Are you a student exploring career options in the tech industry? Cybersecurity offers an exciting and rewarding career path with numerous job opportunities. From ethical hacking and penetration testing to cybersecurity consulting and risk management, there are many areas of specialization within cybersecurity that offer attractive career prospects.

To help you get started, we’ve gathered tips from three experts in the Kista Science City cybersecurity community.

Do you want to work with cybersecurity? Here’s how to get started.

Eva Fogelström is responsible for the security department at Ericsson Research. These are her tips:

1

Cybersecurity is about protecting digital infrastructure, as well as mobile phones, computers, other connected devices, applications, and data. In addition to pure technology and technical solutions for risk management (understanding and prioritizing what is important), softer aspects of how people behave and act in relation to vulnerabilities and threats are also included. This means that there are many aspects of cybersecurity – hardware, software, cryptography, as well as protection of personal data (privacy), secure AI, user-friendliness, and analysis of the environment. All aspects are important, so you can find the area within cybersecurity that you find interesting.

2

Many companies offer opportunities for summer jobs, thesis work, or various types of internships. Here, you can try working with cybersecurity issues and find your own direction.

3

Cybersecurity is something that will be needed almost everywhere in future society. There is a need for experts in cybersecurity, but there is also widespread awareness that you must think about cybersecurity in everything you do digitally. Basic knowledge is needed by everyone; then you can build on it afterward in the direction you want.

Christer Böke, Concept Manager for IT Security at Atea Sweden, offers these tips:

1

Cybersecurity is a broad field, so consider whether you want to work with security from a strategic or technical role, such as Information security or IT security. Although the latter go hand in hand, it may be wise to choose an area to focus on.

2

Back up your skills with relevant certifications.

3

Try to run your internship at a well-known company that has experience and credibility within the Information-IT-Security field. That will give you more opportunities.

Kim Elman heads up RISE Center for Cybersecurity. These are his tips:

1

Take advantage of all the free knowledge available online. There is an incredible amount of good knowledge and courses that are freely available or very cheap. For example at Cybrary.it and Securitytube.net.

2

Remember that cybersecurity is broader than technology. The need for competence linked to cyber security is also great in consulting, risk management, education, politics, law, etc

3

Find entry-level jobs. Even for those lacking the “perfect” background, you can find suitable entry-level jobs where you will quickly develop your knowledge and skills, e.g. in a SOC. From there you can easily apply for other roles.