industry, through the CompTIA Cyber Security Analyst Certification (CySA). This course teaches you how to prevent, detect and combat cyber security threats.  

Stage 3 – Gain a specialist Cyber Security qualification

The EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) training course provides you with a comprehensive understanding of Ethical Hacking, where you will grasp essential principles and techniques, helping you to systematically inspect network infrastructures, discover security vulnerabilities, preventing malicious hacks, and cyber attacks in the future. 

Stage 4 – Alternative career option: Cloud Computing Professional

An alternative career path to Ethical Hacking for technical individuals is Cloud Computing. We offer a range of professional AWS training courses, including:

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner - An Amazon Certified Cloud Practitioner enables professionals to highlight their in-demand skills to current and future employers. It also helps organisations build innovative and effective Cloud teams. 

AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate) - The is one of the most sought after qualifications in Cloud Computing. You will gain the knowledge required to embark on a career in Cloud Computing as an architect, and this training can act as a springboard into other specialist certifications, such as Big Data, Machine Learning, or Security.  

AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Professional) - This certification is aimed at individuals who perform a Solutions Architect role, and who have two or more years of hands-on experience managing and operating systems on AWS. There is a high demand for highly skilled and experienced AWS Solutions Architects, who can design and deploy dynamically scalable, fault-tolerant applications on AWS.

Job Academy Programmes

For those looking to embark on a career within Business Analysis, Cloud Computing, Cyber Security, and IT but who have limited knowledge or experience, you may want to consider looking into our Job Academy Programmes. These programmes provide you with the knowledge, skills, and certificates across a range of courses in one bundle. These programmes also include a job placement opportunity.

Our Job Academy Programmes:

•    AWS Cloud Computing Job Academy Programme
•    Business Analysis Job Academy Programme
•    Cyber Security Job Academy Programme
•    IT Support Job Academy Programme

The average salary paid to Cyber Security employees in the UK is around  £62.5k per annum.

(Source: ITJobsWatch)

Well, there we have it. Part-5 of our Cyber Security Awareness Month mini-series. We hope you’ve enjoyed the series and learnt something new. If you’re interested in moving into Cyber Security, we’d love to hear from you. Fill out an enquiry form or give us a call today – 0203 198 7700.