How to Become a Cyber Security Consultant: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Top Colleges, Jobs, Scope, Skills, Salary 2023

All about Career as a Cyber Security Consultant 

Some of the key points that must be kept in mind to become a Cyber Security Consultant are listed below for your reference.

1. There are certain requirements that a cyber security consultant must fulfil. A client may need a cyber security consultant may bring up tasks, which need a combination of some of the roles and responsibilities highlighted below:
2. Ability to figure out the best way for defending devices, software, networks, data, and the entire information system from any possible cyber-attacks and intrusions.
3. Regular interviews with the in-house or on-site staff and various department heads to address security concerns and issues.
4. Performing regular vulnerability testing just like white hat hackers including risk analysis and security assessments.
5. Regular updates and research about the current security practices, protocols and authentication systems.
6.  Identifying potential integration issues for IT project managers and doing cost analysis for any needed defence upgrades.
7. Creating plans, doing research and designing an all-encompassing, capable security architecture for any IT project.
8. Presenting all test findings via technical reports and white papers.
9. Providing guidance and professional supervision of the in-house security team.
10. Creating a definition for implementation and maintenance of fit corporate policies for the client’s organization.
11. Prompt reaction and response delivery to any security-related incident, thereafter providing a thorough post-event analysis.

12. Doing regular updates and upgrades of the client’s security system.

Courses to Become a Cyber Security Consultant

There are many courses which an individual can pursue in order to be a cybersecurity consultant. Given below is the list of courses for the same:

Certificate and Diploma Courses 

There are many certificate courses in the field of Cyber Security, and most of these courses are online. The eligibility to pursue these courses can be 10+2 in a relevant stream or Bachelor’s degree. Some of the most popular certifications and diploma courses in Cyber Security are:

Undergraduate Courses 

There are many B. Tech and B.Sc courses in the field of Cyber Security which can be pursued after clearing their 10+2. Admission into the B.Tech courses is done on the basis of a candidate’s performance in the JEE Main examination and admission into the B.Sc courses is based on the candidate’s performance in 10+2.

BTech Course

BTech is a 4-year undergraduate engineering course in the field of science and technology. It is the most commonly pursued course in India after 12th science. B Tech is a skill-oriented course focusing more on delivering practical training. 

Admission Process

Admission into the B.Tech course is based on the candidates’ performance in the JEE Main or JEE Advanced Examination. While admission into the BBA, BCA and B.Sc courses is mainly based on merit.

JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 

According to JEE Main Eligibility Criteria, a candidate who has passed or appeared for the class 12th exams can register for JEE Main. 75% of the eligibility criteria have been scrapped for this year too like the previous year.

How to Apply for JEE Main? 

Before applying for the entrance exam, be prepared with all the required documents that must be submitted along with the online application form. The entrance is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), therefore several steps are to be followed to complete the application process.

• Check the JEE Mains eligibility criteria before applying for the exam.
• Visit the official website of JEE Mains, i.e, jeemain.nta.nic.in.
• Navigate below and click on the tab Apply for JEE Mains.
• Candidates will receive a unique application number after filling in the personal details. This application number must be noted down so that you don’t forget it in future as it is an important part of the application process.
• Candidates should register themself and fill in details like the Candidate’s Name, Mother’s Name, Father’s Name, Gender, DOB, Contact Details etc.
• Proceed to submit the application form.
• Candidates will be provided with their login credentials by using which candidates can complete the application form.
• The final step is uploading of documents which are mentioned below:
  • Scanned coloured passport size photograph and signature 
  • 12th class/equivalent Admit Card
  • 12th Mark Sheet/ 
  • 12th Certificate 

• Pay the single paper or other registration fees as per your choice which is INR 650 for Gen- EWS/ OBC (NCL) Male candidates and INR 325 for SC/ ST/ PWD/ Transgender/ Girls.

How to Prepare for JEE Main? 

The syllabus of JEE Mains contains the topics of 11th and 12th only. Therefore, before starting with the preparation, candidates must be well aware of all the topics and subjects of class 11th and 12th. Some of the preparation tips are described below:

• Cover the topics having more weightage first.
• Practice the numerical portions more.
• Appear for as many mock tests as possible to increase your practical skills.
• Make revision notes so that you don’t rush during the final days of the exam.
• Solve previous year papers and try to secure marks more than the previous year’s 

PG Courses 

There are many PG courses in the field of Information Technology. 

