How To Become A Cyber Security Expert In Kenya And Available Opportunities
There are many opportunities in the cyber security industry in Kenya. You can work as a Penetration Tester, Malware Analyst or Ethical Hacker. All of these are available in the country. This is one of the best careers for Kenyans as it is a career for the future.
The first step to becoming a cyber security expert is to get certified. You can start by enrolling for an Associate’s Degree program at any of the higher learning institutions in Kenya. Then you will have to take an exam from one of the certifying bodies like CompTIA or EC-Council.
After you have obtained your certification, you can apply for a job as an Ethical Hacker or Penetration tester. However, if you want to become a Malware Analyst, then it will be difficult because there are not many companies that hire people with this skill set.
There are three main routes that you can take in order to become a cyber security expert:
– Earn a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field. This will give you an understanding of how computers work and how they are used. It will also provide you with knowledge about coding and programming languages. The degree is not required for entry-level positions but is helpful for working your way up the ladder at larger companies.
– Get certified as a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). You can earn this certification by passing an exam administered by ISC2, an organization that sets standards for information security professionals worldwide. This certification shows potential employers that you have what it takes to succeed as an information security professional.
– Enroll in one of several boot camps offered by learning institutions or online where students learn about cybersecurity from instructors who have years of experience working in this field.
What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is the protection of computer networks and data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification or destruction. While the terms cyber security and information security are often used interchangeably, information security may be considered a subset of cyber security. In general, cybersecurity involves protecting computers, networks, programs and data from being hacked or harmed by hackers.
The term “information security” is often used interchangeably with “cybersecurity”, but it’s important to note that information security is only one part of the broader discipline known as cybersecurity. Information security includes activities like preventing theft or loss of information or ensuring its accuracy.
But it also includes protecting against attacks from outside hackers also referred to as “black hats” who want to steal your personal information or shut down critical systems. Cybersecurity goes beyond those activities and focuses on protecting against intentional attempts to disrupt an organization’s operations through hacking into its computer system or network.
Types of Cybersecurity Threats
There are many different types of cybersecurity threats, but the following are some of the most common:
– Virus: A virus is a type of malware that can infect your computer by attaching itself to an application or file. The virus will spread throughout your computer and cause it to run slowly or crash.
– Trojan Horse: A Trojan horse is another type of malware that looks like a useful program or file but actually contains harmful code. When you open the program, it installs itself on your computer and starts running automatically.
– Phishing: Phishing is an attempt to obtain sensitive data like usernames and passwords by pretending to be a trustworthy entity in an email or text message. Phishing attacks are often carried out through social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter.
– Ransomware: This type of malware encrypts your files and then demands payment for their release. These criminals can include a time limit in which you must pay up or lose access forever.
– Social Engineering: Social engineering attacks are when someone calls or emails you pretending to be someone they’re not in order to get information from you like usernames and passwords.
– Password Cracking: This occurs when hackers try to guess your password by guessing at possible combinations one after another until they find one that works.
What are the top cybersecurity threats in Kenya?
The top cybersecurity threats in Kenya are email phishing, ransomware and data breaches. These threats can cause significant damage to your company’s financial health, reputation and brand value.
Since Kenya has a high amount of people using the internet, it also means that there are more opportunities for cybercriminals to attack.
Other top cybersecurity threats in Kenya include:
–Data loss: This is when someone’s personal or financial information is stolen by a hacker and used for fraud or identity theft.
–Data breach: This happens when hackers break into your computer system and steal data from your company or organization.
–Ransomware: This is when a hacker takes control of your computer and holds it hostage until you pay them money to get it back.
Skills Needed to Become a Cybersecurity Professional
The world of cybersecurity is a complex and ever-changing one, so it’s no surprise that there are so many different skills needed to become a cyber security professional.
Here are some of the most important:
1. Good analytical skills. Cybersecurity professionals need to be able to analyze large amounts of data quickly and efficiently, as well as determine what the most significant pieces of information are within those datasets.
2. Computer science knowledge. Cybersecurity professionals should have at least a basic understanding of how computers work in order to prevent or detect intrusions into their systems.
3. Technical expertise in multiple areas, including network security and cryptography, among others
Responsibilities of a Cyber Security Expert
Cyber Security Experts are responsible for protecting computers and networks from being hacked by malicious software and hackers. They also help companies and organizations formulate strategies that will keep their data safe from cyber attacks.
The duties of a Cyber Security Expert include:
-Identifying security threats and vulnerabilities in the systems they manage, such as computers and networks
-Assessing how likely it is that those threats will be exploited by hackers or malicious software
-Creating solutions for mitigating those threats, including creating new policies for limiting access to sensitive information and implementing firewalls to block access to unauthorized users
Qualifications to become a cybersecurity professional in Kenya.
