Become A White Hat Hacker

The cybersecurity industry is growing rapidly. Paul Bischoff explores who’s hiring, what employers want and how you can get started as an ethical hacker.

The information security sector is booming, expected to grow at 10.2 per cent annually through

to 2023, according to a report from Markets and Markets (https://netm.ag/30tzXWB). This has prompted a demand for white hat hackers and other security professionals.

A study by the Herjavec Group predicts that 3.5 million cybersecurity-related jobs will open up through to 2021 (https://netm.ag/2WTjAjH). The high demand and growing cost of attacks have resulted in some impressive salaries. PayScale puts the average annual salary for a computer security specialist at around $72,000 (https://netm. ag/2Yz995a), while the Infosec Institute estimates somewhere around $71,331 for a certified ethical hacker (https://netm.ag/2HAjxTy).

IT security workers also seem resilient to economic downturn. If survey responses from (ISC)2 are any indication of the future, ethical hackers can be relatively confident that they will keep their jobs whenever the next recession hits (https://netm.ag/2QdDcfY).

Cybersecurity is essential for any business that stores data or operates in an online capacity, which means that many opportunities exist for ethical hackers. The obvious careers are those at internet giants such as Facebook, Google or Amazon. Banks and other companies in the financial sector also require high levels of security.

Many major companies have their own cybersecurity workforce but there are also infosec specialists like Cisco and FireEye, as well as roles in the military. Information security professionals can find jobs in a wide range of industries and in just about any major city in the world.

But a career as an ethical hacker isn’t only about the financial benefits. As our society has moved online and with the success of shows like Mr Robot, the image of the hacker has crept out of the dimly lit basement and become a respected and intriguing figure.