How to Become a Savvy Cybersecurity Researcher in 2022

Being on one’s feet is the defining quality when it comes to a Cyber researcher’s IQ.

Being a cybersecurity researcher requires expertise and it is a necessary condition. In fact, one can comfortably say that the only sufficient condition would be to have an unending curiosity to dig into earlier uncharted tunnels of obfuscated code and have an uncomfortable itch to reverse it. We find people passionate about drawing strategies and designing solutions to keep the digital world away from the most overwhelming and damaging cyber threats of the day. There may be an enthusiast, an avenger, or a problem solver hiding inside, but cyberspace is known for showering Minecraft-like surprises, even for the experts. In this context, it is highly suggested to seek counsel from trusted sources to not lose sight of the goal in the path of becoming a savvy cybersecurity researcher.  

Who is a Security Researcher?

Cybersecurity researchers are often required to detect new forms of malware for companies to develop appropriate security response strategies. Analyzing existing types of malware, their capabilities, and predicting new forms of malware constitute their job description. They actively follow the cybersecurity trends to keep updated on the data and developments in the cyber world to come up with the best approach to counter the existing and potential threats. They may also be involved in reverse engineering malware or testing security systems to look into what the program does and what systems it has an impact on.  

How to become a cybersecurity expert?

Cybersecurity is a diverse area and therefore, there is no one particular course that makes for a single go-to source to qualify yourself. Like any other technical job, having the basic technical knowledge of computer science and programming is a prerequisite. Either you can acquire it by doing a regular course from a university or take up a certification course available through online educational forums. Or if you are just a curious cat yearning to pick on some popular cybersecurity breaches on the internet, there are numerous self-paced learning courses on the internet. However, to become a professional researcher in a real sense, one needs to have in their armor, a degree from a recognized organization.  

Master the maze ‘like this’:

There are no magic formulae in cyberspace to prevent every and any kind of cyberattack. Nevertheless, there are certain thumb rules and the so-called ‘time saver’ tips offered by cybersecurity experts to be ahead in the cyber research realm:  

• Take resort in incident response:

You understand networking and reverse engineering well, but do not have good experience to implement them at a higher level. How would you go ahead in the malware detection process? This is a problem usually, beginners face, and experts suggest sticking to an incident response where you see the attacks as they happen.  

• Keep the learning sprint going:

Being on one’s feet is the defining quality when it comes to a Cyber researcher’s IQ. Always being a learner, for entry-level researchers and experts as well, helps them understand novel trends in the cyber world. Limiting yourself to basic languages and concepts learned, in the beginning, means you are buying a ticket for yourself, to an island.  

• Move out of comfort zone:

Quite often cybersecurity researchers fall into the trap of thinking, ‘this method is too old or too complex to try’. If a technique is difficult or fiddly, then certainly it is the one you should be running after. Experts believe that the fastest way to invent novel methods, particularly in Cybersecurity, is to solve difficult problems, for obvious reasons – other researchers might find it difficult too and avoid working on it leaving scope for a potential discovery.  

• Be a jack of all trades but master of one:

Mastering every aspect of cybersecurity is very much necessary. That doesn’t mean you have to or can go deep into every detail. It is humanly impossible. Apart from having a broad skill set, and having acquired a good amount of experience in research, it is worthwhile to specialize in one particular area such as malware, reverse engineering, or network forensics.  

• Repeat, invent and share:

Cybersecurity research is not something that can be relegated to technical mastery alone. Cracking cybersecurity issues require a lot of persistence and you cannot just keep yourself aloof and achieve breakthroughs. With flourishing online communities, now it is easier to share ideas with fellow experts. The benefits of sharing go beyond gaining knowledge, as it is pure bliss to watch other experts build on your ideas.  

Final thoughts:

A report published by PayScale, says, most cybersecurity specialists responded that they have a high level of job satisfaction for one of their questionnaires. Given the difference a cybersecurity researcher can bring into people’s lives, minor obstacles shouldn’t stop aspiring cyber researchers from pursuing a dream career.  

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