Becoming a cybersecurity professional in Kenya is a challenging but exciting career path. The field of cybersecurity is growing at a rapid pace, and many organizations are struggling to find qualified professionals to fill their open positions.
Here are the qualifications you’ll need for your journey towards becoming a cybersecurity professional:
Education: You will need to pursue a Diploma or degree course in computer science related field to become a cyber security expert in Kenya. There are many colleges that offer this courses.
Among the top learning institutions you can enroll for a cybersecurity courses include; JKUAT, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Strathmore University, Mount Kenya University, Moi University, University Of Eldoret among others.
For a diploma course you will need to have attained atleast a C plain in KCSE and have passes sciences, languages and mathematics. To study a Degree course in Cyber security in Kenya, you will need to have attained a mean grade of at least C+ in KCSE and must have passed Sciences, languages and mathematics.
You can also get experience by volunteering or interning at companies that specialize in information technology (IT).
Experience: You don’t need much experience before pursuing a career as a cybersecurity professional in Kenya; however, it’s important to be able to demonstrate your knowledge and skills through certifications such as those offered by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) or CompTIA Security+. These certifications show employers that you have the skills needed to do the job.
Skills: When interviewing for jobs as a cybersecurity professional in Kenya, employers want someone who has strong technical skills along with communication skills. Their primary concern is ensuring that data security will not be compromised under their watchful eye.
How Much Will I be earning as a Cyber Security Expert In Kenya
As a Cyber security Expert, you can get employed by Top level companies in Kenya and beyond. Alternatively you can start your own firm and provide cyber security services to companies and online businesses. Depending on your level of expertise, Cyber security professionals in Kenya earn between Ksh. 350,000 to 1,500,000 each month.
Where can I find Cyber security job opportunities in Kenya?
There are many sources of cyber security job opportunities in Kenya.
One of the best ways to find a cyber security job is through networking. Connect with people in the industry and follow up with them after meeting them. You can also use social media to connect with professionals in the field and ask for help in finding a job opportunity.
Another way to find cyber security job opportunities is by applying directly for jobs posted on various websites. Many large companies post their openings on their own site, but you can also find smaller companies posting openings as well.
By applying directly for these jobs, you will be able to see what positions are available and what qualifications are needed before applying for any position. Companies such us Safaricom, Jamii Telecommunications, Liquid Telecom, banks and both big and small companies.
You can also search for jobs on sites like LinkedIn and Indeed, which feature many different types of positions available within your area or throughout the country. These sites allow you to search based on location, salary range, industry type and other criteria so that you can narrow down your search as much as possible before applying for positions through these sites.
Cyber Security Opportunities in Africa
Cyber security is a rapidly growing sector in Africa. The region has seen a surge of cybercrime activity and this has led to an increase in demand for cyber security experts.
Cyber security professionals are responsible for protecting their organizations from cyber threats. They also ensure that systems function optimally and provide relevant information to the appropriate stakeholders.
Cyber security professionals are employed by different organizations including banks, software companies, government agencies, hospitals, and others.
The growth rate of cybercrime in Africa is expected to increase over the next decade due to factors such as rapid urbanization, increased connectivity among people and machines, and poor governance practices such as corruption which encourages illegal activities like hacking into systems for financial gain or espionage purposes.
Why are organizations vulnerable to security threats?
The answer is that they have not put enough effort into preventing these threats. They may have taken some measures, but they are not enough. In order to protect your company from security threats, you need to know what your vulnerabilities are and what you can do to mitigate them.
When looking at the problem of cyber security, it’s important to remember that there are two main approaches: prevention and detection. You can’t prevent everything in advance because it’s impossible to predict every possible threat. But you can use detection systems that will alert you when something happens so you can respond immediately.
Five Reasons to Become a Cyber security expert
Cyber security experts are in high demand, and the field is growing rapidly. Here are five reasons to consider becoming a cyber security expert:
1. Cyber security experts have job security. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of computer network architects is projected to grow by 18% from 2020 through 2026, which is much faster than average for all occupations. The BLS expects job openings for cybersecurity analysts to grow by 25% over the same period.
2. There’s always room for growth in this field. Many cyber security professionals report that they regularly take on new responsibilities as they advance their careers; if you’re not satisfied with where you are now, there will be plenty of opportunities ahead of you as long as your skills keep up with demand.
3. You’ll be helping people every day. Because cyber attacks can happen anywhere and at any time, there are always people who need help protecting themselves and their data from those attacks—and it’s a great feeling knowing that your work helps keep people safe.
4. You’ll get to use some of the most advanced technology on Earth every day! The world of cybersecurity is always changing and growing, which means there are always new technologies to learn about and use.
5. There’s a lot of job security in cybersecurity. Companies across the globe are investing more than ever before in securing their data and infrastructure against cyber threats. This means that demand for cybersecurity professionals will only continue to increase over time.
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