Master of Technology

MTech is a professional degree in the discipline of engineering that emphasizes practical exposure of conceptual knowledge of engineering. 

Admission Process 

The admission into the PG courses in the field of IT is mostly through the candidates’ performance in the GATE examination. Although many colleges conduct their own entrance exams too. 

Eligibility Criteria for GATE 

Candidates aspiring to take the GATE examination must have to satisfy the following eligibility criteria:

• Completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or Master’s Degree in a relevant Science Subject.
• Appearing for the final year of the degree course are also eligible.
• The duration of the course should be at least 3 years.

How to Apply for GATE? 

• Visit the official website of GATE
• Register as a new user and fill in the application form
• Upload the requisite documents
• Pay the application fee
• Accept Declaration and Submit the Application

How to Prepare for the GATE exam? 

• Candidates can prepare by themselves or can take the help of some coaching classes to prepare for the exam.
• Attempting regular mock tests is a very important part of the preparation.

Steps on How to Become a Cyber Security Consultant in India

Following are some of the most important steps which a person should take in order to be a successful Cyber Security Consultant in India:

Decision Making 

Since Cyber Security is a very niche field, one should only pursue it if he/she is interested in it. For aspiring cybersecurity consultants, it is necessary to plan their career from their 10+2 level itself. 

Subject Choices 

It is advisable for the candidates to take up the science stream in their 10+2 with Computer Science as one of the compulsory subjects. After their 10+2 they can go for a B.Tech degree in the Cyber Security or Computer Science field. 

Entrance Exam Preparation 

Candidates aspiring for a B.Tech in Cyber Security or Computer Science field must have prepared for the JEE Main and JEE Advanced examination. 

Selecting Correct Colleges 

Selecting the right educational institution is a very vital step that would define a student’s educational background and qualification in their professional field as a Cyber Security Consultant. Candidates can pursue a degree of B.Tech in Cyber Security or Computer Science or any related field.

After Qualifying Entrance Exam 

After qualifying the entrance exam, candidates need to fill the application forms of their preferred institute and complete all the formalities related to the admission process. Candidates will only be admitted to the respective institute post payment of requisite admission and tuition fee.

Work Experience in the field of IT 

After passing out from college, one should gain an initial entry-level work experience in the field of Information Technology. 

Skills Required for Becoming a Cyber Security Consultant 

A Cyber Security consultant works as a Bridgeman for the implementation of technical knowledge and soft skills are required to explain it to the company owners, research team or end client. A consultant in this domain needs both the technical skills and communication skills for proficient implementation of the security technology.

Technical Skills

• A deep understanding of Penetration testing and ability to measure the vulnerability rating of cyber programs and software used in the company’s regular working.
• Knowledge of creating and maintaining firewall safety, this includes generating regular backups and building fail-safe features. This includes knowledge of breach detection and preventing protocols.
• Knowledge of advanced persistent threat management systems which include phishing, network access control and social engineering.
• Ability to generate encryption and decryption keys for sending and receiving data safely over the internet using the latest encryption algorithms. Also, protecting data from hacker attacks or security breaches.
• Sound knowledge of programming languages (C, C++, JAVA, PHP, Python) that are used in coding for processing raw data.
• Knowledge of various operating systems like Windows, Linux, Unix, etc. that are used in the public domain for system functions.
• Knowledge of ethical hacking and coding practices needed along with practical experience of threat modeling and configuration.

Soft Skills

A successful Cyber Security Consultant must have the following skills:

How to Become a Cyber Security Consultant in India? 

One can become a Cyber Security Consultant in India either by pursuing a UG degree in Cyber Security or by doing few certifications after gaining a considerable amount of work experience in the field of IT.

School Level Preparation 

Since Cyber Security is a very niche field, one should only pursue it if he/she is interested in it. For aspiring cybersecurity consultants, it is necessary to plan their career from their 10+2 level itself. One should take up Science stream in their 10+2 with Computer Science as one of the compulsory subjects. 

Graduation 

It is advisable for the students to pursue their graduation either in the field of Cyber Security or Computer Science Engineering from a good college. For getting into a good college one should clear the JEE Main or JEE Advanced Examination. 

