Since the internet became mainstream, online security has consistently been a worry for everyone. Nowadays, to hear of something not connected to the internet seems preposterous. With this interconnectedness showing no signs of stopping through the Internet of Things, smart devices, and the promises of the future coming soon, cybersecurity is more important than ever.

Over the last decade or so, businesses learned just how important cybersecurity really is thanks to the abundance of enormous cyberattacks on huge corporations and small businesses alike. They lost money, leaked private customer information, exposed sensitive financial data, and, most importantly, lost the trust of their clients. In fact, many companies are still feeling the effects of these data breaches and hacks.

For this reason, smart companies are making it a priority to hire the best and most well-equipped cybersecurity professionals to help keep their companies and their clients safe from these dangerous threats.

In this article, you will learn, among other things, how to hire a cybersecurity expert.

Hiring Guide

Today, cybersecurity is arguably the most important aspect of doing business as it not only plays a pivotal role in the success of every other industry out there but also protects billions of people’s personal data.

A cybersecurity developer is a newer type of software or application developer that writes programs with a focus on safeguarding systems along with data and information. These trained professionals must not only have the technical skills that allow them to build and customize applications but also work well within a team to figure out the best way to do so and the most vulnerable business areas to protect.

These highly sought-after developers take the technical knowledge of writing and developing software itself and pair it with the ability to analyze security threats for product development. This career typically requires a background in both cybersecurity itself as well as computer programming. Typically, it starts with college courses and/or related work experience in software development, software engineering, or computer science.

Software developers specializing in cybersecurity must be creative and goal-oriented with a strong desire for problem-solving and proactive thinking. They face many obstacles and conflicting requirements throughout their careers, whether from internal teams, leadership, and company guidelines, or those imposed upon companies at a legislative or federal level for user protection.

While some cybersecurity developers spend their careers building products from the ground up for an actual security company, others find themselves customizing solutions for major companies to meet niche needs. This requires a creative mind to see a complex problem and potential vulnerabilities as well as the ability to think like a hacker, and then put a solution into place.

With new security threats, data breaches, and data leaks happening on a near-daily basis, to say that cybersecurity professionals are in high demand is an understatement. Many companies are even willing to hire professionals and train them in the exact training and certifications that their business needs to ensure the right fit.

Interview Questions

What’s a 3-way handshake?

A 3-way handshake is a method used in certain networks (TCP or IP) to create a connection between a host and a client. It gets its name from the 3-step method used to exchange packets between the server and client. The steps are as follows:

1. The client sends a synchronized packet (SYN) to the server to check if the server is up and has open ports.
2. The server then sends an SYN-ACK packet to the client if it verifies it has open ports.
3. The client acknowledges this and then sends an acknowledgment (ACK) packet back to the server.

How does data leakage happen?

Data leakage is the transmission of data, whether intentional or unintentional, from within an organization or system to an unauthorized external destination. Typically, this is the disclosure of confidential or private information to an unauthorized entity of some sort, whether via hack or accident. These leaks take place within 1 of 3 categories depending on how they occur:

1. Intentional Breach: An authorized entity sends data to an unauthorized entity purposefully.
2. Accidental Breach: An entity unintentionally sends data to an unauthorized entity due to a non-purposeful action.
3. System Hack: Unauthorized, unlawful entities use hacking techniques to gain access to data.

What are some of the most common types of cyberattacks?

1. Brute Force Attacks
2. Password Attacks
3. Phishing
4. Malware
5. DDoS
6. Man in the Middle
7. Malvertising
8. Rogue Software
9. Drive-By Downloads

What’s the difference between white hat, grey hat, and black hat hackers?

White hat hackers are also known as ethical hackers as they use their hacking abilities for good. Many companies hire these hackers as security specialists to thoroughly test, find, and fix security vulnerabilities and holes within their systems, programs, apps, and more. They help make security better.

Grey hat hackers look for system vulnerabilities but typically without the owner of the system’s permission. This puts them in a literal “grey area” as they don’t exploit the vulnerabilities found and do typically report them to the owner, however, they weren’t given permission to look for them in the first place.

Black hat hackers are those who choose to break into computer networks via malware, brute force attacks, or other hacking methods to gain access to systems for personal gain and malicious purposes.

Job Description

Our team is looking for an experienced and skilled cybersecurity developer to join our company. The right candidate not only has coding and development abilities but also a keen eye for security threats, potential issues, and vulnerabilities. They will be responsible for not only identifying these issues but also creatively coming up with solutions to protect the company and our customers.

Responsibilities

• Perform reviews and audits of the development team as well as internal systems
• Provide strategies for improving existing cybersecurity solutions and recommending new ideas
• Work closely with the development team on security strategies for projects
• Manage development team in providing security direction, goals, and objectives

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or similar field
• 3+ years experience in Cybersecurity
• Experience with coding languages such as C++, Python, PHP, HTML 5, HTTPS, etc.
• Experience with cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST, CIS, PCI, and others
• Ability to work in an Agile development environment
• Various cybersecurity certifications
• Strong communication skills