Cybersecurity Career Guide 2023
Technical
1. Start with general reading. Read the security news, read some fan-favorite books, and
listen to podcasts.
o Reading the security news and books familiarizes yourself with the most recent
tactics and techniques adversaries are using. When you do not understand a
concept or phrase, look it up. Start building an archive of acronyms, technologies,
and tools.
2. Start with the fundamentals of I.T.
o Hardware, software, operating systems, and networking.
o If you have video some of my previous videos, I have said this many times, start
with general technology. You need to know how the underlying concepts work
such as networking in order secure the network.
3. Deep-dive into networking.
o Hardware, TCP/IP and OSI Model, network architecture, subnetting, protocols,
and network security.
o Computer networking (think about a traditional router for those who are brand
new) is a fundamental to security. Formalize yourself with the following concepts.
4. Programming and scripting
o Choose a popular, user-friendly programming language. Recommend Python,
Bash, PowerShell, Go.
o Programming and more so scripting for general-purpose security analysts are
used to automate the boring tasks. Learning the basics of scripting, how to read,
and write scripts will help you along the way.
5. OS Basics (Windows & Linux)
o Learn the basics. How to navigate to command line, shell commands, kernel and
user space, basic Linux setup, etc.
o Linux is a sizeable component to back-end architecture powering servers.
Understanding the basics of Linux architecture, how it differs from traditional
Windows and Unix environments will help you gain a comprehensive
understanding of the big picture.
o Windows on the other hand powers the large majority of business environments.
Understanding common techniques and tactics used to attack and defend in a
Windows environment will help you gain a holistic perspective on the end-user
workstation and enterprise active directory landscape.
6. Security Basics
o Hardware, security concepts, common attacks, etc
o Now you can move into security basics, learn about the basic security hardware,
software, common attack techniques, etc.
© Cybercademy LLC 2023
7. Virtualization & Web Basics
o Web architecture, HTTP/S protocols, basic attacks.
o Virtualization is used for various purposes, including malware sandboxing,
honeypots, and efficient use of hardware resources.
o The internet is powered through the architecture of the web. Understanding
basic communication processes is imperative to identifying and defending against
common techniques.
8. Security Technology
o Vulnerability scanners, SIEM, Firewall, IDS/IPS, EDR, etc
o Working with various security technologies will allow you to understand and gain
a comprehensive approach to security. Fiddling around with different security
technologies helps you understand how tools work together. The majority of
security jobs are working hands-on with security tools.
Career
1. Focus on the basics, create extensive documentation, and develop a plan.
2. Project-based approach. CTFs, cybersecurity homelabs (virtualization), online lab
websites, and more.
3. Formal qualifications, technology, computer science, or cybersecurity degree.
Cybersecurity certifications (focus on the main ones).
4. Portfolio. Projects, blogs, clubs, network meetups, etc.
5. Consistency
Links
Training Platforms: https://cybercademy.org/training-platforms/
Project Ideas Page: https://cybercademy.org/project-ideas/
Resources Page: https://cybercademy.org/resources/
Books: https://cybercademy.org/books/
Podcasts: https://cybercademy.org/general-resources/
CTF Platforms: https://ctfsites.github.io/
© Cybercademy LLC 2023