Work Experience and Certifications 

Post to their graduation, candidates must have to take up some initial entry-level work experience in the IT field. Post to which, candidates have to take up some certifications in the Cyber Security Field. Professional certifications play a pivotal role in a consultant’s career. Most common and sought-after cybersecurity certifications include:

• Certified information systems security professional (CISSP)
• Certified information systems auditor (CISA)
• Certified information security manager (CISM)
• Certified ethical hacker (CEH)

How to become a Cyber Security Consultant Abroad

The process of becoming an IT Consultant Abroad is the same as in India you have to apply for the Job role according to your classification.

US 

Admission Process 

• Educational Requirements: Students interested in pursuing a UG degree in the field of Cyber Security in the United States must take the SAT test. Candidates interested in pursuing a postgraduate degree in this area must take the GRE exam as well as an English Proficiency Test.
• Other Requirements: In addition to academics, studying in the United States necessitates a firm grasp on extracurricular activities.

Top Colleges and Courses in the field of Cyber Security

UK 

Admission Process 

• Education Requirement: You must have completed at least 13 years of schooling, either in your home country or in the United Kingdom. Take an English proficiency exam, such as the IELTS or TOEFL.

Top Colleges and Courses in the field of Cyber Security

Canada 

Admission Process 

• Educational Requirements: Students interested in pursuing a UG degree in the field of IT in Canada must take the SAT exam. A candidate seeking a PG degree in this field must take an English Proficiency Test such as the TOEFL or IELTS

Top Colleges and Courses in the field of Cyber Security 

Australia 

Admission Process 

• Educational Requirements: A minimum of 13 years of education is required. Candidates must have an English proficiency exam, such as the IELTS or TOEFL.

Top Colleges in the field of Cyber Security

Cyber Security Courses Available Abroad 

Candidates aspiring to become Cyber Security Consultants can do various courses from abroad. Some of the most popular courses are:

UG Courses:

• Bachelor of Networking- Cyber Security (Offered by Melbourne Institute of Technology)
• Bachelor of Information Technology - Network Security
• Bachelor of Information Technology - Cyber Security
• Bachelor of Cyber Security
• Bachelor of Computer Science- Cyber Security

Eligibility Criteria for the UG courses:

For admission to the undergraduate degree programmes in Cyber Security, candidates should be a 10+2 pass out in science stream from a recognised board.

PG Courses:

• Master of Cyber Security
• PG Diploma in Cyber Security
• Master of Engineering- Cyber Security
• Master of Information Technology- Network Security

Eligibility Criteria for the PG courses:

For admission to the master’s programme, candidates will have to complete their graduation in Cyber Security with at least 50% marks in the qualifying examination from a recognized university/institute.

Education Requirement 

• BSc or Btech from Recognized college.
• Passing language proficiency tests like TOEFL or IELTS (whichever applicable)
• You must know to speak English or the native language of that country.

Colleges offering UG and PG courses on Cyber Security Abroad 

The role of the cybersecurity consultant is to protect the in-house data of client or customer data from hacking or any other kind of information breach. The security consultant thus works in-house or as a part of a consulting firm.

Working in-house 

A common in-house job title is a sales engineer, as part of the cybersecurity product sales team. Here the security consultant spends most of their time on building the sales spectrum and working with the product implementation. There is no direct interaction with the customers.

On the other end, sales representatives are working on direct communication with the end-users or customers. So, when a technical difficulty arrives, a Sales engineer comes into play. The Sales engineer bridges the communication gap between the highly experienced security team and the tools marketing team.

The sales engineer has better technical knowledge and so better risk analysis. They also supervise easy product implementation for customers.

Such consultants work under the job title of a solutions architect, product consultant, and product manager and are more experienced in customer dealing than Security engineers. Chances of fresh graduates working at this job role are rare, as opposed at a consultancy firm. This profile is good for applicants who enjoy working in sales and/ or have good customer service skills.

Working for Consulting firm

A consultancy firm usually assists other companies in enhancing the technical skills and security management by helping them create their own security teams or by filling gaps in their outsourced security model. At the time of filling the gaps in the security model, there is a no-one-size-fits-all solution. A company may need the assistance of a penetration tester or may ask for two analysts and an engineer. The cybersecurity consultants working with a consulting firm can have a wide variety of talents and skills.

A security engineer, pentester, SOC analyst and data scientist all come with different skill sets, but they all work under the umbrella of “security consultant”. They offer a solution to problems generated in a third-party working model.