Cybersecurity Career Paths
Cybersecurity is a diverse field with specialized roles in defense, offense, and engineering. Organizations build layered teams to protect systems and data effectively.
Blue Team – Defensive Roles
Security Analyst (Blue Team)
Daily Reality: Monitors alerts, investigates incidents, and improves detection rules.
Key Skills
SOC Analyst
Daily Reality: First line of defense. Triage alerts, escalate incidents, and document findings.
Key Skills
Security Engineer
Daily Reality: Builds and maintains security controls across infrastructure and applications.
Key Skills
Cloud Security Engineer
Daily Reality: Secures AWS/Azure/GCP environments and prevents cloud misconfigurations.
Key Skills
Red Team – Offensive Roles
Penetration Tester (Red Team)
Daily Reality: Simulates attacks to identify weaknesses in applications and infrastructure.
Key Skills
Industry Advice
Most cybersecurity professionals start with strong fundamentals: Linux, networking, and core security concepts. Specialization comes later. There's no single "right" path—many people move between blue team, red team, and engineering roles throughout their careers. Focus on hands-on labs, certifications (e.g., CompTIA Security+, OSCP, CCSP), and real-world projects to stand out.
